28 Dec The Lake Nicaragua Effect Explained: How Nicaragua’s Perfect Surf is Formed
Nicaragua’s reputation as a mecca for warm water barrels is the stuff of legend. While almost all of Central America’s Pacific Coast is surf trip worth, only Nicaragua posses the coveted all-day offshore winds. At most surf breaks around the world, all day offshore winds are beyond rare and would be more accurately categorized as mythological. In Nicaragua, however, the myths are true. All-day offshore winds are a reality that blesses the shores of southern Nicaragua surf breaks during much of year. This meteorological anomaly is made possible by Lake Nicaragua. Lake Nicaragua is the largest body of fresh water in Central America. With a whopping size of 8,264 square kilometers (3,149 square miles), the lake measures 177 kilometers in length (110 miles) and 58 kilometers in width (36 miles). At its deepest point, the lake is 60 meters (200 feet) deep. It’s the 19th largest lake in the world, and the 10th largest lake in the Americas. Lake Nicaragua was referred to as Cocibolca by ingenious Nicaraguans, and Mar Dulce by the first Spanish settlers, both meaning “sweet sea.” The current name is said to be derived from Nicarao, an Indian chief who lived on the lake’s shores. The sweet sea might be a more accurate name, at least for surfers, for Nicaragua’s southern, Pacific Coast. The lake’s size and proximity to the coast, near our Popoyo surf resort, have a unique effect on the surf. This effect has more to do with global weather patterns than one might assume. To fully understand the cause of Nicaragua’s near-perfect, world-class waves, you must comprehend the “Lake Nicaragua effect.”
It starts thousands of miles away
The famous winds that blow over Lake Nicaragua, towards Nicaragua’s Pacific coastline don’t come from the lake’s freshwater shores. The winds that cause the renowned all day offshores are actually trade winds that blow along the equator all over the globe. Trade winds are caused by the warming of air and constant evaporation that occurs around the earth’s equator. In equatorial climates, hot air rises rapidly, carrying moisture with it. The hot rising air creates a weather system that is stronger than typical thunderstorms and is amplified by the effect of adiabatic cooling. Adiabatic cooling is the process in which condensation from warm air further heaths rising air, which increases the upward movement of the air. The air then moves towards the tropics, where it begins to lose heat and moisture. After traveling several thousands of miles, the air has cooled and dried enough to sink when it hits the tropics. Once the air reaches the equator, it changes direction and the process starts again.
The Lake is in the perfect position
The trade winds blow east to west above the equator. So, trade winds from the Caribbean Sea meet Nicaragua’s East Coast, where the geographical location of Lake Nicaragua allows the winds to travel completely over the country to the west coast. The Lake’s position, on the western side of the narrowest section of land in the country, allows the winds to easily pass over it as they make their way to the other coast near our surf resort, Malibu Popoyo. Just to the north of Lake Nicaragua is Lake Managua, the nation’s second-largest body of freshwater. Lake Managua pales in comparison to the gargantuan Lake Nicaragua, but its proximity to the Lake Nicaragua allows the trade winds to pass over it as well. Both Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua create a gap in the mountain range that runs from North to South America, known as the American Cordillera. This gap allows for the powerful trade winds coming from the east to be funneled over the flat land and inland lakes of Nicaragua’s interior.
The winds meet large south swells
As the trade winds reach the west coast of Nicaragua and our favorite surf breaks near our surf resort, they meet the south swells of the Pacific Ocean. Like the trade winds that blow across the country, the swells that light up the Pacific coast travel for thousands of miles before they reach Nicaraguan shores. South swells occur year-round, but the strongest swells are formed during Northern Hemisphere Summer months, which coincides with the rainy season in Nicaragua. South swells originate in the Antarctic Circle, where powerful winter storms generate high-speed winds. Those winds produce fetch as they travel across thousands of miles of the open ocean. Fetch occurs in large bodies of water where the wind blows constantly in the same direction. Fetch is the driving force behind the swell. As the wind collides with the water, creating fetch, swell is created. These swells travel north towards South and Central America. As the swells travel, they increase in size and intensity. When they reach Nicaragua’s shores, they deliver powerful surf to the doorstep of Malibu Popoyo.
The swell meets Nicaragua’s wave friendly coastline
Nicaragua’s rocky, volcanic, coastal topography is ideal for producing pumping, world-class waves. Waves are formed when an incoming swell is abruptly halted by a change in the ocean floor’s topography, such as a sand bar or reef formation. This seafloor change causes the lower portion of the swell to slow down, while to top portion continues at speed. This creates a breaking wave. Because of southwest-facing beaches and jagged topography of the coast, the country’s west coast receives south swells at the perfect angle. Nicaragua has everything a traveling surfer could want out of a destination: beach breaks, point breaks, river mouth waves, and exceptional reef setups. Many of Nicaragua’s famous beach breaks, like The Boom, are either completely south-facing or southwest facing, making them ideal recipients for strong south swells. The famous Nicaragua point breaks, like Lance’s Left near our Popoyo surf resort, have north-facing headlands that allow large swell to wrap around them, producing clean, long lines of surf.
When it all comes together, the results are stunning. A surf trip to Nicaragua is truly unlike any other surf experience. Visit our Nicaraguan luxury surf resort, Malibu Popoyo, to experience the magic of all-day offshores for yourself.