El Transito Surf Guide

El Transito Surf Guide

The crescent-shaped cove provides a beautiful backdrop to a lineup that offers multiple peaks that tend to bounce off of a few rocks scattered just outside the takeoff zone. Although the best, biggest and most common swells are from the SW or SSW, Transito can also handle the occasional WNW swell during winter (as long as it's under 290 degrees). The best periods are anything from 16 seconds or under. Over 16 seconds and it tends to shut down, since the beach is fairly small. The extremely consistent El Transito break can be good all year round, just as long as it stays under a couple feet overhead. This spot is usually pretty fun in the offseason (November to March), as the swells are usually smaller during that time of year and more suitable for the break. There is a small point on the south end of the beach (similar to Machete Point at Playa Maderas) with a rock/sand bottom that works on mid-period SSW swells. The wave on the main beach (sand bottom) is typically mellow, with softer barrel sections and medium-length waves suitable for all levels of surfers.

El Transito is best from waist-high to about one-foot overhead and on a mid-tide, however, it will break on most tides. The tide swings here are drastic, so the peaks will often change completely. The predominant offshore winds (250+ days/year) are best from the E-NE. These offshores rarely get too strong here as it's further north (so hardly ever any upwelling). There are other breaks within walking distance or a short boat ride. Hemmies (if you dare) is a 15-minute boat ride to the south. About a 30-minute boat trip to the north, there is the increasingly popular break of Puerto Sandino, which is one of the longer lefts in Nicaragua, offering about 300-yard rides on the best days. There are other gems within walking distance, like a barreling righthand wedge that rarely goes flat, and a little-known big wave slab that shows up on the larger, longer-period swells.