Barra de la Cruz, is about 20 km east of Huatulco, famed mainly for its surf both with the locals and the surfers that travel here form all over the world, Barra is a really simple laid back place that one can enjoy a day in the sun surfing, eating excellent local food and not seeing a beach of tourists nor even any amenities that would make it appear as if there was any. The public beach is well cared for and only opens from 8 am to 8 pm. There are showers and bathrooms and a small palapa right on the beach serving up cold drinks like beer and good eats like fresh, really fresh ceviche.
This long, fast right point break get up to double over head. The area enjoys the good swells from March through October with the exceptional season being June & July. The surf in Barra de la Cruz was relatively unknown until the 1990’s and when in 2006 Rip curl Search Event assembled here with some of the best surfers in the world, the place became very well known amongst surfers.
There is a mixed feeling about the event being held here and some controversy surrounding it for sure. Whether the Rip Curl folks treated the town correctly or not is the main controversy. I guess I cant determine the truth or not truth here, all I know is that the place was packed with professional surfers from all over the world, and there is not a modern amenity in sight for miles. The town which is extremely small and located up the hill from the beach is extremely poor. Most the homes are a mix of concrete and palapa style roofs, dirt floors and well water often carried by buckets in to many homes.
The people are friendly and excited to speak to the foreigners. We had to buy some gas at one of the homes, there is no gas station and like most the folks in México were only to eager to help us with our problem, I cannot say the same thing happens here but then again maybe I have less evidence.
Now take in mind this is the kind of place that people get pummeled for posting about, its supposed to be a top secret spot and everyone gets all bent out of shape when hearing people talk about the place. The fact is that the word is out, no doubt the place is crowded now and not much different than surfing at ROCKAWAY BEACH in NYC in terms of amount of people surfing, but the great part is the calabur of surfers is unique and I have never experienced seeing such high quality surfing ever before in my life, not only by the professionals and advanced surfers from around the world, but the locals were amongst the best I have ever seen. It was a tricksters heaven, more air and more rail riding than imaginable, forward and back flips not a problem here for the many. The great part is that there are no amenities here so it will never attract the type we fight for it not to attract. Its hot, humid, dusty dirt roads, sometimes they are out of water, sometimes they are out of beer, there is no shade by the end of the beach where the break is, it’s a long walk on the hot sand. So the one thing you can bet on it that the folks that are there can surf! All parts of the world were represented while we were there, Argentina, England, Australia, South Africa, Ireland, USA, Canada, México and many more……….
So as I might get my ass kicked for writing about this place, it was one of the best places I have surfed and the people both in the town and on the waves were inspiring, in their zest for life. Barra is not a place for everyone for sure, but for me it will forever hold and important place in my history both in surf and in life! It is for one the first place I stepped down from a long board to a short board……….and I am forever grateful for the joy it showed me on what could have been a disastrous time surfing!
