Santa Veronica, Colombia

Consistent N–NNE winds and Chop, Small waves water conditions make Santa Veronica, Colombia a perennial favourite.

Best months: January, February, March, December.

The water is generally surprisingly choppy - not really like "open water" at all. Along the shoreline there is usually a modest shore break, allowing for some fun wave kiting but nothing really exceptional. The point - Salinas Del Rey - is where most people kite. Inside the point the water is protected and quite smooth, so TT kiters ride there. Peeling off the point is a nice wave. The wave varies from quiet small to moderate (head high) making for decent wave riding most of the time. At times the point "goes off" and the waves can jack up to double overhead. I can't explain "why" or "when" exactly this happens: it certainly happened when the wind picked up to over 25 knots, but according to the locals is also related to the arrival of the full moon. The character of the water changes dramatically: the choppy water offshore turns into big, widely spaced swells that generate a perfect break at the point. These bigger waves can peel off deep into the bay behind the point allowing for long rides on smooth wave faces. Not exactly down-the-line, as the wind is still side-on, but definitely one of the nicest waves I've had the opportunity to ride. It should be mentioned that when the wind picks up (& also with a higher tide) there is a lot of wood floating in the water as the logs along miles of coastline are picked up & blown downwind. A bit hazardous - I never had a serious incident, but charging a wave face wondering if there might be a log about to crash down on top of you was a little nerve-wracking at times.