I had the privilege of surfing in the Galapagos Islands, and it was my first big wave. Like… a real one.
At that time, I had been surfing for about one year. I could ride small waves already (especially left-handers, because I’m goofy and they felt more natural).
✅ Are you a goofy surfer who loves left-handed waves?
Drop a comment and add this surf spot to your list — because Galapagos lefts are something else.
Surfing San Cristobal, Galapagos (with fear in my suitcase)
I arrived in San Cristobal feeling fear. Literally.
I had this pressure in my head:
“You’re not here only to dive, see the wildlife and nature…
you’re here to surf at least ONE of the famous Galapagos surf spots.”
(Not sure why I needed to prove that to myself and others back then.
Now — after 8 years surfing — I mostly surf for fun and waves that don’t scare me 😂)
I knew the surf spots in Galapagos were more challenging than what I was used to.
And on top of that…
In Galapagos there are:
- sea lions everywhere
- big turtles
- massive fish
- and yes… sharks
Honestly?
I wasn’t worried about the sharks.
I’d rather swim with them than surf that big wave 😅
✨ (I’ll write about my experience swimming with sharks in Galapagos soon.)
Side note: Galapagos is way more than surfing — it’s a paradise of wildlife and nature.
It should be on your bucket list.
Galapagos Surf Spots: big swell coming 👀
That weekend there was a big swell in Hawaii, and everyone in Ecuador was going crazy about it.
(Well… the pros were. Not me.)
Because that meant:
✅ In 3 days, that swell would arrive to Ecuador.
(This happens with north swells, usually from December to April.)
And I was like:
- Beautiful…
- In addition to all the things that scare me in Galapagos… a big swell is coming.
- Just amazing! 🙃
The spot where I paddled out was called:
Cañon Point
And honestly… I don’t even want to know why it’s called that.
How to paddle out in big surf (rocky bottom edition)
This surf spot — like many in Galapagos — has a rocky bottom.
To paddle out, I had to:
- go down slippery rocks
- try not to break my little toe
- and also not destroy the rental surfboard 😭
With my heart beating like crazy, I walked over the rocks until there was enough water to paddle.
Then I waited for a safe moment between sets…
…and I jumped on my board and paddled like my life depended on it.
Because it did. 😂
Just writing this gives me that knot in my stomach again.
I remember thinking:
- What a stress.
- Mamma mia… why am I doing this?
- Why would I surf here in fear and danger, feeling like crying?
Have you ever asked yourself that?
Because that’s surfing sometimes:
we suffer, but we keep going.
Mindset shift: breathe and paddle
I shook my head and pushed those thoughts aside.
From that moment, belly on the board, I focused and changed my mindset:
✅ Breathe.
✅ Paddle.
✅ Stay calm.
I paddled with all my strength, inhaling and exhaling deeply to keep sending oxygen to my muscles and brain…
…before it turned off from fear 😅
Surfing the lineup (spoiler: I was the only woman)
When I reached the lineup, there were only 5–6 people.
All men, of course.
All advanced surfers.
I thought:
- No problem.
- Maybe one of them will rescue me. (?) 😭
The guy I rented the board from (also the owner of a surf school) helped me:
- stay in the right place
- not get destroyed
- paddle out even when I felt not ready
At that moment I completely forgot about animals, sea lions, everything.
I had no time to fear anymore.
Better to take action.
“And now… how do I get out of here?”
The waves were so big, I looked up and saw those walls of water.
I paddled hard and passed them to the safe side.
And then I regretted everything.
Because I realized:
I had no idea where the exit was.
They told me it was in another direction.
There was no way to go back the same way I entered without crashing into rocks…
…and it was already mid-high tide.
✅ Getting back to land was not an option.
Learning the rhythm: escape to the safety zone
I started observing how the spot worked.
Offshore there was a little island, and from the lineup we could see waves breaking against it.
That meant:
⏳ In less than a minute, the set would arrive to the peak.
Every time I saw white water far away, I started paddling to the safety zone.
The instructor told me:
“Paddle over there!”
And I went, escaping those walls of water.
He also told me to come back and catch a wave, but I said:
“No, not that one… it’s too big. I’m scared.”
The moment: “The next one is yours”
At some point, a “medium” wave came in.
(Compared to the monsters… it looked friendly.)
I tried to convince myself:
✅ Okay. One of these is for me.
I waited, got in position… and the instructor told me:
“The next one is yours.”
Surfing Galapagos: wipeout is inevitable 😅
He gave me a little push.
I paddled strongly.
Didn’t look back.
Almost stood up…
…and BOOM.
Wipeout.
But honestly? It wasn’t that terrible.
There was so much water it felt like a waterbed.
That calmed me down a bit.
✅ Okay… let’s go for the next one.
I surfed my first big wave (and I’ll never forget it)
I paddled back to the peak.
The wave was coming.
And the instructor said:
“This is the one.”
I said:
“Ok.”
He pushed me.
I paddled confidently.
…and I stood up.
WOOOOHOOOOOO!!!
Amaaazing. (Keyboard smash amazing.)
There I was, on my green giant wave, looking down through crystal clear water…
…full of fish and reef.
I looked to my left and the face of the wave was higher than me.
I rode it as long as I could until I was too close to the rocks.
So I finished it without wiping out.
Unbeaten.
Arms up.
Celebrating like a little mermaid warrior.
✨ It was incredible. I forgot all my fears.
The guys told me later they lost sight of me in the wave and thought I wiped out again…
…but I was just hidden in the shade of that huge wave.
Wonderful.
Paddling back to shore safely (through the sea lions bay)
Okay. Enough.
Everyone had a happy session and probably got tired of waiting for me to finally get my wave.
So we left.
To get back, we had to paddle to a bay — quite far.
We paddled for about 10 minutes.
My shoulders were burning.
We dodged rocks and reefs, and when we finally reached the bay…
we realized something:
✅ It was the sea lions bay.
And in Galapagos… sea lions are the kings.
This bay wasn’t just “a few” sea lions.
It was like the official headquarters.
How do you walk back through a beach inhabited by:
- mama sea lions
- baby sea lions
- dad sea lions with huge teeth
- territorial alpha males 😭
Many sea lions are friendly — especially the babies.
They’re like little puppies.
But never trust the males.
(Like everything in life.)
I genuinely thought we’d have to sleep on our boards 200 meters from shore.
The escape plan 😂
Then we saw two local guys coming with a kayak, super calm, walking through the sea lions like it was nothing.
I said:
NOW.
If they can pass between them… we go with them! LOL
So we paddled like crazy, reached the beach, carried our boards…
…and ran while looking behind our backs until the main street.
✅ Safe and sound.
Surfing in Galapagos Islands: What to expect
After that session… wow.
I felt so alive.
And more than that, I had surfed the best wave of my life (up to that moment).
When I came back to mainland Ecuador, I felt:
- more confident
- braver
- more connected to the ocean
That’s surfing. That’s life:
✨ overcoming fears to jump into adventures that fill your body and empower your soul.
Every fear I overcome, I feel more like a sea creature.
Like I belong to the ocean.
And honestly… I can’t live without it.
Sending you a big hug,
Iva 🤍
If you’re planning a surf journey in Ecuador…
If you loved this Galapagos story, you might also enjoy:
✅ Surfing in Ayampe (mainland Ecuador) – waves, season, vibe, and what to expect
✅ Curated Surf Experiences for Women
Small groups, soulful days, beginner-friendly support
