The Money Wave is a powerful right-hand point breaking over a long rock reef on the coast south of Safi, sitting directly in front of a huge factory. That setting has pushed it off most travelling surfers' lists over the past decade, but the waves are as good as ever: barrels and long faces with plenty of room for turns, good enough to challenge strong surfers. The factory is noisy, the smell is hard to ignore, and pollution from it makes the water quality questionable even when it looks clean and green.
When It Works
The reef picks up a lot of swell and works best on west to northwest (W-NW), running from 0.9 m / 3 ft to 2.4 m / 8 ft. Autumn into winter is the season, when the North Atlantic storm track wakes up and sends consistent lines down this stretch of coast. On the right swell it gets really good, with head-high to overhead-plus waves down the reef. Big days move a lot of water and the paddles are long, so pick your moment.
Wind and Tide
Look for east (E) offshore wind, with a workable window from east-northeast to east-southeast (ENE-ESE). It breaks on low and mid tide, and a rising tide is generally the better call.
Local Tips
This is a wave for intermediate and expert surfers on a shortboard or bodyboard. The lineup stays quiet, with a few locals around mostly on weekends, and it can feel a little reserved at first. Make friends and they may point you towards their more secret reefs further south down the coast, where the road winds along the hillside through much prettier country. There isn't much in the way of hazards beyond the water quality and the volume of water moving on the bigger days.
Access
Follow the coast south from Safi until the huge factory comes into view, and the spot is right there in front of it. Pull into the dirt lot out front for easy parking. Staying in Safi is the best option, since it lets you check the coast and other spots on the drive down.
