Slyde Exclusive Interview: Big Wave Bodysurfer Barchi Quadros of Puert

by Travis Davies March 14, 2019 4 min read

Barchi Quadros isn't just a talented waterman, he's one of the most solid & friendly people you'll ever come across.

Slyde believes Bodysurfing has no boundaries 🇺🇸❤️🇲🇽 In our commitment to supporting an all inclusive community of stoke both near & far, we're beyond pumped to welcome Barchi to the Slyde Team in 2019.

Enjoy his story below & watch the future of handboarding unfold alongside us.

Who or what go you into bodysurfing?

My uncle Craig Long (my mother's brother in law) from California is a surfer that used to supercharge Puerto Escondido's Mexpipe since the mid 70's. He's been my water mentor, since I could remember, at least twice a year, him, my aunt and the rest of the family would come visit. This one summer when I was about 10, he gave me a pair of Viper fins, that have been in his attic for a few decades already and said we should go for a swim.

Up until then I was just a grom surfer/bodyboarder, didn't really pay attention to the art of bodysurfing.

We would go for long swims across the Mexpipe beachbreak when the waves were safe enough for 10 yr old me and I really appreciated the fact that all I was using was just a pair of flippers. I kept on going for those swims almost every afternoon after school. After awhile, I wasn't interested on a surfboard or a boogieboard anymore, I was just having a jolly good time swimming and bodysurfing as often as I could, that's where it all started.

What attracts you to big wave body surfing?

I don't really know honestly. Maybe it's just me being an adrenaline junkie, the constant need to progress and move into bigger and bigger surf, giving myself a worthy challenge, or the fact that it's just me and the raw power of the ocean. No need for bulky vests and a board or dangly leashes. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy surfing on my feet a lot, as much as bodysurfing, but when I bodysurf, I feel free, I feel different than everyone else.

What Big Wave is #1 on your bucket list?

Well, I got my eye in many, it's hard to pick one. There's Nazaré, Jaws, Australian slabs like Cape Solander and The Right, Mavericks gives me chills, I'd totally like to try that, and of course Pipeline.

What is the Surf Scene/Community like in Puerto Escondido?

Absolutely lovely, it's wonderful, everyone knows everybody, it feels like a big family, like a tribe. Localism is kinda strong, but it's not as bad as other places. When the waves get big in the summer, the whole place kinda comes to life, you got many big wave pros in town, there's a lot of activity, a few contests during the summer are always fun to watch. And then in the small wave season (there is no "no wave season"), the nights come to life, a lot of party, dancing till dawn, things to do, people to meet. Puerto is just fun all year round.

How would you describe the surf at Puerto Escondido on an average day? How would you describe it on a big day?

On an average day, it's a fun, adrenaline rush, 1-2 ft overhead, line up full of people to talk to, full of people who talk, people who are concentrated, people who just wanna have fun; there's just people. Haha, big of mix of pretty chill and pretty active.

On a Big day: Eerie, humbling, tight atmosphere, the water gets darker, beautiful nonetheless absolutely magnificent, a show for everyone to watch, but for a few to experience, less people in the water (more now with the invention of the big wave vest) but still less than on an average day, still the same amount of chit chat. I'm not gonna lie to you, I do get scared, and when I'm not scared, I'm scared that I'm not scared because that just feels wrong Haha.

What are 3 tips you'd give to someone traveling there to bodysurf/handboard for the 1st time?

Don't get cocky, this wave will ragdoll you even in five-foot faces, trust me.
Get someone to take photos, take a GoPro, a camera, or anything to get some good footy, trust me, you'll need it, and if you didn't take it, you'll feel regret it.
- Don't just stay at the MexPipe, go all over, there's an epic left hand point break at the end of the beach break called La Punta, there's another a-frame abundant beach break 20 mins south, there's an epic right point break 3 hours south called Barra de la Cruz (look it up, it's kinda famous), there's Salina Cruz 5 hours south, infested with right point breaks, there's a very Boho style jetty break community called Chacahua 40 mins north (look it up as well, it's pretty cool), There's so many awesome places all over this coastline, so don't just stay and stop in Zicatela. Explore, enjoy and respect the locals.

If you could ride a party wave with 4 people who would you choose and why?

That's a tough one, there's just so many people who I just find rad and party-wave-worthy.

I'd say Kalani Lattanzi, pretty good friend of mine, a.k.a. The Madman, for obvious reasons.
Jimi Hunt, he's just an awesome person over all, an awesome friend, brilliant mind and his life has a quite a story to tell.
My Brazilian Mother, Ana Maria de Quadros, this woman was the first woman to supercharge big waves in Puerto Escondido on a bodyboard, also the same first woman to ever ride big waves off of Todos Santos, she was an outstanding water woman back in her day (early 80's to early 00's), if you want to see how big she would go, just check my IG profile, there's a couple pics of her there.
And how couldn't I mention my uncle Craig, the one who started it all in my life.

Any trends or predictions you see for handboarding in 2019?

Well, honestly I don't know what could be next for this beloved art, I do however feel like it's just the beginning. Maybe in the near future we might see the first ever world tour for big wave bodysurfing with more sponsors and big names wanting to take a part in it and help it grow in to a full blown discipline. But who am I? I'm not a prophet, I'm just bodysurfer :)