There is a long sweeping beach that stretches from the boat launch area called Ponga Beach twenty miles south to the river mouth at San Gregorio. This gentle strip of sand is interrupted to the north by Punta Pequeña, an elevated shelf of sharp volcanic rock fracturing slowly into the sea.

PONGA BEACH

Punta Pequeña, or Little Point, is composed of a series of six points as the fishermen count them heading out to sea. The surf breaks at First, Second and Third Points face south and are in the lee of the prevailing northwesterly winds. Fourth Point picks up a more westerly swell and often receives a side wind in the afternoons.

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First Point

First Point, the closest to Ponga Beach, is a point with a table rock that is under water at high tide. There is a gently slopping sandy bottom. Rideable at one foot, it can be a small, precisely tooled right. Good Corvina fishing from the rock.

Second Point

Second Point breaks into a little bay with a rocky shore and a sandy bottom. It is a long right break, good for longboards, exquisitely formed and rideable at one foot. Some rides go for 30 seconds or more. A family break, where one can watch the kids from the cliff above. Good for learning, good for watching and good for nose riding. Stingrays occasionally linger on the bottom. Shuffle and keep your feet up.

Third Point

Formed best when some sand is on the bottom, Third Point picks-up south swells from 180° to 215°. A perfectly peeling wave for over 100 yards, if you ride all the way in, it can take more than five minutes to paddle back out. At low tide jagged volcanic rock litters the shore. Most people wear booties. Twenty people in the water makes it crowded. Take turns and be polite. Remember, Scorpion Bay is not LA, the people we surf with are the people we live with.

Fourth Point and beyond

Fourth Point will pick up a more westerly swell and the prevailing winds are often side-shore in the afternoon. There are stories of huge swells when double or triple overhead surf connects the points through Third Point, the Race Track, passed Second Point, around Table Rock and on into town - a ride of over a kilometer. Many have done it now. J P DeKervor did it in 2005, Edgar Dominguez did it  last year. When the surf is large, it can take nearly full strength paddling against the current to stay in position in the line-up.

If you have a vehicle that can drive through the dunes and on the beach, there are spots to explore to the north and the south . Take note of the tides, a high tide can strand you to the south.