Surfing Costa Azul (Zippers)

Everything here depends on south to southwest groundswell, which arrives from May to October and usually peaks from July to September; in winter the coast is often small and better for swimming. Zippers is a right-hand reef over cobbles and sand with a fast takeoff and a hollow inside section, giving rides of 80–120 m on a good swell. It suits solid intermediate and advanced surfers, regularly hosts contests and is crowded whenever it breaks.

La Roca, by the big rock outcrop below the roadside lookout, is a steeper right reef between Zippers and Old Man's; it gets very rocky at low tide and is best from mid to high tide. Old Man's is a mellow, longboard-friendly right where the surf schools work, suited to late beginners and improvers. Northerly winds are offshore. At Zippers, low tide exposes urchin-covered rocks on a shallow inside, and a strong rip runs through the channel. Sources also flag pollution, so avoid surfing after heavy rain. Water sits around 21 °C in early spring and reaches about 29 °C in late summer.

Zippers is easy to work with a long lens. From the beach east of the peak you look back up the line at riders coming towards you, and on summer mornings the sun, rising in the east-northeast, lights the wave faces from over your shoulder. By mid-afternoon the faces fall into shadow with the sun behind the wave, and in the cooler months the low southern sun sits over the sea, so backlit spray and silhouettes are the norm.

Summer middays are harsh, with the sun almost overhead. The roadside lookout above La Roca gives a raised angle over the lineup. From the sand, 100–400 mm covers Zippers; from the lookout, 200–500 mm works better. Swimming at Zippers is for experienced water photographers only, given the crowd, rocks and rip; Old Man's is gentler on small days. The classic frame is a rider setting up for the hollow inside section at Zippers.

Costa Azul sits between km 28 and 29 of the Transpeninsular Highway, the tourist corridor linking Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo. Los Cabos airport is about 20 km away, a short taxi ride, and Cabo San Lucas is 25–30 minutes west by road. There is public parking by the surf shop near Zippers, with board rentals, surf schools and a beachfront restaurant. The lookout on the highway above La Roca is an easy stop to check the waves.