Illustration — no photo of this spot yet
Silverbacks
Bocas del Toro's big-wave slab, breaking in deep water off the northwest end of Isla Bastimentos and reachable only by boat. It is a right-hander with a cavernous tube that sources compare to Teahupo'o, a lip described as a metre thick, and faces of twenty feet and more on the heaviest winter storms. It wakes only a handful of days a year — it needs real size rather than a particular direction, and it sits dormant for most of the season.
Surf outlook
We don't have a forecast outlook for Silverbacks yet. The seasonal guidance below is based on long-run averages, not on this week.
Live conditions
We don't have a current forecast for Silverbacks. The seasonal guidance below is based on long-run averages, not on today.
Surf Snapshot
Estimated seasonal guidance — not a live forecast.
When to surf Silverbacks, month by month
Estimated from our authored seasonality — not a live forecast.
Peak season: Jan, Mar, Dec (High).
| Month | Surf consistency |
|---|---|
| Janpeak | High |
| Feb | Moderate |
| Marpeak | High |
| Apr | Rare |
| May | Flat |
| Jun | Flat |
| July | Flat |
| Aug | Flat |
| Sept | Flat |
| Oct | Flat |
| Nov | Rare |
| Decpeak | High |
Does this wave fit your level?
Rated for Level 7 · Best at Level 7.
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Find my Level →Beginner notes
There is no beginner or intermediate version of this wave. It is a professional-level slab over a jagged reef shelf with holes in it, a shifty peak and strong current, a boat ride from town and a long way from medical help. Sources note it has broken more than boards. Level 7 only, with safety cover — and for almost everyone the right way to experience it is from the boat.
Hazards
- big-wave slab
- jagged reef shelf with holes
- extremely thick lip
- strong current
- shifty peak
- offshore — boat access only
Nearby spots
The closest graded spots to Silverbacks, straight-line distance.
- Paunch~4 km · Levels 4-7
- Bluff Beach~7 km · Levels 6-7
- Pavones~149 km · Levels 3-6
Best months to surf here
In-season months for Bocas del Toro, from our editors’ season calendar.
How this spot is sourced
Cross-checked against 6 sources from 3 independent lineages, last checked October 2026.
Sources disagree on exact position and wave type. Treat those figures as unsettled — we would rather say so than pick one and sound certain.
Two or more independent sources agree on which way it breaks.