Surf: Famous east coast right, full of power and intensity. Vertical drops, thick bowls and big shut down sections that even work in the regular onshore trade winds. Kelly Slater puts Soup Bowl in his “top 3 waves in the world” thanks to it’s “really good curve that allows all sorts of manoeuvres and airs”. Winter N swells bring the heavy "Bowls", while a hurricane S direction may provide the fun "Soup" part of the name, while still holding excellent shape. No matter what direction, this is a wave of consequence as it shifts up the size scale. Environment: Some days you do need to be Slater to get a set off the dialled-in local crew, but there’s rarely a flat day and average midweek crowds will often be mellow. Another unavoidable constant is the army of urchins on the inside along with the omnipresent NE-E trade-winds. Surf: General: This is basically the reason you came to Barbados. To sit within eyeshot of the Bowl, watch its every mood, and choose the most opportune times to take her on with all your might. Bathsheba is the kind of place that can be blown out at sunrise and glass off at 11:00 a.m., so going on a vigil is required with Soup Bowl. Many a nap has been ruined by the news that the Bowl went ballistic during the midday hours. When it is on and sizeable Soup Bowl is something to be reckoned with. Deep, thick, and grinding, this wave has lots of water behind it, and slowing down enough for the barrel is sometimes the challenge. And if you catch it offshore, which is less rare than most people think, you are in for a real surprise.

While north swells produce the heaviest barrels and are coveted by top locals and traveling surfers alike, the summer season can produce fun, glassy easterly swells when tropical lows pass to the north of the island. Soup Bowl can also produce fun, rideable waves from the ever-present trade winds. Locals usually ignore the spot when it's windy and peaky, so you can often find yourself surfing alone at these times, having a good time catching waves by yourself. Tides: Mid, incoming Size: Head high-double overhead+ Wind: South, Southwest Swell: N, NE Bottom: Reef Paddling: Can we lots of work on bigger swells, like hurricanes. Spot Rating: When it is good it is really good -- turns and barrels. Access: Get off the bus in Bathsheba and look at the ocean, or park right there. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Can get crowded on weekends or on the arrival of any swell. Local Vibe: Locals are aggressive when it's on, but if it's your turn, you go. As always, humility and respect go a long way. Environment: Pretty good. Hazards: Bowly, fast barrel sections over shallow reef; urchins. Season: Late summer and fall for tropical cyclone swells but late fall through early spring for consistency.