A Bowl of Stupid

(My host in the Filos, Matt Jacka, and the rest of the 'crew' heading back from our boat trip to Daku Island)

UPDATE: For anyone interested in heading to Siargao, please let me know (feel free to contact me directly at the email address above); I can provide information on the variety of homestays, bungalows, and resorts in the area, depending on your price range - all of them run by really, really nice people.

I had been planning on putting up this post — the 'down low' on surfing the Philippines — for a long time now. Hell. I had most of it done while I was still surfing in the Philippines, but I got distracted from actually posting it by all the surfing and fun I was having. Admittedly, much of this info has been pilfered from other people, but you know what they say: 'good writers borrow, great writers steal."

Anyway, this type of 'down low' is usually a big 'no-no', as you want to keep as few people from finding out about your favorite surf breaks (less competition for waves). However, chances are that most of the people reading this dribble would never venture from the States simply to go surfing, let alone head to the Philippines. So, for anyone planning such a trip (snicker), and interested in learning about the great surf breaks in the Philippines … well, here ya' go. If you're planning on heading there in April-May, lemme know, I should be back there by then.

Siargao Island, an island in the southeast of the Philippines, is blessed with spectacular beaches and crystal clear waters in an idyllic tropical setting. Thankfully, it is also one of the very (read: only) places in the Philippines that gets consistently good surf coming in from the depths of the Pacific Ocean.

At Siargao, the sea bed drops to 500 meters, then to 1500 meters just a mile off Tuason Point and Tuason reef (where I saw the most incredible triple-overhaead left-hander I've ever seen in my life — EVER). Thirty miles from General Luna (GL), it's 10,000 meters deep (that's Mt. Everest plus another 3,000 feet). Typhoons in season pass GL from the northeast, which bring in even bigger waves from the deep water.

CLOUD 9
A barreling right hander that is the most well-known break but only one of the many surfing spots on Siargao Island. A short boat ride out in the lagoon beyond, can take you out to Rock Island, Stimpy's and a few more breaks, stretching right up the east coast to Pilar, Pacifico and Burgos. Just a short walk from Patrick’s is a great break called Cemetery named after the cemetery that is located right on the beach facing the break.

JACKING HORSE:
A jacking peak that explodes on to a shallow reef, then tapers off and then reforms on the inner reef, mainly breaks right, with a short left, good to surf at 2` to 7` foot, medium to high tide is about the best time to surf.

BOMBORA OR POO SHOOTER`S:
A fast barreling left that run along a reef then turn right and runs into deep water, best with no wind or a light south west breeze, It is in viewing distance from the beach. There is a right and left hander 150 m to the north of Poo Shooter`s where you can either paddle across from Jacking Horse or hire a boat.

STIMPY'S:
A first class left-hander that wraps around a small island into a cove. Fun under 4 foot, but becomes a lot harder breaking over that size but still perfect breaking. Great tube and will handle large swells. Accessible only by boat, but it's within viewing distance from the shore with binoculars.

TUESDAY ROCK:
An excellent right hander that peels and barrels for 200 yards off Rock Island. Best with no wind low to medium tide and can hold swells up to double over head. Accessible only by boat, viewing distance from shore with binoculars.

SHIFTY'S:
A right hand reef break just south of Pilar inside the river mouth of Pilar, near Santa Fe, best at low to medium tide, south to south west wind. Fun right hander at 2 to 4 foot but will hold larger swells.

PILAR LEFT HANDER'S:
There are 2 left breaks; one breaks in front of the wharf of Pilar and the other breaks close to the township of Pilar.

CARIDAD LEFT OR SUPERTUBES:
This awesome left barrel breaks on a jagged reef ledge, east to north east swell is the best, protected from north west to south west winds which are off shore.

PACIFICO:
A long barreling left a bit upcoast that breaks down and along a reef & rocky ledge.

TUASON POINT OR CLOUD BREAK:
A very hard breaking left that jumps up 200 yards off shore and comes in and runs down over a shallow rocky reef, with great big holes. This is a very powerful and hard breaking wave. Wave selection is crucial at this break, 4 foot and over is the best.

CEMETERY's:
A left and right that breaks between a gap in the reef, directly in front of the General Luna cemetery. Northeast to southeast swell is the best for this break with a southwest to west wind. Accessible by boat (or via a really long paddle), viewing distance from shore with binoculars.

DAKU ISLAND:
There are 2 right hand breaks, one at the top of the island and the other in the middle. They both like north to north east swell and south to south east winds. You can also find other breaks good for learners and body surfing.

PANSUKYAN REEF:
This needs a medium to large swell direct from the east to southeast with light, southwest to west wind. This wave looks like an up side down tear drop shaped barrel that runs down a reef. The wave jumps up out of the ocean from nowhere.

PARADISE:
Right of the Beaches in Union is a beautiful break – nice for beginners.

LA-JANOZA, MAM-ON, ANTOKON, ANAJAUAN ISLAND:
There are another 4 or 5 perfect breaks and many others around these islands. Mamon Island has a beach break that can give you rides of more than 150 meters.

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