El Gringo is Chile's most dangerous wave—a left-hand slab that breaks over an impossibly shallow rock shelf in Arica, earning it the nickname "Chilean Pipeline." The wave is so heavy and the reef so unforgiving that most professional surfers wear helmets here. When solid South swells light up this section of coast, El Gringo produces perfect, death-defying barrels for those brave enough to paddle out. This is the realm of big-wave hellmen only.
Difficulty
6/10
Crowd level
3/10
Access: Beach/paddle
How well swell angle matches the spot
Wave height in the ideal range
Each spot has different period requirements. Points and reefs can handle longer periods than beaches.
Offshore/glassy conditions