Surf Forecast  Puertecillo

Puertecillo surfspot characteristics

More about Puertecillo surfspot

One of Chile's most sought after left pointbreaks and renowned for epic, long, sand dredging barrels. It's nestled in the lee of the stubby headland with good south wind protection, but that also means it needs a decent dose of swell to get going. Always much smaller than the waves in Pichilemu, ideal conditions include at least a 3m SW swell, SE or no wind, outgoing tide from mid and hopefully a mellow, mid-week crowd. When the sand is parked, waves of up to 700m are possible. It's pretty inconsistent and can be uninspiring when small and broken up.

General: Puertecillo sand-bottom point is best when the sand gets a chance to settle after the intense winter storms, and when it's on, it rivals any left sandbar tube anywhere. It's further tucked in than Punta de Lobos, so while it does get less swell, the swells are super clean by the time they start wrapping around the headland. When it's on, it's pretty much tuck in and go. Tides: Medium-low Size: Head high-double overhead Wind: SE Swell: SW Bottom: Sand Paddling: Not bad. Spot Rating: Can compete with the best left-handed tubes around on a proper swell.

intermediate to advanced

Getting there is tough. You need permission to access private land that the point is located on.

March-May

Crowd Factor: Can be a full on camping scene, meaning potentially dozens in the water. Local Vibe: Mellow, not many locals to speak of.

The land is privately owned by a corporation with development aspirations. Plans for a marina have been shelved but a large housing development may replace the natural environment, that has been impacted by decades of camping. Permission slips must be obtained before arriving at the camping area and surf camp. This is now reportedly only possible in Santiago. The access roads are rough and getting lost is easy. Summer crowds and drop-ins are a given and seeing 100 people in the line-up is normal for peak periods. The rip current is a constant drain and it is way too sucky for beginners or improvers to get much joy.

Good

Turning your back on the ocean.