One of the best spots in the Caribbean for surfing is Barbados. And if you’re not one of the best surfers in the world (like me), one of the best breaks on the island to catch some waves has got to be Freights Bay. The added bonus is that most late afternoon sessions end with a spectacular flourish as the sun sets smack in the middle of the bay.
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Catching Rays While Catching Waves
One of the best spots in the Caribbean for surfing is Barbados. And if you’re not one of the best surfers in the world (like me), one of the best breaks on the island to catch some waves has got to be Freights Bay. The added bonus is that most late afternoon sessions end with a spectacular flourish as the sun sets smack in the middle of the bay.
SUPin' (Stand Up Paddleboarding) Island Style
Like most people, before a few months ago I mostly thought of “SUP” as an abbreviated greeting. As in, “Hey man, what’s up?” But that all changed on a recent trip to Barbados with a few friends. To get the basics, I searched YouTube for “stand up paddle board lessons” which returned over 800 videos! I then just clicked on one at random, watched it for about four minutes and just like that, I basically knew all I needed to know to get out on a board! Nope, SUP’ing doesn’t take days or hours to learn. Seriously, think minutes. From there, I simply walked the board 15 feet down to the Freights Bay Beach, slid it into the water and jumped on… This bay is perfect for beginners and advanced boarders alike. The north remains mostly quiet while the south end of the bay is famous for a quality surf break to kick your session up a notch!
Learn to Surf Bajan Style with Boosy
I met Boosy before my first lesson at Surfer’s Cafe in Oistins, Barbados. He’s a pretty laid back guy, but also determined to ensure you learn how to surf and go home with a sense of accomplishment. A quick drive southwest brought us to Cotton House Bay according to my map, but the locals call if Freights Bay. Here we unloaded the boards and Boosy gave me the basics while still on land. Anyway, I did my best to follow along on the brief land instruction and then it was time to hit the water. After each attempt, Boosy would be there with some observations, tips, and suggestions. Heeding his words, I improved each time which lead me to realize one of the best parts of surfing: sitting on your board, bobbing in the sea and just chatting. Boosy and I chatted about what I should try on my next wave. Boosy introduced me to all the other surfers, then we all just started chatting idly about surfing in general, tips on wave selection, where everyone was from, what kind of boards people were riding, how excellent this particular local surfer was, etc. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better way to spend 2 hours in Barbados than chilling with Boosy and a great break.
