# Wind sports in Portugal



## grizwald (Mar 21, 2017)

Hello,
We are seriously considering retiring in Portugal and are looking for recommendations with regard to wind.

Our major recreational pursuits are sailing and kite-surfing although we hope to add paragliding to that list soon, which also involves wind. We also like to be warm while doing these.

Are there any like minded persons on the forum who could comment on the suitability of their area to these pursuits.

We will be cycling the entire coast this summer (from north to south) and would appreciate suggestions on how to schedule our time and where to look at real estate with the wind in mind.

Thank you most kindly,
Griz


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

WELL you are coming to the right country! http://www.penichekitecenter.com/ Is one site to look at. There was a lot of activity in the area yesterday. Known for it cursing competitions you cannot fault the SILVER COAST area! 
Depending on the type of property you are looking for there will definitely something to please your taste.


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## grizwald (Mar 21, 2017)

Hi Siobhanwf,
Thanks for the link. Looks like a lovely spot although it might be rather cool in the winter. Are you familiar with the weather there in the winter?
I assume you meant cruising competitions with regard to sailing on the silver coast but if it really is cursing competitions I would like to nominate my brother-in-law. With enough beer,he could be a world champion.
Again thanks for the information,
warmest regards,
Griz


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

The wind guru website gives lots of information re weather throughout Portugal


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

grizwald said:


> Hello,
> We are seriously considering retiring in Portugal and are looking for recommendations with regard to wind.
> 
> Our major recreational pursuits are sailing and kite-surfing although we hope to add paragliding to that list soon, which also involves wind. We also like to be warm while doing these.
> ...




Hi, I have no idea what you expect from the Sliver Coast - that is the phrase for the Portuguese Atlantic coast - but even a cursory glance on an interweb satellite map will show you that from Oporto to Lisbon + 80% of the coast is not accessed directly by roads as the Atlantic is a rugged coast with cliffs in parts where the sea is not benign enough to paddle/swim in. The PCH it is not as there is not. The accessible sandy sheltered inlets where people bathe are mobbed during sunny holidays and built with estates and blocks of holiday accommodation but closed in the wet winter months. The big river inlets are built up industrial towns. From Espinho (where the beach is fenced off due the railway which the Oportoese use to get to the beach) and going south there are probably 10 such beach/swimming areas. I'll post some names etc. later.


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

To illustrate aspects of the Silver Coast here are 3 pictures of Nazaré 

The Atlantic may be a unsuitable for paddling and swimming.
The Beach (there is only one here) may get a bit crowded and daily/hourly rental of bits of the beach is a local pastime.
The coast is often rugged with no access.


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

With the exception of Peniche…………… Beaches where swimming happens there tends not to be windy water sports,. The sea outside the swimming areas is often unsuitable for windy water sports unless you go extreme then there are few safety nets. The Atlantic water temperature is generally cool to cold but places like Obidos Lagoon exist as a large shallow area of sea water which is refreshed with the incoming tide and warmed by the sun but a short distance away - offshore and deep water temperature is dramatically lower even on a hot summer day. In the winters, the wet black mould season, most of the beaches are empty and shops/ restaurants /bars closed and streets deserted.

Peniche is an “island” of hard rock which has resisted erosion and stands proud of the water by possibly 20m hence vertical cliff to inaccessible water. The two beaches are sand caught in the angle between the island and the mainland one north and one south of Peniche. Waves travelling unopposed west to east and pinched into these angles so the waves rise up as they near the beach, fabulous for world class surfing competitions especially as the competitors and carried towards the spectators on a rising wave. In summer, if the wind is still, the cold sea to land interface causes hazy clouds above the cliffs/beaches which obscures the sun from the beach and can be seen from many Km away inland as a hazy grey line in a cloudless blue sky.


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## MrBife (Jul 26, 2009)

Algarve is good as along a large proportion of the south coast there is a natural lagoon, between the barrier islands and the mainland. A lot of Kitesurf, SUP and Sailing going on - less so during the peak holiday season (poor wind), and a lot better conditions than braving the Altlantic breakers of the west coast. 

https://www.wannakitesurf.com/spot/Europe/Portugal/Algarve/


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## grizwald (Mar 21, 2017)

Hi Strontium,

I am curious how you came to use the name Strontium? (highly reactive? Atomic number 38? reference to Sr90?, town in Scotland?) very intriguing. Anyway aside from that, we have no idea what to expect but as you say a glance at Google shows mainly parks down the Atlantic coast. I suspect, but I do not know, that the Algrave will probably turn out to be the most appropriate to our needs. The Kitesurfing websites show dozens of spots all through this area. I would however very much appreciate your posting the names of beaches and of any comments you may have about them. Local knowledge is invaluable.

Siobhanwf,
I have spent hours poring over the Windguru website. It is good but it just can't compete with local knowledge. Your information regarding Peniche, for instance, is invaluable.

Thank you and thanks to those who have yet to post.
warmest regards,
Griz


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## grizwald (Mar 21, 2017)

Holly Cow, How high is that wave? Are those surfers on that thing? that is wild.


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## grizwald (Mar 21, 2017)

Hello MrBife,
Thanks for the link. I haven't seen that one before. As you are in the general area, are there any "must not miss" locations that we should check out on our reconnaissance trip? In the perfect world we would like to be able to walk to the kite beach or beach cat launch. Even better would be a place where we could pull our hobi-cat up on the sand in front of our abode, although I suspect that would require funds far and beyond what we have at our disposal. But if you don't ask you don't know, so I am asking.

thanks,
Griz


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

Ignoring the down swell 30m springs to mind and that is a surfer and behind is the boat needed to pull him (it is a him) up to speed otherwise he cannot get on the wave. Welcome to the silver coast. Do a search for Nazere surfing and there's video.


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## MrBife (Jul 26, 2009)

grizwald said:


> Hello MrBife,
> Thanks for the link. I haven't seen that one before. As you are in the general area, are there any "must not miss" locations that we should check out on our reconnaissance trip? In the perfect world we would like to be able to walk to the kite beach or beach cat launch. Even better would be a place where we could pull our hobi-cat up on the sand in front of our abode, although I suspect that would require funds far and beyond what we have at our disposal. But if you don't ask you don't know, so I am asking.
> 
> thanks,
> Griz



You should visit Fuzeta, Cabanas, Faro Beach and Alvor. Lots of activity through the year (except for August when all such places are so busy and there is no wind). Local university groups, international teams and holiday courses all do their training - A lot of kitesurfers were out last weekend on Faro Island lagoon enjoying the sunshine.

https://www.google.pt/search?q=kite...eh1e3SAhUEzRQKHZMwAwwQsAQIcg&biw=2048&bih=951

Kitesurf Gallery â€” Your Algarve Adventure

https://algarvewatersport.com/en/kite

Eolis Kitesurf School

Google is your friend here


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## grizwald (Mar 21, 2017)

Those are amazing videos. Makes me want to put on a life jacket just to watch it. Have you seen any of those surf competitions in Nazere? I saw a couple of big days in Hawaii but nothing, and I mean nothing compared to that. That makes Mavericks look like ripples in a bathtub.


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

More flaky internet connection info for Silver Coast / Central Portugal but not The Algarve / South. Though it has been topic/posted often Portugal is a relative poor, per capita income, country compared to new by EU countries. It has 10 million people who are not evenly distributed and varied topography and landscapes from mountain, lakes, rivers to sunbaked sand dunes. Things here are done on a local/personal level consequently not everything is the internet. Generally people riding those big waves are not there for publicity or sponsorship but because of their own personal goals and interests, here people talk to each other as in social interaction rather than via a website. If you want to know what is happening or what property there is for sale in an area or what vegetable is available (lots of local fresh fruit and veg markets) you will need to interact with people. The web search will bring up activates aimed at the foreign visitor (ie a source of income) whereas the local village festival need no advertising because everyone there knows it happens on the second weekend in May in alternate years and is dedicated to Saint Arbuthnot the patron saint of lamprey (I paraphrase). I'd recommend booking places to stay with something like Airbib to get local introductions then you will probably find they (and their parents, people next door, local café owner etc) will all help you with (sometimes erroneous) information and will all know someone who knows someone who has a place for rent or sale also where to find the best beach for fishermen daily landing sardines and a café without a sign saying "we cook your fish for you" and cold beer, local olives, fresh bread. The Algarve is different, far more “cosmopolitan” so has different attractions and interests and is a better fit for your criteria.

Here’s a festival in my favourite town which, though it attracts 500,000 people but is almost unknown outside Portugal. 

https://vimeo.com/135892790

Here you can drive a train along next to the almost deserted beach like the Oportese do .

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@41.0...4AJTtjTta7k_ZY7TKw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Here is a random picture of my ride and an, otherwise, unadvertised paragliding place, have done a bit of hanggliding, paragliding, mictolite, light aircraft flying etc.


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