Historians still ponder the bizarre, sudden fate of this once mighty empire. Like their ancestors, the people of coastal Peru have a strong bond with the sea. Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl has given us stories of early surfers who preceded the Polynesians and Hawaiians. The design of the boats, seen lining the beaches of the quaint seaside village are a pleasant contrast to modern surfboards. A country of contrasts.
Sparse desert sweeps down to the rugged coast.
Stark, sun baked cliffs offer a surfer's-dream view of a corduroy sea, with waves lined up nearly to the horizon. Rocky points jut out like fingers, grabbing the ever-advancing surges and squeezing the juice out them, sweet, fresh and powerful. Peru is a relatively dry country, with seasons opposite our own. Water temperatures vary as much as the landscape, ranging from the mid fifties to low seventies. The Surf Express program in Peru is being re-established after the destruction brought by El Nino and La Nina.