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WINDSURFING, SPOT REVIEW: FUERTEVENTURA (CANARY), NORTH SHORE - Second Part. “Glass Beach” o El Burro… Fortunately, you will notice, here too, many parking spaces available ... The most desidered are the first ones you meet coming from the south, just a few meters from the spot. When it's windy (and less parikings are available), you are likely to walk a little, but nothing tragic. El Burro works as the aforementioned Puerto Lajas, with side off wind coming from the north. The reef is, like you will see, in front of the rocky promontory (point break) to the left of the beach. The wonderful thing is that you start from the beach of fine sand (which does not burn!!!) in totally flat and crystal clear water. Girlfriends can find shelter from the wind behind the "bunker" of scattered rocks placed everywhere, enjoying a sunbath, while we have fun in the water. It's also great for taking photos, because the waves break in front of the plateau of rocks near the beach. In short, what else do you want? Perfect spot for everyone, including beginners in waveriding ... With some precautions. As we said, in Fuerte wind is almost never very strong; in this spot, when there is no wind, there are wave surfers (sometimes unfriendly). Typically, the wind picks up in the afternoon, so surfers give way to us windsurfers, for a natural replacement. But there is a period of "transition", where if you hurry to get into the water (also to take advantage of the little crowding), you risk unwanted collisions, and some skirmish. As usual, if you do not know what to do look at others, and possibly refer to the locals. Another "sore" note are the kiters. They should not go out on the reef with windsurfers (this spot was born for surf/windsurfing), but lately they are gaining ground (or better water!) in a somewhat uncontrolled way, often getting shouts and insults from locals, and not only ... Many of them also (unfortunately many windsurfers, too) do not know the rules of right and behavior in the waves, so are rather annoying and dangerous ... Falling in a wave can mean finishing in front of the rocks, breaking the equipment, and maybe geting some nice peeling (as I had to explain to a kiter, who, thankfully, came to apologize at the beach, after I had yelled bad words in the sea). Nothing serious, do not panic; it is not a dangerous place, unless you do not want to take the beginning of the wave section, in order to make 4 bottom turns! If you want to learn to surf, or improve your performance, this is the right spot for you. You choose a wave, and you take the point of the section you prefer depending on your skills, and respecting all the priorities of the case. Maybe, if you're just newbies, stay in the end, so that when you will happen (and you will happen :-)) to be wiped out, the current will take you immediately towards flat water, in a safe place.... Waterstart again, and the game begins one more time ... Clearly the appetite comes with eating, and you will go more and more inside (near the reef). Last year I managed to go to the rocks 5 times in the same day ... Do not panic, you touch and there are no curls, the current helps you, and there are only some foams. I ruined the luff pocket, without further consequences, but who wants to do wave, must accept that, too. However, the waves are beautiful although shorter (thus, more crowded) of Puerto Lajas. The place is safe, nice and quiet ... it's not uncommon to see turtles, dolphins, and unfortunately even some little shark .... A little "secret" from (almost) a local like me... If the wind drops, and you're close enough to go back to the beach swimming, stay close to the reef and return as closer to the rocks as possible, because the current will take you to the shore ... In the center of the bay, instead, the current goes out to sea. In January, with fairly big waves, and wind completely dropped, I had quite an unpleasant experience ... In the summer, however, there are many people, and if you happen to remain offshore with no wind, do not be afraid: there is a rescue service for a fee (I think a hundred Euros) with jet-ski ... It is optional, but in some cases, money is not so important isn't it? ;) The phone number to call (112) is written in a large sign on the beach. There is a small beach bar (Chiringuito) on the left of the spot, almost on the seashore. It has mainly ice cream and soft drinks, it rents beach chairs (3 € per day), but it is not always open ... Ok, it's late, and we continue the journey to Corralejo ... after passing the huge dune where everyone goes to take pictures, at our right, we find the horrible Riu hotel, we pass the roundabout, the short uphill, and we will find ourselves in front of Flag Beach. “Flag beach” As you can see, there are large parking areas from both sides of the straight line ... and total invasion of Kitesurfers everywhere! In front, you have the island of Lobos, which sometimes makes the wind a little gusty. The wave quality is generally bad, the beach is sandy, but with a rocky plateau beneath, rather irregular and insidious, because it is full of holes, where you could stumble. Here, you ride with the North, or even with the N/E (but with the N, I challenge anyone, who has seen the two previous spots, to prefer Flag beach). To reach the sea, you have to walk quite a piece, on foot. Personally, I went out a couple of times, and I have never enjoyed myself; so, the choice is yours ... The only place where there's an interesting wave (if there are no other alternatives) is on the far right of the bay; Entubadera is called, but it is in front of the rocks, and there is a lot of current, so it is quite dangerous. At Flag Beach, there is a small beach bar, where you can find beach chairs service and windsurfing equipment rental, North Sails and Fanatic (I think). Well, we start again ... We go to Corralejo and we arrive to the road, that goes down to the village center; we pass the petrol station (the only one), we take the second road on the right, the one that leads to Waikikii (a rather known bar, from which the beach takes its name), and we take a look at the bay. Here, we find two little considered spots (Ventura and Rocky Point), which, however, might be of some interest. Meanwhile, as you will see, it is full of rentals of beach chairs (3 Euros a day !!!), and of beach bars, so that girlfriends and non-surfers can find a place where to stay, sheltered from the wind, taking a nice bath (tide permitting) . You'll notice that right next to Waikikii, there is a windsurfing center, where they rent windsurfing equipment, the "Ventura-Surf", with a jetty that leads directly into the sea. This spot near the Ventura-Surf works better with the North and is an ideal spot for beginners, to come out on flat water, or perhaps with a bit of chop. You can freely use the jetty to get in and out from the water (but do not to stop there to rest). This spot is generally with flat water, as we said, but in some cases, it might be a wild card to play. For example, this summer because of the intense heat, the wind from the north was slow to rise to Glass Beach (and in Puerto Lajas), remaining blocked by the nearby Lanzarote and Lobos. In the Bay of Corralejo, though, it entered pretty strong. I therefore took the opportunity to enter into the water, in the early afternoon with other boys, known at the spot, to do some freestyle, some speed loop, and a pair of trips to the nearby Lobos island. By the way, it's really worth doing cruising up to Lobos; I can not describe the beauty of the sea bottom, and the sea water colors, which change constantly as you get closer to the little island, giving the impression that there are reflectors bulleted from the bottom towards the surface. Unfortunately the 4.7 and 82 lt board was not the ideal equipment for this kind of thing, so I didn't ride further, fearing of a wind drop; but I was told that, sometimes, in front of Lobos you may finde very nice waves. Its long right wave is famous among wave surfers. By mid-afternoon, this summer, the wind was beginning to "pierce the wall", and from the sea, you could see the first kites up in the nearby Flag Beach... So, everybody came out of the water in a hurry, got in the car with his gear, and drove fast to Glass beach for a nice evening session from 17.30 to 20 :). This summer, it did like this, for at least 6 consecutive days ... not bad! If while driving the wind carries the sand in the road, it means that the direction is from the north, and surely ... Glass Beach works. In the same bay of Corralejo, there is another spot that can really make you enjoy (see indicator on map: Rocky Point). Looking at the bay with Lobos in front, it remains at the bottom, on the right, near Flag ... There are almost always a bit of waves breaking on shore, even when the sea is flat, and often there are wave surfers (beginners) practicing there, while waves for us windsurfers are a bit more offshore. To be continued in the third part.