Concepcion to Constitucion Wave Epic

We continue north into serious serious wave country. We came to Chile for waves, here's where it gets really exciting.

"There’s no avoiding the sad truth: Middle Chile was at the epicenter of the February 2010 earthquake. Towns and cities like Concepción, Talca and Curicó, having suffered the hardest hit, were still recovering at the time of writing. But despite some crumbled churches, roped-off plazas and reduced lodging and dining options, things are up and running – and tourists are more than welcome; they’re actually vital to continued development throughout this area of Chile. Happily, most of the main attractions here – from the picturesque port city of Valparaíso and the surf mecca of Pichilemu to lovely national parks, ski slopes, and the rolling hills of Chile’s principal wine-producing region – have rebounded well from the natural disaster. Yes, some neighborhoods are still rebuilding and vineyards lost thousands of bottles from their cellars’ collections, but why cry over spilled wine? After all, Middle Chile still has world-class surf breaks, excellent skiing and killer Cabernet Sauvignon." -- Lonely Planet

We are now approaching the most well-known world-class surf regions of the Chilean coast. This is truly the "land of lefts", home to one of the most epic wave creating dynamics on Earth. Some of the more solid surfers I know have gotten the longest rides of their life down here. Warning- these are not beginner waves. The water is cold, the waves are big. If you like tackling some rather radical and supremely long breaks, and you like wind...and you like sailing where very few ever do. You're going to definitely like this trip. We're not covering a lot of miles because we believe we're going to be pretty distracted!

We begin in the important city of Concepcion, at the mouth of the stunning yet sadly dammed Bio Bio river, once one of the greatest multi-day river venues on the planet. Concepcion was one of the hardest-hit cities in Chile by the 2010 earthquakes and suffered further with lawlessness and looting that followed the quake. The adventure begins with an immediate departure for a short but wave-packed trip up the coast. Unfortunately this trip is pretty weather dependent as there aren't many places to hide if the wind gets really strong. Be prepared for a longer passage north to more protected waters around Valparaiso, and a change in departure point if Constitucion proves untenable.

GETTING THERE: LAN and SKY Airways both service Concepcion from Santiago and Punta Arenas. There are also train and bus options which might be pretty fun and nice way to see some of the countryside: www.terrasur.cl

SUGGESTED READING: Darwin's "Voyage of the Beagle".
Bruce Chatwin's "In Patagonia"
Sara Wheeler's "Travel's in a thin country"
Che Guevara's Iconic "Motorcycle Diaries"