Anxious to try our hand at surfing, we signed up for lessons with Victor the first morning we arrived at My Surf Camp in Punta Hermosa. Victor equipped us with boards and wetsuits, a necessity when braving the chilly October waters of the South Pacific. At this time of year Punta Hermosa was still a sleepy little surf town mostly frequented by locals, but it wasn’t hard to imagine how the town and beaches would soon be transformed into a bustling hub of activity come summer time.

Before hitting the waves, Victor led us through his pre-surf warm-up/fitness routine on the beach. After two weeks of eating empanadas, I was breathing heavy in no time and was relieved when it was finally time to venture into the water. Wading out into the ocean, I braced myself as the cold waves crashed into my shins, resisting the force that pushed me back towards the shore. Once deep enough, I propelled myself forward on my stomach and onto the board and began to paddle. Every few strokes a new wave crested just ahead, threatening to throw me off course. Victor demonstrated how to survive the relentless barrage of waves as we paddled out to sea – firmly grabbing the outsides of the board, he instructed us to flip upside-down underwater the moment before the wave broke, using the board as a shield. Miraculously, this tricky maneuver worked and allowed me to expend significantly less energy as I struggled out to sea.

Once out past the breaking point, the ocean calmed to a gentle roll. Bobbing on top of my board, feet dangling in the water below, I could immediately see how surfing became not just a sport to some people, but a way of life.

We were joined by Victor’s friend Jose Gomez, one of Peru’s top Stand Up Paddleboarders competing on the International circuit. Watching Jose move in and out of the waves was incredible and provided some real inspiration as we struggled to find our balance.

Victor juggled us three newbie surfers with patience and enthusiasm. Peeking over his shoulder at the incoming swell he would tell us when to start paddling, becoming more and more animated as the wave approached, shouting “Vamous, Vamous!” before giving one final push to send us on our way. He was a good teacher, and managed to get all three of his pupils standing up on a board (and, yes, 5 seconds definitely counts as ‘standing’, thank you very much).

We retried back to the surf camp late in the afternoon, exhausted but  feeling happy and accomplished. As we sipped cervezas in the surf camp court yard that evening, I imagined my life as a surf bum in Punta Hermosa and happily soaked in some of the last few moments of our South American adventure.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR THE WANDERING SOUL

I could not recommend Victor’s Surf Camp more highly — if you are looking for a chilled-out surfers paradise just a little off the beaten path, this is your spot. 45 min drive from Lima. E-mail him at info@mysurfcampperu.com

For two nights (based on triple occupancy) we each paid 180 soles ( or approx. $67/night) which included our airport pickup/drop off, all meals, and the coolest host in Peru.

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