Cabo Blanco

The Peruvian Pipeline — shallow, perfect left barrels

Cabo Blanco is a world-famous left-hand tube ride often called the Peruvian Pipeline, breaking over a very shallow reef dangerously close to the rocky shoreline in northern Peru's desert coast. It requires a solid north swell to fire, producing perfect, mechanical barrels from 3-10ft that peel with metronome-like precision. The takeoff is critical and the inside section is extremely shallow — wipeouts can put you on the reef. Best from October through April when north swells are most frequent, with light south-southeast winds. Strong currents and the shallow bottom make this strictly experts-only. Ernest Hemingway famously fished these waters, and the small village retains a raw, end-of-the-road charm. Water is warm enough for trunks in summer but a 3/2mm wetsuit is needed June through October when the Humboldt Current cools things down.

Type

Reef, Left

Crowd

2 / 5

Safety

5 / 10

Price

$

Best months to surf

Fall, Winter, Spring

Other things to do in the area

Sport fishing in Hemingway's legendary waters

Visit the nearby beach towns of Mancora and Los Organos

Whale watching and dolphin tours

Snorkelling and diving in the marine reserve

Current forecast

Surfline