Imsouane, a small fishing village, is home to 2 of the best surfing spots in Morocco. The most mythical is the one in the Bay which can be more than 500m long. You will undoubtedly catch the longest wave of your life there. You can stay almost 2 minutes on the wave!
Here is the story of a day in Imsouane from our surfcamp, Azul Guesthouse, located in Tamraght, near Taghazout.
The journey to Imsouane
We decided to leave before sunrise to take advantage of the rising tide once we got there. The opportunity for some to finish their night in the car, for others to enjoy the beautiful Moroccan landscape. We pass in front of a multitude of famous spots on the side of Taghazout: Anchor Point, Killer Point, Desert Point, Tamri… Before arriving in the heights of some mountains. The colours are beautiful with the sunrise. We enjoy the greenery that grew thanks to the last rains of 2 weeks ago. The water has done good to the land!
Once the spirits are awake, we share some good music that puts us in a good mood. Excitement is felt as we approach Imsouane. After a little less than an hour and a half drive, we have a bird’s eye view of the spot. The Bay works works ! It’s not even 9am and this day is already incredible.
Arrival in Imsouane and going into the water
We arrive by a very small road, the only one that leads to the village, it stands in front of us. Ayoub, the driver and surf teacher of Azul Guesthouse who is coming with us knows the road well and parks just in front of the spot. We all get out of the car, take a look at the beautiful waves breaking in front of is and start changing! The wetsuits are quickly put on, the boards are waxed, it’s time to go and enjoy!
We get into the water by the jetty from which all the fishing boats come out. There is a magical atmosphere between the sun appearing behind the mountains and going into the water at the same time as the fishermen. We have the same objective, to go to the lineup. The surfers to enjoy a perfect wave, and the fishermen to go and catch the fishes of the day that we will taste after the session. Once at the lineup, the infinite rights waves never stop breaking.
The surf session
The level of surfers in the water is very diverse, the wave is suitable for everyone. The right-hand side of The Bay is a long straight line that breaks quietly, leaving time for any surfer to take his direction. The wave is gentle but can be a little hollow at low tide and offer a nice shoulder. Even if this wave is often defined as a ‘longboard wave’, we have seen surfers on shortboards riding the wave with ease. Two locals were even doing the show with committed turns and even some aerials.
The wave breaks over a very large distance, leaving space for everyone. At the peak we find mostly people with a good level, wanting to take the biggest and most powerful wave. A few hundred meters lower down, beginners take advantage of the reformation which offers a smaller wave but which breaks just as perfectly, even offering a few left waves for a change.
We had perfect conditions for beginners and advanced riders that day. Up to 1m20 in sets, almost zero wind, the wave worked for more than 2 thirds of the rising tide. In the end the session lasted almost 4 hours for the most enduring! With the high tide, if you choose to surf the wave to the beach, the return is done by foot through the village.
After the session
After 3 or 4 hours of session, hunger is felt. It is time to put away the equipment and sit down at a table in one of the restaurants along the pier. There is a wonderful view of the spot and the fishermen’s boats returning from work. The opportunity to eat a good fish cooked on the barbecue. The choice of the day was freshly caught sea bream with a Moroccan salad and some bread. All this accompanied by the classic, but essential, mint tea. We decide to stay and bask for a while. Others go for a tour of the village to digest. The wave in the Bay no longer works at high tide.
The other spot, Cathedral, is in great shape! But we are too tired from the session to get back in the water. We pass briefly in front of this beachbreak while leaving. Good surfers are still having fun on the left and right waves of the spot. Some of them will surely go back to the bay at the end of the day to enjoy long waves at the sunset.
We hope we have taken you on a journey with this story of a day in Imsouane. If you liked it, don’t hesitate to contact us for more adventures.
The Azul Family
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