Kite Surfing - South Spain (Costa del Sol - Costa de la Luz)
27 December 2006 dans Kite Surfing Spain
TARIFA, SPAIN
Tarifa is a European kiteboarding Mecca
Quick Guide. Just a little of the knowledge I have acquired over the 5 years that I have been coming here.
Covering the whole of the Costa Del Sol all the way to Tarifa and a little beyond.
Torrox works when it’s offshore for Malaga Airport can be very gusty early on but as late afternoon approaches cleans up nicely. Dangerous location with restaurant umbrellas and general beach crap in your way. Although there is a large section upwind which is clear? I have found this location to have flat spots in the wind and it is very easy to go downwind to far and from here the headland take a turn and you can find yourself drifting offshore very quickly. Watch the locals there is a definite approach to the beach and departure from the beach to avoid these flat spots. I have found this on typical crosshore gusty days. A fickle spot hopefully you will get lucky.
Rincon la Victoria popular spot again can get wind when Los Alamos (Torremolinos) doesn’t. Again can work when the wind is offshore at Malaga Airport however can be very gusty. Again another fickle spot you have to be lucky here.
Torrox and Rincon La Victoria are spots that the local crews got to when they are running out of options to kite locally. If Malaga to Marbella aren’t working. Driving to this location. Don’t drive through the city it will take forever. There is a road that goes around Malaga. I think it’s the road that takes you in the direction of Nerja. Rincon la Victoria and Torrox are signposted. I only travel to these locations as a last ditch effort if everywhere else has no wind. IE Offshore conditions along the whole of the Cost del sol.
Malaga can be kiteboarded just head for signs for the Port (Puerto) as you drive through the city and you will eventually pick up the beach road. Just look for the kites.
Los Alamos, Torremolinos One of the top spots on the coast and in the summer months very consistent. Drive the coast road from Malaga Airport to Torremolinos and you will spot the old beach bar ZZ bar now renamed La PLAYA (by the way cool by bar, top chicas and the cool local crew hang here) and along with it the local shop/slingshot ‘Kitesurf school run by Sergio. Sergio is presently in negotiation with local council to maintain a launch zone throughout the summer. Show the utmost respect at this spot it is a tight launch zone and in the summer months it is swamped with tourists and currently in the months of, August it is practically impossible to launch simply, no room. The police have removed people and fined kiters in the summer months although there is no official law to say they can do this. But this is Spain, argue and they will probably take your equipment your car and lock you up. And slap you with some public disorder fine. Don’t fuk with the police they are corrupt (personal opinion). In the winter it is great the beaches are clear and you can kite almost any part of the beach along this coast but beware they’re are special spots that are designated for launching the local fishing boats these are the gaps that you should be launching your kite at. Be considerate of tourists as Malaga is winter destination with many British and scandies tourists will be using the beach even in Spanish winter.
Elveria is another spot extremely small only one 10m spot on the beach with enough room to launch your kite on a crosshore wind. It’s about ½ kilometres up from the Los Monteros so if Monteros is packed you can get a breather from the crowds here. Ideal if there is 3 or 4 of you in your crew. Now there is a great short little short cut to get this location. Driving from Malaga when you get to Elviria first right after the sign for the English school then back on yourself and go in the tunnel that goes under the road its one lane and beep your horn. It’s really small and tight you will only get the small hire cars through here.
Los Monteros is on the outskirts of Marbella central, another premier spot. Very tight launch zone very packed when its working again huge problems in July and August I think kiting is banned here is the summer, advice in summer don’t bother. In the winter it’s great, more beach full kite community lots of help. With French, Danish and Spanish crews living locally, pretty friendly vibe. However don’t push your luck as a brit. All the proffessional Spanish riders can be see here. Great spot driving from Malaga take the next right after the Marbella hospital you can’t miss that. Most beaches on the Costa del Sol are about 30m wide so it’s tight for launching and can be difficult if you are on your own.
Ranchitos, is just East of Los Monteros, when Monteros is gusty and just a tiny bit offshore. You can drive a mile East and get to the curve in the bay and it will be crossshore here and not so gusty.
Marbella Central is about another 2 miles ish down the road. Can be kitesurfed although the beach itself is short and is backed by a concrete wall, not a great spot. Very Dangerous with onshore wind. Advice don’t bother go to Los Monteros. Summer months forget it!
Sotogrande is a big beach in front of the man made harbour you can drive your car down to the beach and park it there. Great location plenty of room, can produce good waves. When slightly onshore. Sotogrande is a purpose built housing complex which covers about 6 miles many developments and a new manmade harbour/marina. Villas with your own yacht mooring very impressive if the wind is strong and the waves are big you can kiteboard on the other side of the harbour which offers some protection and gives cleaner surfable waves. The local hot crew will be shredding this up on the surfboards/directionals. Just watching is a spectacle.
Sotogrande port is a self contained complex with its own security/ road blocks as you drive in and out. Just tell them your going to beach it’s not a problem. There are no restrictions on access.
Gibraltar, I have seen people kite here but its rare that the conditions are good, another fickle spot. Just do the day trip, go up on the cable car visit the monkeys and got the hidden caves in the rock. Eat fish and chips, buy cheap cigarettes and booze duty free and be British in Spain. British bobbies, red phone boxes. Home from home save your visit here for when there is no wind. You will need your passport for customs. Don’t mention the word Gibraltar in general conversation with Spanish as you may find they kind of implode.
Palmones. Driving from Malaga turn left after MacDonald’s this spot has a river mouth and is apparently doesn’t have the cleanest water due to the ships that come into the river mouth. Haven’t been here my self but will update this spot when I have.
Gitares, Can’t remember the which road to take exactly. Hard to find, it’s after Algeciras turn off but before the mountain in front of Tarifa. Have kited here, great spot large beach with good car park access and some local guy who watches your car. It is in the bay and towards the end of the bay you get the mountain. A lot of the Tarifa kite schools come here when Tarifa is nuking.
Tarifa. You will know when your getting close as you drive round the headland and you see lots of wind turbines. And as you come round the road you will see the full beach etc and all becomes apparent.
The wind can come from any direction of course. However in Tarifa two winds are mainly talked about, the wind blows either Levante (from the left/cross offshore/crosshore) or Poniente (from the right/cross onshore/crosshore). Levante can blow extremely strong picking up all the sand and sand blasting everybody in sight requiring 3.5 to 5.0m kites. These conditions are bad and this is when all the windsurfers come out. 40 mph plus winds. However Levante can be light anything from 10mph to 30mph and can be a great kiteboarding wind. Once over 45 mph it starts nuking and then it’s over just watch the windsurfers or the odd crazy man/ respect due ginda guy get out his 3.5 m kite. The gusts can be outrageous.
It’s strange it doesn’t matter what time of the year, freak conditions or frontal weather systems people still refer to the wind as Poniente or Levante. So be it! A quick guide is Levante is from the south and is channelled through the Gibraltar straits therefore accelerated as the wind squeezes through therefore it’s generally and strong wind and because of its slight offshore tendencies become a little gusty. Poniente from the north, the lighter of the two winds and I think are the best and most perfect conditions for Tarifa
In a “light” Levante the Mistral Centre is good or in the corner by the dunes. The mistral centre is usually a lot stronger wind and you will be riding a kite size down from the guys in the corner at the dune. The mistral centre is called Valdahonez I think. And the dunes the beach is called Punta Paloma or Los Dunes .
When the Levante goes 40 mph plus you can drive further north of Tarifa to Bologna (head towards Cadiz & follow signs), or if its really windy go to Canos de Mecca about 50 minutes in the car North of Tarifa. I don’t have much info on these spots and I always drive back to Malaga if it’s really wind in Tarifa and go to a point break/ bay called Giterez or back to Sotogrande.
The main beach at Tarifa is long probably about a mile long and at the back of the beach at high tide a lagoon forms and runs parallel to the beach for most of its length the lagoon is great for beginners and those looking for blasting flat water riding. Its great fun and the speeds you can make in high winds can be epic. The lagoon is pretty much my favourite spot inTarifa and in 8 weeks of one winter I surfed it all the time every time except for 5 sessions in the open sea. However it is shallow in spots do not be tempted to jumped big in the shallows there was many a day when a Brit was carried of the beach with a broken ankle. I too was getting overconfident and trying tricks at either end of a run, one end being the shallows and awkward front loop badly went wrong and nearly results in me breaking my leg. 3 days off with a very bad limp sprained ankle and sprained ligaments at back of knee. I don’t jump in the shallows anymore! However if you do break your ankle if you can persuade two people to carry you from the lagoon to the car park it’s a bit of a slog with boards and kites. I hear the ambulance will come done the dirt track onto the farmland and pick you up. Don’t jump in the shallows!
Once the winds comes up you will see every spot along the beach that people kiteboard, I think it mostly evolves around which car park people use therefore if you walk a little you will always find a nice spot to yourself. In the winter the weekends get busy I can count 150 kites easily on a good weekend. During the week in the winter during siesta maybe 35 kites. Early morning late evenings you can almost have the place to yourself. However in the summer the whole of Tarifa goes crazy and there are kites everywhere and accommodation gets very expensive. It basically becomes a different place Dr Jeckell and Mr Hyde. I personally don’t spend anytime here in the summer. To busy and then Lowestoft in the UK is going off. And in mid season that’s as good as anywhere in the world.
I hope this may help you on your trip, have a great time.
Play safe.