Paddleboarding Belize

Stand Up Paddling is our Newest Sport!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although our wave is excellent for surf kayaks and experienced surfers, our break is not ideal for beginners, and therefore not for beginning surfers or paddleboarders. This break is on a reef of broken coral rubble, not sand. Since beginners often fall, this could result in a serious injury. Reefs are not recommended for beginners. However, beginners with good athletic ability and some experience may be able to get small rides on surf if conditions permit. Guests with surfing experience must first demonstrate kayak surfing ability before they are cleared to use the paddleboards in surf. Helmets are required for all paddle boarders.

 

If you want world-class, immaculately groomed long fetch overhead barrels - you should consider a destination such as Tavarua or the Mentawais. However, if you're a surfer planning to go to Glover's for the reefs and kayaking, windsurfing, etc. - you also might be rewarded with some very fun, uncrowded tropical surf. 

Our Gear

We have 6 paddleboards on the island:

Laird Soft Tops by Surftech, 12 and 11’6”

Soft Top (foam boards) by Surftech

12' and 10'

C4 Waterman Ulli inflatable SUP- 12’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Our Wave

Long Caye enjoys the only surf break in Belize that is both accessible and safe (not breaking over live coral). This point break is almost always active as it intercepts the swells driven by the prevailing trade winds of the Caribbean. The swells break on the end of the reef that opens to form the channel between Long Caye and a neighboring island, and peel off to the right in long, running breaks that can go for several hundred yards. The bottom topography under this break is eroded coral rubble, with no live or sharp coral faces, creating a safe (but hard) bottom surface for the inevitable wipe-outs and swims.

 

 

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The Break

Our wave is a right hand break which starts out in 8-12 feet of water, getting progressively shallower the longer the ride, ending in about 3 feet depth. Moderate to steep on the initial drop, there can also be a slight reform where one needs to cutback to make a second section where the wave walls up again with a fun, punchy, fast, inner section. Because of the shallowness of the break, this wave is not recommended for first time beginners as there is the risk of falling off the board wrong and hitting the bottom. However there is little risk of being "pounded" by the wave inside because it loses most of its force in the shallow water.

 

Swell in the winter is almost always near/moderate fetch trade-wind-driven waves. The Trades blow a near constant 10-15 knots (or more), so often times surfable wave conditions also have "onshore" wind and chop It’s a rare day to have super glassy conditions - although it does happen.

 

Also, because of the reef the wave is very consistent; it’s common to have a 4-6 foot face on the initial drop. Rides of 50 yards are possible on good days when it’s connecting. This is a very uncrowded break, so except for having to share with our other guests, you can catch all the waves you want!

What Do Paddleboarders Need to Bring?

Booties are required to wear at all times in the water. Our What to Bring list on the Adventure Island at Glover's Reef info sheet (you can request this document to be mailed or emailed to you) includes a discussion of booties. Paddleboarders should bring booties that are thin enough to allow for mobility on the board, yet thick enough to buffer the rock/coral from harming their feet. Some booties made specifically for diving are big and too cumbersome for surfing.

 

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% of days where wind is Force 4 (11-16 knots) or above for more than 2 hours

What Time of Year is Best for Paddleboarding?

Good waves can be found all year, it depends on the weather out to sea which creates the swells that form the best waves. Winter and spring are windy seasons and Long Caye will usually see a good break of four feet or higher during this time, but occasionally the seas do flatten out for a few days at a time. December through March may be the best time to plan for waves, though we have had flat spells during these months as well. Last season, even the month of May had decent surf for 3 out of 4 weeks.

 

There is no way to predict the surf or wind conditions for a specific date!

 

Surf Report for Belize and Honduras

 

Surf Forecast for the Gulf of Mexico and Yucatan region

 

 

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