Italy is often renowned for its culinary delights, rich culture, and iconic cities, but not necessarily for its bodyboarding waves.
Last weekend, after checking the weather forecast, I decided to switch things up and head for a surf session in the Mediterranean. Forming a small group of enthusiastic friends, we embarked on a minimum 10-hour drive from the Basque Country.
Upon arrival, we woke up early to the sight of the sea from the small balcony of our hotel room. A somewhat intimidating view awaited us, with 2 to 3-meter waves closing in across the entire bay on the beach break.
Quickly rousing our friends, we headed out to inspect the spots up close. Our instincts were right; the spot offered consistent 2 to 3-meter waves on a peak with both left and right breaks. About a dozen surfers were already in the water.
We swiftly put on our 4/3 wetsuits, prepared our gear—my trusty Morey Mach 7 HP for me, a bit of wax—and hit the water. The first surprise was the water being significantly warmer than in the Atlantic, a welcome 5 degrees more, setting the perfect conditions for us.
The excitement heightened as 3-meter sets started closing in on the entire spot, causing damage to the Italian coastline and making headlines on local television news.
We exited the water to comprehend the situation, realizing that the spot was no longer surfable in its current state. We waited until the afternoon and had a second surf in less challenging conditions, with only 2-meter waves remaining after the peak of the swell.
These conditions held for nearly four days, with a minimum of 1.5 meters on the spots. Kudos to Italy; we'll definitely be back.
