Foil Northern Nicaragua

Northern Nicaragua is a landscape unlike any other. World class barrels break below world class sunsets and towering volcanos. Empty breaks, consistent swell, and vibrant local culture is enough to peak any surfer's curiosity. Rider Rebecca Hart came for the surf, and came back stoked on the untapped foiling potential that Northern Nicaragua has to offer.

Words and photographs by Tess Adams

“Every time I look at the ocean out here, I see endless potential,” says Hart, a Foil Drive and Kāohi Leash rider from Kauai. “Northern Nicaragua is a place to pioneer that feels really exciting. Exploring breaks that no surfer has been able to tap into is super compelling. Surfing is so saturated.”

Asseredores and Boom Beach area offer diverse conditions from river mouth breaks to reef, outer reef, beach break, and flat water in the estuary. There are endless unexplored sites waiting for hungry foilers to pioneer with opportunity for winging, downwinding, para winging, prone foiling, and wake foiling. It is also accessible at a fraction of the cost of Nicaragua’s heavily touristed southern neighbor, Costa Rica.

“When I first arrived, the swell was cranking. The report was saying 6-8 feet, and there were solid 8 foot sets. I spent my first session at an outside reef break. It was empty. Not a surfer or anyone else in sight for miles. The faces were so solid and so fast; they kept reforming, and I was catching wave after wave.”

“The next day, at the same break, the swell dropped a bit allowing me to rip into the face of the waves. I was flying so fast, I got up to 20 mph on some waves.”

“On my third day, I headed north to an outside reef break.” 4-6 foot waves, not a soul in sight for miles, and volcanos and lush forest set the backdrop for another unbelievable session. “The faces of the waves were fast. They’d jack up, get mushy, jack up again, reforming over and over. I’d catch waves way outside then ride them almost all the way to the beach.”

The conditions and natural beauty are amplified by the prominent local culture of Northern Nicaragua. The area booms with heart. Food, music, dance, and the warmness of the locals will have any rider hooked. “It’s so special to be in a place where locals are so passionate about sharing their home and their culture,” says Hart, “it’s incomparable to anywhere I’ve been in the world.”

Melquing Chavez, local guide and owner of SurfLife Tours Nicaragua, says “the best part about the North Side is how you are welcomed into the community. You come as a stranger and leave as family.” Melquing has been Rebecca’s guide for both of her visits. “I’m a surfer, but foil guiding has been really fun because there are so many beautiful spots to share. I am excited to do more of it.

“I am excited, too,” says Chavez, “about bringing more visitors to the area. By coming and exploring, you are supporting local businesses. There are so many empty foil waves too; getting more foilers down here won’t overcrowd the surf breaks. I know locals will all be really excited about that.”

If you’re looking for a killer frontier for discovering, along with fresh local food, clean air, miles of untouched beaches, and nothing but cows for traffic, this may just be the place for you.