Dialing in My Barrel Riding at The Boom, Nicaragua - A Look Back at Elle Sampiere’s Journey
Until a few weeks ago, I wouldn’t have called myself a confident barrel rider. I’d snagged a few here and there, mostly by accident, but my success rate felt more like luck than skill. Then I spent a month at The Boom, and everything shifted.
In the past four weeks, I’ve gotten more comfortable under the lip than I ever imagined. It hasn’t just been a technical breakthrough—it’s been a mindset shift. The Boom helped me dial in my positioning, timing, and confidence in a way that reef breaks never could. It’s the kind of wave that rewards consistency, not perfection. And that’s exactly what makes it the best place I’ve found to learn how to get barreled.
Why The Boom Is One of the Best Waves to Learn Barrel Riding
A Forgiving (But Still Powerful) Sand Bottom
I’ve surfed reefs all over the world—Indonesia, Tahiti, Central America—and while the waves are beautiful, they come with consequences. I once tried to figure out the barrel at a shallow Indo reef and ended up with five staples in my head. Reef is high stakes.
The Boom, by contrast, breaks over a tight, shallow sandbar. You still take your beatings, but there’s a mental freedom in knowing that wipeouts here usually mean a tumble and a reset, not a trip to the ER. For someone trying to commit under the lip, that safety net is huge.
Consistent Barrels and Endless Reps
The Boom serves up consistent, powerful barrels day after day. And unlike most reef setups that have a single peak and a takeoff war zone, the Boom is a sprawling beach break with shifting, peaky sandbars. That means more waves, more opportunities, and more space to learn.
It breaks left and right, and often works best on smaller swells with medium intervals—conditions that translate to frequent, user-friendly barrels. You don’t need to paddle into a double-overhead freight train to get slotted. You just need to show up, study the lineup, and put in the reps.
And on days when the sandbar shifts or the tide isn’t quite right, there’s a whole coastline of backup options. Whether it’s La Isla or a boat ride to another peak, you’ve always got somewhere to chase tubes.
Minimal Crowds (and Space to Learn)
Even with The Boom’s growing reputation, it still feels uncrowded compared to most world-class waves. Because of its length and unpredictable peaks, the crowd stays spread out. On most sessions, you can find your corner of the beach and get in rhythm without battling ten people for one takeoff spot.
When you’re learning to get barreled, that space matters. You need time. You need waves. You need to screw up a few and go again. And The Boom gives you that, especially if you’re up early and watching the tides.
Final Thoughts: Leveling Up at The Boom
This past month at Amaru, surfing The Boom almost daily, has been the most fun I’ve had in years. I’m not just surviving barrels anymore—I’m looking for them. That shift in confidence is everything.
If you’re chasing barrels or trying to get more consistent in the tube, The Boom in Northern Nicaragua is one of the best waves in the world to level up. It’s powerful, forgiving, consistent, and just unpredictable enough to keep things interesting. I came here hoping to improve. I’m leaving with a completely different relationship to the barrel.