Witch’s Rock (Roca Bruja)

Posted by Annie Shay on Oct 8, 2013 in Guanacaste, Surf Spots | 0 comments

Witch’s Rock (Roca Bruja)

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Surf Spot: Witch’s Rock
Break Type: Rivermouth
Difficulty Level: All surfers
Best Swell Direction: NorthWest, West, SouthWest
Ride Direction: Right and left
Tides: Mid and high tide

Description

All hardcore surfers must have heard about the mysterious Witch’s Rock commonly known as Roca Bruja among the locals. The popular surfing destination is located close by Playa Naranjo in Santa Rosa National Park in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica. The rock’s name comes from an old legend of a witch who is said to live on the island. When the place was featured in a famous surf movie, Endless Summer II, surfers from all over the globe flocked to Costa Rica to ride the waves of the mysterious island. Witch’s Rock is not easily accessible. You can reach by flying into the city of Liberia; south to the Santa Rosa National Park or you can drive by either renting a car or riding a bus. Later, you can sail out on a boat from Santa Rosa National Park. There are many tour companies and surf camps that offer guided surf trips to the place. Unlike Ollie’s Point, visitors can camp at the beach. However, the rock is very small and no place for a picnic so it is advisable that you don’t bring a non-surfer partner.

Featuring world class waves, Witch’s Rock creates powerful, fast and hollow waves during mid and high tides that break in both directions. The waves close out at low tides. It is a rivermouth break that breaks to the left and to the right on a sandy bottom. The waves at Witch’s Rock have a unique shape which they have taken from a sandbar created by the river mouth feeding into the water. The waves are large stretching about 3 miles onto the beach. On an average day, the waves have a length of 50 to 150 meters which can go as high as 300 meters on a good day. Perfect swells are raised from three directions namely Northwest, West and Southwest. The swells can hold up to 6 feet! Good winds rake across the waves from Southeast, East and Northeast. It is one of the few locations where surfers of all skills can pick up the waves. The waves are forgiving to the beginners yet powerful enough to give a good challenge to a seasoned surfer. When paddling out into the water, you should look out for the crocodiles. It is not confirmed if crocodiles are actually present or it is simply a rumor to scare the crowds away but still you shouldn’t take a chance. Also, a wet-suit is highly recommended as the water gets very cold. Witch’s Rock is mostly devoid of any crowds offering surf enthusiasts a perfect opportunity to surf in peace.

Surf Camps

There are no surf camps or schools located directly on the rock but there are various tour companies and surf camps that organize guided surf trips to the Witch’s Rock. One of the great surf schools is Witch’s Rock Surf Camp. It is a superb surfing community located on Playa Tamarindo, a beautiful beach with amazing waves! Tourist friendly, family orientated and professional to the core, the camp will teach you to surf in no time with a perfect style and class. It pursues surfers of all skills. It does not matter if a person is an expert on waves or only a beginner; with Witch’s Rock Surf Camp they will learn something new and useful every second! Other camps like Ollie’s Point Surf Camp and Tamarindo Surf School also arranges trip to Witch’s Rock.