News

by Brian Kelly 

Surfer Magazine is featuring an expedition to one of the best surf destinations in Panama in the inaugural edition of a new YouTube series, “Wish You Were Here.”

A video crew and six surfers—Balaram Stack, Luke Davis, Jake Kelley, Nicola Lugo, Oliver Kurtz and Layne Stratton—traveled to Silverbacks, the legendary spot near Bocas del Toro on the Caribbean coast. When they arrived, they found the waves “too big” along the beach, but found better spots on the surrounding reefs.

“It felt like a mini Indo because the swell direction was so perfect,” says filmmaker Layne Stratton. (Surfer to English translation: “The waves were excellent and comparable to the best spots in Indonesia.”)

The Surfer Magazine crew was so enthralled by the beauty of Panama—and the great waves—the trip lasted longer than expected. “What was supposed to be a five-day strike turned into a ten-day score,” the magazine reports “Most of the crew extended their tickets.”

Not surprisingly, the video offers some great surfing footage. But it also shows the beauty of Bocas del Toro, one of Panama’s most beautiful tropical destinations.