How Anchor Point Works
Taghazout, Morocco · part of the Anchor Point spot guide
Anchor Point is a classic headland-refraction right — a low finger of rock jutting into deep water just west of Taghazout. North Atlantic groundswell doesn’t hit it head-on; it wraps around the point and peels progressively from the outside tip for up to half a kilometre, which is exactly why the point holds size instead of closing out.
| Zone | Approx. depth | What happens here |
|---|---|---|
| Outside / channel off the tip | 25–40 ft | Swell wraps and refracts before it feels bottom |
| The Point (takeoff) | 15–22 ft | First rock contact — a steep, powerful takeoff that holds the biggest sets |
| The Middle | 10–15 ft | Shoaling reef; the wall stands up for turns |
| The Inside (barrel) | 6–10 ft | Shallow rock shelf — hollow, fast, backwash-prone |
The bottom is a rock-and-reef shelf with a thin sand veneer. A long, gently curving rock point in deep water spreads a big winter pulse down the line rather than dumping it on one bar, so the wave jacks on the shelf, walls through the middle, and barrels over the shallow inside. It reads in three sections — the Point, the Middle, and a tight hollow Inside.
This is an advanced wave: rocks in the lineup and on entry, a strong backwash and current on size, a tight takeoff and a real crowd. It comes alive when a long-period northwest swell meets a light offshore off the cape.
Anchor Point wave mechanics — FAQ
When is Anchor Point best?
December through February, with January the standout, on long-period northwest North Atlantic groundswell. Summer is mostly flat.
What swell and wind does it want?
A northwest groundswell around 300–320° at 12 seconds or more, a northeast offshore, and a low-to-dropping tide. A long-period west swell also fires.
Is it a beginner wave?
No — an advanced right with rocks in the lineup and on entry, a strong backwash and current on size, a tight takeoff and a serious crowd. Winter water is cool, roughly 16–18°C, so a 3/2 wetsuit.