Surfing Senegal in October

Ngor Right, the break from Endless Summer, on a 2m swell

Senegal, the westernmost tip of Africa, was my most difficult surf trip so far. The waves are top notch but living standards - sanitation and safety - are bottom rung. There was so much drama, it was hard to relax. In the space of a month, my life unfolded like a telenovela but without the romance:

• Royal Air Maroc lost my surfboards for 2 weeks*.
• My new watch was taken from my room**.
• I got stabbed in the foot by sea urchins***.
• Fellow guests at Ngor Island Surf Camp got arrested and thrown in jail****.
• Every week, something got stolen from the surf camp.
• I starred in a TV commercial for Samsung phones*****.
• I nearly died in a boating accident.

I can't say Senegal is a boring place!

Light crowd at Ngor Right

Water Quality

The water quality is the worst I’d ever seen. Sewage outlets empty right out into the sea, next to each break. After a rain, surfers paddle through a field of plastic trash, used condoms, diapers, and feminine hygiene products. I picked up a new piece of trash every other stroke.

Walking through the streets of Dakar is a nightmare: the streets flood and turn into putrid cess pools that take days (and human intervention in the form of pump trucks) to drain. Check your feet for open wounds before wading into the street. Or just avoid rainy season altogether.

Surf check from the rooftop of Ngor Island Surf Camp

Safety

Aside from shitty water quality, Senegal is not safe. I stayed at Ngor Island Surfcamp, just a 5-minute boat ride across the channel from Dakar. Every week, someone in our camp would lose something to theft. One week, it was the photographer’s camera equipment. Another week, it was an iPhone. The third week, a pair of shoes. The fourth week, another iPhone.

In addition to theft, guests also experienced car and boating accidents. Two girls got into a horrid accident that totaled their taxi. I was trapped under a boat and nearly drowned when our surf boat capsized because the captain drove too close to a breaking wave on our way back home from a strike mission to a secret spot with XL waves. I had PTSD for a week where, every time I closed my eyes, I’m reminded of the darkness under the boat.

Just a few hours before the boat capsized

I thought the captain would surely lose his job after that, but no. Five days later, he’s back on the boat, driving surf camp guests to surf spots again. Shrug. I hope I would get a second chance like that too if I ever endanger 8 people’s lives, damaged all their surfboards (my stringer was partially snapped), and lost their GoPro carrying the sole footage of an old surfer dude’s only ride that day before he cracked his ribs.

The boat punched in my board and split the stringer

Prepare to be hassled every day by vendors selling souvenirs. They are persistent. If you eat on the beach, you will spend 15 minutes saying no or ignoring them until they leave your table. Sometimes they will force something into your hand and refuse to take it back, essentially forcing you to pay them. It’s like theft by guilt trip. Even though I don’t need any of the stuff I bought, I recognized the woman just needed some money to send her daughter to school. I bought souvenirs as a form of charity… and that’s how I ended up with a big, wooden plate shaped like Africa.

Beware of scammers. They prey on tourists and locals alike. Our driver was stopped by a man posing as police. The fake policeman took his driver’s license and walked away with it. The driver thought he would come back. After 5 minutes, he realized he had been scammed and ran after the guy, who demanded money in return, which a generous passenger ended up paying.

Broken tail after boat flipped over and landed on my board

Sea Urchins

Ahh, the sea urchins. They carpet every surf spot except Yoff beach. It’s not a matter of IF but WHEN you will get those spikes stuck in your foot or hand. It feels like needles going in, but needles that break easily when you try to pull them out. If they break, you can dig them out with a sterilized pin. The rest will stay inside you until your body pops them out eventually (or not). I recommend wearing reef boots. They won’t completely prevent you from getting stabbed, but mine stopped at least half of the spikes when I slipped on a rock while climbing out of the water at the end of a session.

Gliding 1 meter above a bed of spiky sea urchins

When to Go

September/October is shoulder season in Senegal, but it’s also rainy season, which brings water quality problems as noted above. Bring ear plugs if you are prone to ear infection. Late September presented warm air temps in the low 80s. The water was surprisingly cool on cloudy or rainy days, cool enough for even the Northern Europeans to feel a chill. I wore a 2mm spring suit on those days.

Wearing a borrowed wetsuit | Photo credit: Barnaby Woodward

On sunny days, the water warms up again to 80s Fahrenheit - comfortable for bikinis and board shorts. The days get progressively hotter in October, the hottest month of the year, when air temperature and humidity reach the high 80s and 90s. You will be sweating even when sitting down.

Cool off in the water while waiting for a boat

Crowd Factor

Though there are many surf spots to spread out the surfers, lineups get crowded during small swells. Expect around 20 surfers at each spot, which gets dicey at spots with tighter takeoff zones, such as Ngor Right and Ngor Left. As the waves get bigger, the crowd disperses, leaving the locals, expat surfers, and the bravest or most competent of the traveling surfers.

Surf Spots

I stuck to the spots around Dakar because most of the swells in October come from the north. Surf spots farther south, such as Yenne, need southern swells. As all the surf spots except Yoff beach are reef breaks, mid to high tide is the safest time to surf if you want to avoid hitting the sea urchin-infested reef. As far as skill level required, most of the breaks are intermediate or higher. As there is only one beach break, beginners have slim pickings here: only Yoff (and maybe Virage or Secrets on a small day). Surfers who already know how to catch green waves out the back will have more choices. The surf spots, in order from north to south:

Ngor Right

My favorite break in Dakar. A sturdy right-hand point break that somehow breaks despite any kind of wind, onshore or offshore, with steep, fast takeoffs that level out to fun, rippable walls and 2-3 sections that could be alternative takeoff points. Great setup for down-the-line type of surfing that, if done correctly, ends in a deep channel where you can fall back into soft, warm water, stare up at the blue sky and smile in sweet, sweet bliss.

Ngor Right on a pumping day

The shallow reef is full of sea urchins though, so watch the tide. Also watch for Mama and Papa, the big rocks that poke out of the water at low tide near the takeoff area and are waiting just a foot or two below the surface at high tide to spank the naughty surfers who disrespect them. It's best to wait for bigger waves that break farther out, in deep water, to avoid them. Smaller waves tend to break right on the reef.

The local surfers here are a sight to behold. WSL surfer and Senegalese surfing champion, Cherif Fall, can make even 2-3 foot waves look like a shredding playground, throwing every trick in the book from airs, floaters, and roundhouses to laybacks, snaps, and hacks. On overhead days, you'll see the locals get barreled then proceed to bust a move and power surf the rest of the wave. Buckets. Of. Spray.

On the inside, you'll see the next generation of Senegalese frothers sitting on the inside. Some of those groms paddled all the way from Ngor village on the mainland. They're cute until they paddle for every wave or drop in on you and need an adult to remind them of surf etiquette.

A pesky grom dropping in

From 9:30am-11am, an annoying surf school called Attitude comes by on a boat and drops off a bunch of students every morning. Their instructors don’t care about surf etiquette - they push beginners into every wave. They will even push them to drop in on you. To add insult to injury, the instructor will then scold you even though you had right of way. On bigger days, the beginners - and even the surf instructors themselves - lose their boards. I tired myself out paddling around to save people and boards. Save yourself the frustration and avoid surfing between 9:30-11am.

Ngor Left

Exiting way out in the channel at Ngor Left | Photo Credit: Barnaby Woodward

The opposite of Ngor Right, and not just because it's a left-hander. Ngor Left breaks in deeper water on the other side of the island from Ngor Right. Any touch of wind though and this place turns into gutless slop. Needs a big swell to work. When it does - and it's glassy - the rides are gloriously long (longer than Ngor Right). Mid-period swells around 9-10 seconds seem to be the sweet spot. Longer periods turn this place into fat, dumpy waves that send you straight into the rocks.

Bumpy, boily wave at Ngor Left

Ngor Left on a glassy day | Photo Credit: Barnaby Woodward

Virage

Sandy beach break in front of Le Virage hotel. A-frames, multiple peaks. If you're entering from the beach, it's a bear to get out due to strong currents and lots of whitewater to pass through. Best accessed from the outside by boat.

Yoff Beach

North-facing beach break with soft landings in sand. No sea urchins here. Good spot for beginners. Gets really crowded on weekends, mostly with locals swimming and splashing around on the shore. Lots of umbrellas for rent at Malika Surf Camp.

Club Med

A-frames breaking close to a rock retaining wall in front of the abandoned Club Med resort. Thrilling drop but short shoulder and not much wall to play with before you must kick out (unless you want to play with the rock wall, which I ended up doing). Access is tricky as you have to climb down some large boulders and time your entry into the water right so you don’t end up crashing against the boulders.

The right was working better at Club Med

Secret

Reef break in a rocky cove on the south side of the Almadies peninsula. There’s a left and a right and they run into each other on the inside. Often crowded with schools and foamies. You can eat and drink while watching surfers from the terrace at the Secret Spot restaurant. To access, step over the rocks and sea urchins at the sandy beach area in front of the restaurant.

Ouakam

The most photographed break in Dakar because it's hollow and situated in front of a beautiful mosque and dramatic cliffs. I didn't actually surf this spot but regretted not going when I saw the videos at the surf camp from the surfers who did go. There was no crowd and the waves were smooth, head high ramps.

Lodging

None of the surf camps on Ngor Island (Ngor Island Surfcamp and Ngor Right Surf House) have AC, which is problematic during the hot month of October despite the staff's assurances to the contrary. I stayed at Ngor Island Surfcamp, which did not even have enough fans for every guest. Most guests and even the staff had trouble sleeping there due to the heat. I caved in and booked a room at Maison du Bonheur that had AC. It was only a 5 minute walk away from the camp, so I could still attend the camp's meals and surf trips and hang out with the community there.

Ngor Island Surf Camp

Overheating issue aside, the Ngor Island Surfcamp does provide a convenient all-inclusive package that's useful for first-timers looking to get an introduction to the various surf spots, senegalese cuisine, and safaris. If you already know all the spots or are willing to stick it out on your own, I recommend staying at Maison du Bonheur ("House of Happiness").

Maison du Bonheur posing as a ship

Maison du Bonheur is a quirky piece of art in itself. The exterior looks like a wooden ship and the interior is covered in tile mosaics of hearts and roses. Each room has a theme, like "Bob Marley", "Love Nest", or "Honeymoon" (which is the one I stayed in - it features a scratchy record player, a four post bed, and an outdoor shower. The onsite restaurant serves local cuisine by one of Senegal's top chefs. Fabulously dressed local instagrammers descend on this hotel every weekend for photo shoots in the hotel.

Tilework everywhere at Maison du Bonheur

In general, accommodations on Ngor Island charge a premium due to its remoteness and lack of public infrastructure (i.e. there's no electrical grid). But if you're looking to primarily surf the Ngor Island breaks, they save you the time of waiting for a boat to cross the channel from the mainland (roundtrip tickets are $1 in the daytime, $2 at night). Plus, the island provides a serene escape from Dakar's pandemonium.

Onsite restaurant at Maison du Bonheur

Food

My faves:

Chez Loutcha - unpretentious restaurant on the mainland serving huge portions of Senegalese and Cape Verdean food, such as feijoada

Chez Loutcha

Chez Carla - oceanfront dining on Ngor Island with fans, smoothies, fried plantains, italian and senegalese food. It's more expensive than other places on the island but it's the only beachfront restaurant where you won't be hassled by vendors.

View from Chez Carla

Oasis de la Petite Plage - the best poulet mafé (fried chicken with savory peanut sauce) on Ngor Island and only $5

Transportation

Traffic is a mess in Dakar. As bad as Bali but with cars instead of scooters. There are public buses but they don’t have AC. Most taxis in Dakar are banged up and also have no AC. The drivers don’t know how to read a map, use Google Maps (or other mapping app), or drive to tourist destinations like the Museum of Black Civilizations. You can’t just give them an address or destination, you have to direct them yourself. As I don’t speak any French or Wolof, I had trouble getting around alone.

Thankfully, Ngor Island Surf Camp provides transportation by Land Rover or boat to the surf spots. For non-surfing activities, you can buddy up with the other surfers who know some French or hire a taxi through the Yanggo app, Senegal’s version of Uber. The rates are lower and the cars are better (usually they have AC) than the taxis.

Highway traffic

Conclusion

I wouldn’t live in Senegal and I would think twice about revisiting. The surf spots are absolutely rad, but I can find good waves elsewhere on the planet with cleaner water and safer cities. If I do go back to Dakar, I wouldn't go during rainy season and I would stick to Ngor Right for its ease of access (if you live on Ngor island) and Ouakam if it stays uncrowded. I would also explore points farther sout, such as Yenne, the longest right in the country that starts breaking in December during dry season.

Footnotes

*Royal Air Maroc lost my surfboards for 2 weeks. I called them every day and they gave me the same answer: "we don't know where your boards are, but call back tomorrow for an update". After 2 weeks, they realized the boards had finally left New York but they couldn't confirm if they arrived at the airport in Dakar. I drove to the airport to find my boards were sitting on the airport floor for days but none of the staff had bothered to notify me nor the airline of their arrival. The airport was supposed to deliver the boards to my hotel but the driver was too lazy to actually do it. It sucked not having my boards for half of my trip, but at least I got to try out some nifty rental boards by DHD.

DHD Sandman was a hit with me

**My new watch went missing from the bathroom shelf I leave them on after surfing. After I notified the hotel that it was taken from my room, I was prevented from leaving the hotel to go surf and was interrogated and gaslighted for hours by the hotel manager who wouldn't believe my watch was taken. "You must have misplaced it! None of our staff would steal your watch." I spent a couple days checking and double checking all over the island for my watch. A week later, as the hotel manager and I were traveling to the police station to file a report, we get a call from the laundromat asking if we had left a watch in the laundry. It turns out the maid had accidentally thrown it in with the bedsheets and towels.

***One of the spikes is still deep inside my foot a month later.

****Fellow guests at Ngor Island Surf Camp got arrested at Virage while ordering coffee before surfing. They were thrown in jail for not having ID with them, a new law that was meant to target illegal immigrants but was applied haphazardly to all foreigners. I mean, who carries their passport while surfing?!

*****I was awoken from my nap by some loud drumming, which I followed to a beach where there was a drum circle with dancers and drummers. I thought it was a public cultural event and joined the dancing. Turns out it was a film shoot and I had walked onto the set. The director was impressed and asked me to return a week later and star in a TV commercial for Samsung phones... in Spanish. He wanted to demonstrate the ability of the phone to translate foreign languages in real-time.

The drums that summoned me from my slumber