Surfing Nexpa

The main wave starts at the rivermouth and peels north-west along the boulder bank. When the swell comes from the south to southwest with enough size, the sections connect into a fast ride of up to around 200 m, with barrel sections; with a more westerly or northerly angle it breaks into about five separate peaks, which spreads the crowd. It starts working at around 1–1.5 m (3–5 ft) and holds much bigger swells. The largest swells arrive from June to September, sometimes very big, but there are waves most of the year.

Offshore is north to north-east: mornings are usually clean, afternoons often blow out, and evenings can glass off again. It works on most tides, with low to mid often best, especially on the rise. There are also beach breaks south of the rivermouth. The hazards are the boulders underfoot, rips around the rivermouth, a crowded lineup when it is good and poorer water quality after rain, when the river runs. Water is warm, about 26–31 °C.

The beach faces roughly south-south-west, and the classic angle is from the sand north-west of the rivermouth, facing the lineup and looking down the line as the wave peels towards you. The take-off is well out on the boulder bank, so 300–600 mm is the useful range; the inside and the beach breaks to the south can be covered at 100–300 mm. Summer mornings give the best light: the sun rises in the east-north-east, behind you and to your left, and lights the wave faces while the offshore holds.

In winter it rises further south and gives side light early, then by late morning much of the lineup is backlit, better for spray and silhouettes than for faces. In the evening the sun drops towards the sea for silhouettes. Shooting from the water means swimming into a fast, crowded wave with rocks and rips, so leave it to experienced water photographers. The frame to wait for is a surfer pulling into the barrel with the whole line linking behind.

Barra de Nexpa sits at km 55 of Highway 200, between Lázaro Cárdenas and Tecomán, in the municipality of Aquila. From Lázaro Cárdenas, the nearest city and airport, allow about an hour and a quarter; Caleta de Campos, about 10 minutes away, has shops and supplies. From Morelia it is roughly four and a half hours via the 37D motorway. Places to stay are simple: cabañas, rooms and camping near the beach, plus seafood restaurants. Check current travel advisories for Michoacán, drive only in daylight and keep valuables out of sight.