Have you ever wanted to chase the endless summer? I know I have!
Growing up I was obsessed with the beach bum surfer life, Kelly Slater posters pulled from Surfer Magazine adorned my walls and although raised in sunny Southern California I didn’t begin my surfing adventure until my 30s. Perhaps making up for lost time, I now find myself planning trips around surf locations and exciting breaks I want to explore.
Here you won’t find advice on beaches in Malibu or the Algarve, this is for the person who wants to surf a break that breaks away from the traditional surf spots everyone knows.
However, if you’re familiar with The Endless Summer you might recognize a few spots.
N’Gor Island, Senegal
Another hit on the Endless Summer playlist, Senegal is a special spot for those looking for a warm water break away from crowds and throngs of tourists.
N’Gor Island is a small island 400 meters off the coast of Dakar, the capital of the west African nation. Although visible from the bustling big city on the mainland, N’Gor offers proper island vibes and a carless paradise powered fully by solar power. The island itself offers two breaks, N’Gor Right and N’Gor Left, both rocky reef breaks, while also being a short boat ride away from the beach breaks at Virage and Almadies.
I tried N’Gor Right twice, but never warmed to it. Recovering from a slipped disc in my back a few weeks before my trip, the long paddle out from the rock in a choppy current was too tough for me to take at the time. The break also washes over a plethora of rocks that are littered with sea urchins, so make sure you time your surf right because if the tide is too low you will undoubtedly be stung by the unrelenting creatures. Every surfer I met on the island was pulling urchin spikes out of feet or legs at varying lengths of incubation. Even the walk down to the jump off point is over sharp vertical stones much akin to walking on Legos.
Definitely bring a pair of cheap sandals you won’t miss and are comfortable leaving on the pier and save your feet the trouble.
Where to stay
If you’re looking for surf camp experience a more surf bum lifestyle, N’Gor Island Surf Camp is your best bet. It’s also the only full-service surf place on the island. I stayed with them for 2 weeks during my travels and had a lovely time with the sweet staff and the other guests passing through. It was the off season (July) so it was very quiet and although I pre-booked it wasn’t necessary as there were many free spaces. However in the busy season they are reportedly booked for months in advance.
The surf camp offers both private rooms with ensuite bathrooms as well as a large dorm with several shared bathrooms. The private rooms have a rustic local feel with a casual design aesthetic, while the dorm is very bare bones. I heard from some of the staff that they will be renovating in the autumn of 2023, but not sure what that entails. Having been to several surf camps around the world I was quite disappointed by this one, both in the general quality as well as the price and what is included. While a cold breakfast and a family-style dinner were included, board rentals and lessons were not and needed to be purchased separately. And while wifi issues are common across the continent, it seemed more unreliable here than other places I stayed so perhaps not suitable for the digital nomad who needs to be connected all day.
The surf camp has a large selection of board rentals, bits and pieces for purchase, and very knowledgeable guides that will run through the day’s surf plan at dinner the night before. They’ll also arrange transportation to spots on the mainland. It’s a great vibe if you want the opportunity to go out multiple times a day and simply live and breathe surfing during your stay.
If you’re not interested in the full surf experience, and don’t need to be as budget conscious, there are lots of other small hotels on the island as well back on the mainland close to the beaches. There is no shortage of shops offering board rentals and lessons which is perfect you want to give it go but don’t need to be consumed by it.
How to get there
Getting to the island is easy, but as with most things in Africa it requires a bit of patience, a flexible schedule, and the ability to smile through price negotiations.
When you arrive at Plage de N’Gor walk through the car park and make your way to the beach. Chances are you’ll be offered help by a local before even reaching the boats. Most are genuinely helpful and will assist you in securing a seat on a “private” ferry over with only a slight upsell of about 1,000 XOF (about 1.50 Euros). The price should be 1,000 XOF to the island, but it’s not uncommon to pay 2,000 XOF due to the unofficial commission. The private ferry is not in fact private but shared with others, however it leaves on a more frequent basis and requires less of a queue than the public option, so it’s worth the price. The public ferry requires waiting for the boat to fill up before it leaves and a queuing system that is, well, not what westerners are accustomed to.
When you arrive on the island there are 3 beach drop off points. Make sure you confirm with the boat captain or your new guide as to where you should alight. The island is very small so a wrong move will only put you behind by about a 5 minute walk, depending on where you need to go.
If you prefer a beach break then your best bet is either Virage (my favorite) or the Almadies.
The waves were great at Virage during my stay so I didn’t make it to the Almadies myself to surf, but I did check out Secret Spot as a spectator. It’s a lovely location, but also full of urchin covered rocks. Although you can walk in from the sand in between two restaurants, the waves are breaking on the rocks and I winced many times as I watched a tween barely miss a few jetties when he dove out of a break. There was a couple out for their first lesson as I watched from the safety of a restaurant so it is possible, but as most local spots it simply depends on the conditions of the day.
Virage is a classic, nearly perfect beach break. Although you have to carefully stumble across a strip of rocks as you enter the water, there are very few once you cross that threshold. And as I was recovering from an injury, being able to put my feet down on a sandy bottom and give my back a break was a welcome reprieve.
The waves are calm, slow, and perfect for the beginner or intermediate. There are the odd larger waves that locals tend to jump on and attempts their tricks, but it’s a wide beach with plenty of breaks and even with a half dozen other people out, it never felt overcrowded. We would leave our bags at Copacabana where the staff were happy to keep a close eye on our items in exchange for the purchase of cold drinks after our surf. They also have an outdoor shower to wash the salt and sand off before you chug your frosty refreshment. Frequented by locals and expats alike, it seemed like a great spot to network among other surfers or aspiring sports photographers. We even ran into a champion surfer from the Canary Islands as we navigated the busy car park on our way out once, so that should be a seal of approval on the quality of the spot.
