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Windsurfing spot review: Sal, Cape Verde Islands (Part three) East Coast The wind on the East Coast spots is port tack onshore to side-onshore. The waves are usually not too powerful and the spots are safe. When there is no swell but medium to strong wind, this coast can catch some rather good wind swell. Generally the conditions are more or less like Europe… But with sun, turquoise warm water and trade winds! Until recently this coast was not ridden. It’s probably because there is already a lot of side shore and side-off shore spots elsewhere on the island, but also because there are some sharks here. After a few years of water-starting on these beaches, we now know that there is no danger and that sharks prefer fish and turtles! But even if there has never been an accident, you do need to be aware and take the necessary precautions, like not going in to the water after it starts to get dark or when you are bleeding! At these spots you may well encounter turtles. They used to come on to the beach to lay their eggs but more often you will see them in the water. 1. Cabessa de Salinas Before being ridden this beach was referred to as Shark Bay. It is now known as Kite Beach, partly because it is a less scary name but also because there are a lot of kite surfers here, but its real, local name is Cabessa de Salinas or Cabessa for short. Several years ago, people used to put marks on the dune to be able to easily locate the place. Now it is no longer necessary because there is a large ap in the dune and a track to get there. Any taxi or pickup will know how to take you there. If you are on your own you will still be able to find the place easily as there is almost always someone there. The spot is just in front of a reef. When the tide is low, there is almost no water on it so be careful! The waves are just downwind of the reef. When the waves are bigger it can be difficult to pass them. Take a bigger sail and stay right next to the reef. The more you go downwind, the more you may have problems going through the waves. When the waves are even bigger the best conditions are at high tide when the waves are cleaner. The waves are a way out from the beach, which lets you get up to maximum speed before you get to them. This makes Cabessa a great place for jumping. When the wind is stronger, it usually comes from the North. It’s more side shore so front-side surfing is easier but the reef area is then protected by the mountain and the wind is more irregular. In spring and autumn when swells are less frequent but the wind is sometimes strong, Cabessa can be a very good spot and offer you some great wave riding sessions. 2. Upwind Cabessa If you are afraid of sharing the spot with too many kiters or if you prefer to avoid the crowd, you should consider going a few kilometres north of Cabessa. There is almost nothing there but a small house, which belongs to Ducas and his family (hence the Dubel name). The waves are usually smaller yet cleaner here than at Cabessa and the wind is more side shore. Unfortunately, as the place is closer to the mountain, the wind is not as strong and regular as Cabessa. 3. Sierra Negra There are other spots on the North East coast, rarely ridden and some still waiting to be discovered. If you continue on the beach after Dubel you will arrive at Sierra Negra where there is a small island and a starting point for a free-riding session far away from civilisation. At this point you can’t continue along the coast any further and you have to retrace your steps to be able to head north again. To explore the other spots on the East Coast you have to go by car to Pedra de Lume and then go south. You may not run into a world-class spot there but you will definitely find a spot where you will be alone with just your friends. Useful tips about the spots (and other travel info) can also be found here (in italian, but you can translate with Google): http://www.riwmag.com/corrado-avagnina-il-natale-capoverdiano-a-sal/ As for renting equipment, or taking windsurfing lessons, you also have ION CLUB, at Santa Maria ( https://www.ion-club.net/santa-maria/ ), or Kite and Tonic ( https://kitetonic.com/ ), at Santa Maria, but on the beach facing west. The air temperature, in winter, ranges between 18/20 °C, as minimum, and 28/30 ° C as highest values (hard life....). Therefore, during the day, you just wear a bathsuit and a T-shirt, and, in the evening, maybe you need a sweatshirt. In the water, the ideal wetsuit is the 3/2 mm. General info about Sal and its culture (Source: https://www.angulocaboverde.com/sal) Sitting in the Atlantic Ocean, 500km from Senegal, the islands of Cabo Verde are waiting to be discovered. Sal was discovered by the Portuguese in 1640, and named Llana, meaning ‘flat’. It was not until the discovery of salt, at the Pedra de Lume, that it took the Portuguese name Sal. Salt collection was central to the economy of Sal until very recently. Prior to the salt industry, the island of Sal was primarily used by residents from neighbouring Boa Vista for cattle grazing. Sal is one of the ‘Barlavento’ or Windward islands and although it is volcanic in origin, constant erosion has left it flat and dry. The climate is invariably hot and arid. There is little rain fall, making it perfect for sun-seekers all year round. However, this does make the landscape pretty barren and not too much vegetation grows across the island. Most fruits and vegetables have to be imported from the other islands and further afield. The seas around the islands are full of fish and the daily arrival of the fishing boats unloading their catch at the Town Pier in Santa Maria is a must-see. The island measures around 30km long and 12km wide and the highest peak of Sal island is Monte Grande (The Big Mountain), at just 406m above sea level. Sal is sprinkled with local style and international cuisine. We invite you all to get to know the Cabo Verdeans – through their music, local dishes and artesanatos. Sal is sprinkled with local style and international cuisine, catering to palates of all tastes, the local seafood is usually still kicking it’s that fresh! In the evenings you can find local musicians performing at restaurants and bars. The “morabeza” or good vibes from the Cabo Verdean people are intrinsic to their deep history of song and dance. Many people only know Cabo Verde through the songs of Cesaria Evora – a beautiful mix of African rhythms and Portuguese melodies. The Cabo Verde archipelago was uninhabited until the Portuguese discovered the islands in 1456. Enslaved Africans were brought to the islands to work on Portuguese plantations. They were joined by entrepreneurs and refugees fleeing religious persecution in Europe, leading to a rich cultural and ethnic mix. The uninhabited island of Santiago, founded in 1462 was colonised by the Portuguese, the first permanent settlement city in the tropics. Slaves were brought here from West Africa and by the 16th century Santiago was highly successful as the transatlantic slave trade flourished. Cape Verde was part of the Portuguese Guinea (now Guinea-Bissau) and in 1951 the status of the Islands changed from colony to overseas province. The affirmation of the Cape Verdean Nation happened on the 5th July 1975 when Cape Verde finally gained independence from Portugal. Today the influences of the West African and Portuguese heritage can been felt in the music, literature, the food and the language of the island. The official language is Portuguese, but most Cape Verdeans also speak a Creole dialect–Crioulo–which is based on archaic Portuguese but influenced by African and European languages. How to get there You can get to Sal (Amílcar Cabral International Airport (IATA: SID, ICAO: GVAC), flying with TAP (Portuguese flag carrier) from Europe, with a stop-over in Lisbon. You have also low cost companies, as Neos (flying from Italy). Click here, and check this website for flight connections from Europe. It takes 6-7 hours to reach Sal by airplane, as average, from European countries. Where to stay Everybody stays at Santa Maria (on the South end of the island), because it's the most touristic village, with a wonderful beach, comfortable also for families in tow, with many accommodations available, and, most of all, closer to the main windsurfing spots. It's only 17 kms far from the airport, so it's a very short drive. You can choose among many different possibilities for your staying. Beyond the already mentioned Angulo House, you have "Villa ao Mar", which is right on Santa Maria Beach, or Surfactivity Guesthouse, as well as more expensive hotels. Just have a look at booking.com , airbnb.com , or tripadvisor for further information. Car rentals You can rent a car at Sal Airport, but consider, if you land to Sal in the evening (as main flights from Europe do) that rental car companies shut their offices at 18,00-19,00. You also have rental cars companies at Santa Maria, where you generally take your accomodation. Prices range from 40 to 60 Euros per day. Tips about what to see There's not much to see and do in Sal, apart from water sports, and taking sun and bath, but if you want to have a trip around the island, you can get useful information at the following links: https://www.geekyexplorer.com/sal-cape-verde/ https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g482847-Activities-Ilha_do_Sal.html If you have any comments, post them below the article. Have a nice journey, and a great time on the water. Hang loose. Fabio Muriano