The Pororoca is a tidal bore that can reach heights of four meters.
It travels as much as 800 kilometers inland, upstream of the Amazon River and other river systems nearby.
The name itself means “great roar” in the local tongue. It might seem bizarre, but surfing the Pororoca is no walk in the park. As well as the real danger of encountering debris torn from the riverbanks, there are gigantic snakes, crocodiles, and flesh-eating piranhas in the water.
You will need a boat or jet ski in support, for once you lose the wave there is no way you will be able to catch up with it again.
But the payoff? Rides here can last over half an hour and travel for more than 10 kilometers. February and March is the time to visit for the biggest waves of the year.
Surfer Michelangelo Bernardoni on the Pororoca Araguari River.
This feature has come from the excellent Surf Odyssey hardback book available now
Surf Odyssey
The Culture of Wave Riding
Cold-water surfing, the most remote surf spots, spectacular photography, illustrations, and custom boards: Surf Odysseydocuments the modern cult of surfing as its own subculture and way of life.
About the book:
There’s much more to surfing than palm trees and beach boy clichés. Beyond mainstream surfing lies an uncharted sea of creativity, community, and independence that celebrates the true nature of surfing.
Surf Odyssey depicts this contemporary surf culture: the adrenaline-rush of cold-water surfing, the daunting treks through the terrain of Africa balanced by the welcoming Temple of Enthusiasm in Bali, the quest to find nature in its purest form, and the reward of finding oneself. Stunning images from pioneering outdoor photographers and poignant portraits of movers and shakers within the scene narrate a tale of wave-riding that steps away from social norms and into aquatic swells of adventure.
Revealing surfers to be multifaceted spirits, Surf Odyssey underlines the natural connections between environmental responsibility and the thrill of embracing an unbroken wall of water whilst showcasing the products and places that comprise this unique community.
Click here to sign up to our newsletter