COASTS AND CLIMATE
Uruguay spans over some 180,000 square kilometers in the southeast of South America, (see "maps" link at left) with more than 200 kms. of coast on the Atlantic ocean (Maldonado and Rocha) and more than 300 kms. of coast on the Rio de la Plata.
The air temperature varies from frequent sub-zero dawns in winter (July) to some scorching afternoons edging 40° Celsius in summer (January), and water temps go from 9° to 23° C, approximately.
The climate is windy most of the year, favoring sailing and other wind-based sports. The winds, especially those from the south quarter, reach hurricane speeds sometimes, but seldom covering enough area to generate long, lasting swells.
Wetsuits are a must at least during half of the year.
The land is bordering the atmosphere´s thinnest ozone-layer area. Ultraviolet radiation index is very high from September to March.
WAVES
Best swell directions for Uruguayan shores are from south and east quarters, originated mainly in the roaring fifties, south of the continent.
To the west of Maldonado (Canelones) the seas gradually diminish in power and size as they come closer to Montevideo and blend with the massive Rio de la Plata estuary. To the west of the city of Montevideo (San José, Colonia) the possibilities for ridable waves are drastically reduced as the estuary goes more narrow and shallow, except for the wind-swept waves made by sudden gales and those that make it through out of the bigger southern swells. The average wave size for a good day in Canelones and Montevideo is less than 1 meter. In Maldonado and Rocha it´s 1.5 meter. At times it gets up to 2 or 3 meters in good, offshore conditions, and 4 meter surf has been ridden at La Paloma and Santa Teresa.
The soft decline of the continental shelf slows down incoming swells but helps arranging and setting up the waves. They are sloped, and slower than the typical Atlantic wave, but relatively longer and better shaped. Wave power also decreases as the ocean loses salinity mixing with the water of the Rio de la Plata. Most point breaks are lefts, but there are plenty beach breaks. Coral is non-existent.
SURFING POPULATION
As of 2009 there's an estimate of some 12000 frequent or occasional surfers. Only a small percentage of them surf on a very frequent basis (minimum of once per week all yearlong).
This does not include other variants of the sport; bodyboard, windsurf, kiteboard, etc.
The Union de Surf del Uruguay (USU) is the entity that governs competitive surfing at national level, with several hundred members.
Although the competitive side has not been developed to its full potential, amateur results at regional level generally place in the middle of the ranking.
Uruguayans don't compete in any world professional circuit, and no local surfers are living professionally off the sport, except for recent forays into world rankings by local born Marco Giorgi, sponsored and trained by a brazilian surf industry giant.
PRODUCTION AND TRADE
There are several surf shops, mostly in Montevideo, besides Ciudad de la Costa, Piriápolis, Punta del Este, and La Paloma.
Surf accesory production is small scale and it is limited to few articles such as wax, board-covers and traction pads. Some surfwear is manufactured locally.
Most popular board brands are "Roberto", "Willy", "Raglan"and "Salitre"; the first two with more than thirty years in local and foreign markets and the rest with over ten years experience.
There are no surfboard blank factories, and no fiberglass and resin factories, either. This accounts for a higher price tag on the average new board than in neighbouring Brazil and its 1000X potential market, which in turn favors a flood -legal and illegal- of Brazilian products. Thus, most of the boards and related items seen in Uruguayan beaches sport foreign brands, mainly Brazilian.
SURF CULTURE
There are no events (besides contests), nor cultural, social, or political organizations directly related to the sport of surfing.
There are several surf-schools along the coast, mostly unipersonal and especially in the warm months.
A bimonthly magazine comes out since 1997: "Mareas" (tides).
Two books have been published on the subject by Professor Ariel González: "Surfing", in 1986 and "He´enalu", in 2000, both virtually vanished from the shelves.
It should be highlighted the influence that surfing has had in the last few years among physical education graduates and students, some of whom choose it as topic for their theses.
MISCELLANEOUS
* The official currency is the Peso Uruguayo, with a rate of about 24 pesos for one US dollar (2009). However, dollars are accepted almost anywhere. Check the latest rates for any currency here.
* There´s easy road access to most breaks as well as some secluded beaches where either a four-wheel-drive or a long walk are the means to reach.them, mainly in Rocha.
* There are no jungles, hence no endemic tropical deseases like malaria. Tap water is clean and safe enough to drink.
* No smog, traffic jams or polluted beaches, in spite of the misleading dark color of the water in the western coast.
* In general, the attitude in and out of the water is relaxed, slow paced, and friendly, especially towards foreigners.
* The communications network is thorough and working, even if a notch below top world standards, due to higher rates and slower internet connections
