Surf's Up in Portugal
By Cristian Tomaz
In the summer months, beginners will find the waves most manageable at between three and five feet - surfable but not too scary if you wipe out. The breaks in Portugal are also relatively uncrowded which is always beneficial for the beginner. Not only are other surfers one of the biggest hazards when you are trying to ride waves but it is better for your confidence not to have to worry about what you look like in front of other people.
The major disadvantage of trying to surf Portugal in the summer is you may find that the more prevalent onshore winds at that time of year mess up the conditions for you by making the surf choppy and unpleasant. In terms of getting the right instruction there are too many surf companies to mention but a good internet search will serve you well. You can also look up the weather forecasts this way to know when the swells will be best.
Chances are though that if you are not a beginner you will want to come to Portugal in the winter. Although the water will be relatively cold it is easy to rent or purchase a wetsuit (or even a dry suit) and the waves tend to be a lot bigger in winter. While during the rest of the year waves are quite consistent at about 6 feet in the right spots, over the winter they are more than double that size at times.
The position of Portugal to the west of Spain means it gets swells from the north, south and west. There is a wide variety of different waves and the Atlantic Ocean has some powerful swells, so chances are it will be breaking somewhere. People come from all over Europe to take advantage of the helpful offshore breezes and the solid swells. Portugal has the advantage of having both reef and beach breaks so different spots will have waves at different times. Beach breaks can be better for beginners because there is less likelihood of hitting the reef if you fall and the sand will be more forgiving.
Some of the best spots for surfing in Portugal are Supertubos, Pedra Blanca and Coxos. As the name suggests, Supertubos has excellent tubes where you can ride a long barrel, usually forming from the right (but also has a left). It is best suited to those who know what they are doing. Supertubos is a sand bar and takes swells from north, northwest, south, southwest and west. It is best accessed by car. Pedra Blanca is a left which turns into one of Portugal's best waves when it gets going. If you can surf during the week it will always be less crowded.
Cristian Tomaz grew up in Madeira but left the Portuguese island to try his hand as a journalist on the mainland. He found the going tough but soon realised that he would do best by writing about what he knew. Drawing on his boyhood experiences in Madeira he began to write a number of surfing and windsurfing articles. Having got good deals in the past for Madeira Car Hire and Portugal Car Hire he was happy to write this article for Portuguese car hire. He was also able to rent surf racks cheaply in order to carry his board on top of the car.
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