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Morocco’s ‘Chleuh’ Coast
By Archi
Peter Mendia, Hash Point photos: Alex Laurel
Main cities:
Essaouira, Agadir, Tiznit
Wave type:
Everything from beachies to slabs, but famous for pointbeaks.
When to go:
Obviously winter, preferably later winter when crowds have left and big low pressures are still active in the north Atlantic. The last four years, the best swells have been in February/March.
Rubber:
3/2 in winter even south of Agadir. 4/3 can also be handy near Essaouira because of the upwelling during high winds. Booties are a good option as Morocco is renowned for its urchins.
Boards:
If you want to carve the long walls old style, bring your fish or retro board. You are on the hunt for Moroccan caves, bring a fast shortboard and if you want to tackle the ground swells at Anchor, bring your biggest wave tools.
Swell chasing:
Ideally, not a outrageously huge swell, a ground swell in the 6 to 8 foot coming from the NW, without too much north. Easy to fly to Casablanca or Agadir, failing that, Marrakesh.
Best waves:
Dracula and Boilers are the most challenging, short & intense rides. Killers and Anchor are the two big wave spots with 200 metres ride +.
Berbère Country.
The Souss region and the anti Atlas is home to the indigenous Berbère, also known as the ‘Imazighen’ people that you can translate as ‘free man’, a north African tribe of fairly unknown origins and the Chleuh are the local people of this tribe. While technically not Europe, the ferry ride is too short a hop for it not to be a natural prolongation of the classic Euro roadie. You will still have to drive through the northern part of the country (which also has quality surf) to reach the Agadir region. South or north of Agadir, the Sardine capital of the world and a bit of a tourist trap, lays numerous quality waves. That stretch of coast strides two regions of Morocco, the Souss in the south (Agadir being its first city) and the Doukkala Abda in the north (reaching as far as Essaouira).
Keep in mind that distances in Morocco are best measured in driving time than kilometres for obvious reasons such as bad roads, dangerous traffic, road blocks, painfully slow trucks and donkeys.
Taghazout is fast becoming the Moroccan Kuta, with the seasonal pouring in of hundreds of European surfers keeen to surf the famous pointbreaks of Anchor, Boilers, Killers etc. The coastline here has been privatised by hotels, apartments and resorts development (even a Prince from Qatar built his seaside palace) where you once parked your van in the middle of the rocks and dry vegetation. So the access isn’t as great anymore but everything sits at walking distance from each other and you can easily catch a ride or a bus in the passing traffic. Despite this fast changing environment, on a good day, this whole stretch of coast lights up, having the highest density of quality waves in the country and probably some of the best walling rights as well. Yes, every surf school and its dog in Europe seems to have a second base around this Berbère fishing village but that also means when the swell is up & solid, you can be sitting out the back pretty much on your own while half of Germany & England and France battles on the inside. Of course this decade old surfing craze for Taghazout has created a buzzing little surfing town with an interesting night life but if the Moroccan vibe has long been a bit lost you can still run into a few old people in jellabahs. Further south, the Agadir bay rarely offers any surf but is worth a look for a bit of a cultural feed or just enjoy yourself in the souk and big veggie market.
Phrases:
As salaam ‘alaykum: Hello.
Shukran: Thanks.
Ghalee: Too expensive.
Ma fhamtchi: I don’t understand.
Hdéliya tomobil: Can you keep an eye on my car?
Ki dayrin llemmaj lyouma: How are the waves today?
Ch’hal men jmel téàtini bach neàtik merti: How many camels for my girlfriend?
Accommodation wise there is no big hotel but heaps of surfcamps, rooms and apartments to rent with a view directly on the surf and at different prices (from Luxury suite to mattress on the floor). For surfcamps, try Surf Maroc Surf Camp.
To eat out there is no lack of restaurants but we won’t recommend any in particular as they all serve pretty much the same menu. The ‘must taste’ being the Moroccan mint tea prepared the proper way with mountains of sugar and drank boiling hot in tiny cool glasses. You can also do you own shopping in the numerous little grocery stores. Just pop your head at the entrance of one of the booths and place your order for fresh bread, salads etc. and the compulsory mix of cumin and paprika. The tajine and mint tea sitting on Moroccan poufs is the must do. The other thing is bargaining, bargain for every thing, from your daily loaf of bread to the present you wanna bring back to your girlfriend.
Watch out for: Food & water poisoning and absolutely mental drivers, if you have a death wish then drive at night.