Cape Verde Watersports

 

Neptune´s Dream

Cape Verde has long been known as a mecca for water sports, with an average water temperature of about 24°C and an air temperature of 28°C. Cape Verde is the perfect place for surfing, windsurfing, diving, and all traditional and modern watersports.

 

 

Surfing

There are numerous surfing spots located around Sal Island. The best time of year for surfing in Cape Verde is between November and March, with smaller conditions in the summer months.

The top local surfing spot for advanced surfers is Ponta Preta. Located West of Santa Maria on Sal Island, it is an exposed reef and point break with excellent and reliable surf. Ponta Preta, accessible by a gravel road is located close to the Melia Tortuga Beach Resort and Spa. The combination of shore winds with Atlantic swells make Ponta Preta a surfer´s paradise suitable, only for advanced riders.

 

Windsurfing & Kitesurfing

Favorable trade winds have created many prime year-round wind and kitesurfing spots across the Cape Verde islands. Thanks to the variety of winds and the orientation of the beaches, there are great calm spots for beginners (Santa Maria Bay) and beaches with fabulous waves well-suited for experts, especially on the West coast. (Kite Beach)

Ponta Preta was home to the Professional Windsurf Association (PWA) event in 2007. In fact, Josh Anglulo the Hawaiian-born 2009 PWA Wave World Champion, also a champion of promoting Cape Verde as a windsurfing destination, has made the archipelago his home.

Mitu Monteiro kitesurfing wave rider world champion in 2008 and local hero was also instrumental in the organisation of KSP world tour final event in 2011 also held at Ponta Preta

 

Stand up paddle surfing (SUP)

A hot new sport with a Hawaiian tradition, SUP is becoming more and more popular all over the world. It involves standing on long boards, and paddling out with outrigger paddles, which gives the surfer much more visibility of coming waves, at the same time it provides a great core workout. In Cape Verde, there are many surf centers offering SUP training and rentals, especially in Santa Maria.

 

Diving

Warm water temperatures, scenic shores and an impressive variety of sea creatures combine to make Cape Verde a fabulous spot for both diving and scuba diving. Divers can explore sea caves, dive off majestic cliffs, swim around fantastic shipwreck remains and discover sharks, lobster, eels, stingrays and turtles, among many other fascinating marine species.

One of the top local diving centers and facilities, Cabo Verde diving , located in Santa Maria, offers a variety of diving tours and trainings, suited for all levels of experience, from beginner to expert. From scuba, cave dives and night dives to extreme adventure dives, Cabo Verde Diving has something to satisfy every diving enthusiast. Cabo Verde Diving have recently opened a new centre at the new Melia Tortuga Beach Resort & Spa.

Based out of the Belorizonte hotel in Santa Maria, the Manta Diving Center offers a cool Try-Dive program which includes pool training and sea-diving, as well as pool-diving for children, snorkeling, night diving and ocean diving, among many other great diving opportunities

 

Fishing

Cape Verde boasts some of the richest waters on the globe, as far as underwater fauna is concerned. Both beginners and pros will be able to enjoy the thrills of Deep Sea Fishing, Vertical Jigging, Trolling. Contact Baracuda tours for organised fishing excursions on Sal island

 

Tips & Resources

Where to Stay

The obvious choice is to stay in Santa Maria, if your looking to stay longer than a few weeks, longer term holiday rentals may be more cost effective than hotels. There is plenty of choice of apartments to rent in the residential area, close to the Josh Anglulo windsurf centre.

There is no accommodation directly on kite beach, so kitesurfers tend to stay in the residential area and just organise an Alugar (truck) to take them the short 15 minutes up to kite beach.

Before you set out on your adventure, be sure to check out the wind and surf conditions, please see below:

 

PONTA PRETA

 

SANTA MARIA

 

ALIBABA

 

PONTA DO SINO