Photos and additional reporting by Luke Gartside.
Since the 60s, Morocco has been the travelling surfer’s ideal, especially for warm water-seeking Europeans who don’t want to break the bank.
Over those six decades, the appeal of Morocco hasn’t let up. The land of the never-ending rights has great waves, great food and a medley of local Berber, Arabic and European culture. The country’s surf capital of Taghazout has remained true to the quintessential Moroccan experience, but has adapted to accommodate visiting surfers, with traditional Moroccan riads turned into surf houses, an abundance of rental shops, surf guiding, waves for all ability levels — all wrapped up with an over-arching, easy-going ethos.
View Live: Anchor Point
Kauli Vaast has been on a tour of Europe these past few weeks. First up, France. Before crossing continents into Africa.
Ines Tebbai and Ranya Squalli are rising stars in the North Africa surf scene. Pictured here with Badr Moutaki.
In fact, Ines Tebbai is the U18 African champion, as well as the Moroccan Champion for U16 and U18. Keep an eye out for this one.
Classic scene straight out of Taghazout.
When there’s swell in the water, Morocco’s favourite wave at Anchor Point is an international draw. A couple of weeks back, dozens of surfers lined that slippery, rocky outcrop to watch a swell bloom in from the mid-Atlantic. It was the same swell that saw Italo Ferriera doing wonderfully Italo things at Supertubos, the swell that capped out the UK cold season and set off this crazy Canaries slab, just off the coast of Africa.
“It was a carnival-like atmosphere,” said photographer Luke Gartside, about this free-surf session, which was sandwiched between a QS event and the inaugural African Surfing Games.
Gony Zubizaretta’s had a fine winter travelling around, Portugal, Italy, Morocco, wherever there’s swell.
“So good out there, I need to get back soon.” Hailing from Dakar, Senegal, Cherif is one of North Africa’s most exciting surfers. He’s a Senegalese champ with an incredibly distinctive style and approach. Even among a packed African and European QS field, he was a standout during free surfs at Anchors.
Ismaila Samb (right), also from Dakar, is a few years younger than Cherif, but is looking to follow in his footsteps. “This was my first time in Morocco,” he said. “Made it to the semis of the African Games.” Team Morocco took home the top honours.
Soufiane Charoub is a well-established local tube hound.
The light can do magical things in this part of the world. Few surfers eye up the rock-off.
Lilias Tebbai is only 19-years-old and already the six time national Moroccan champion. “The conditions always seem beautiful at Anchor Point,” said Lilias. “Even if it’s cold and raining, the waves are great.” Originally from Casablana, Lilias moved to the Canary Islands to study Physiotherapy last year. “The weather’s the same, it’s close to home and I can train and surf every day. I couldn’t miss this swell at home,” she said.
“There were a lot of amazing surfers around,” said Gartside, “including most of Morocco’s top talents, a crew from Senegal, and a smattering of European pros. It went from fun-sized on Tuesday morning, to absolutely macking by the evening. Then faded slowly through the Wednesday, with dawn breaking on Thursday to reveal much more manageable sheet glass conditions.”
South Africa’s Joshe Faulkner.
Joshe Faulkner with Lilias Tebbai.
“When it’s big, I’ll ride a 6’0 out there, shaped by Thierry Delbourg who is based in Morocco,” said Lilias Tebbai. “Usually I’ll stick to a 5’7” as my go to for hollower, more powerful waves.
Of the conditions, Surfline forecaster Jamie Bateman said: “This was all thanks to two small low pressure systems merging to become a stronger storm, around 2,500 miles WNW of Morocco. Storm force W wind to the south of the centre, produced a long-period W/WNW swell that fanned out across the Atlantic and built along the NW African coast through, accompanied by fairly breezy, side-shore wind in the afternoon.
“The real goods were delivered by the Wednesday, with variable wind and super clean conditions in place across the region along with double overhead sets. A side-shore wind did ruffle the wave faces in the afternoon but that was only a slight tarnish to an otherwise epic day.”
Related Content: First Session: Anchor Point
Lee Pickering flew in from NSW for this swell. No social media, just a family man who works as a tradie and chases swells around the world.
French surfer, Erwan Blouin, born and sculpted in Arcachon; probably France’s second most popular surf region after Hossegor.
“I’ve been in town for a month,” said Israel’s Noa Lelior. “Then I saw the upcoming swell and decided to stay. The waves have been firing and the place is magical.”
You don’t need to look too far for scenes like this across the kingdom.
Anyone who’s spent enough time at Anchor Point will recognise this stylish, easy-going staple. Snoopy (real name Yassine) will never miss a swell at home.
It may not be Anchor Point, but Imsouane had its moments. More on this, very soon.
How’s the rest of Africa and the Old Continent looking? Come see! Safi | JBay | Nazare | Supertubos | Mundaka |
More on a busy winter in the Atlantic: Scary Canaries’ Slab Session | Southwest UK: Days Of The Reef | Four Days At Sizzling Supertubos | Chasing The Dream Part I, Part II, Part III |
