Cape Verde: Advice on hotels and windsurf rentals

dcharlton · Joined: 24 Apr 2002 Posts: 414

Want to hit Cape Verde this winter. Anyone have any practical advice, which hotels, which rental places (or is it worth it to bring your own gear). Want to windsurf waves primarily and possibly take wave sailing lessons. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

DC

boardsurfr · Joined: 23 Aug 2001 Posts: 1266

Sorry can't help you with advice, but also have Cape Verde on the list of spots to visit. Please report back with your experience!

kevinkan · Joined: 07 Jun 2001 Posts: 1661 Location: San Francisco

Josh Angulo runs a windsurf center in Cabo Verde, so that's probably a good place to start

https://www.angulocaboverde.com

Wind-NC.com · Screen Shot 2019-12-18 at 11.28.25 AM.png

Hey DC- Go!! It is a cool place and worth the trip.

There is lots of great sailing available- Flattish water freeride, side on in wind swell if there's no ground swell running, side to side off with just wind swell, and then of course if a big ground swell hits the epic off side off spots light up and you could get the ride of your life on endless butter smooth monsters that reel down the rocky shoreline for hundreds of yards!

There are tons of places to stay- big "all inclusive" style resorts, motels, apartments, etc etc. Look down in Santa Maria for most of the lodging options that are close (generally walking distance) to the windsurf rental centers.

The rental centers are all in the normally flat water bay with off shore wind that's great for freeriding. Check with the centers to see if you can take gear off site to go wave sailing. I believe that most of the centers are fine with it but that's something to confirm ahead of time for sure!

Any place with waves requires a drive, partially off road usually, so renting a truck or SUV is a good idea. Most of the spots are accessed via rock/gravel road off of the main paved roads. Ponta Preta is close to Santa Maria, just 3-5 minutes drive. Corral Joule/Secret Spot/etc are more like 25-30 minutes if I remember correctly. The side on windswell beach is about 10 minutes from town.

If you decide to bring your own gear, flying with gear through Europe is relatively easy. They're used to it over there and it's cheap and easy. Getting it out of the states can be more challenging and expensive. Bring lots of masts! The big spots are basically just massive shorebreak over rocky shelf, so if you mess up (at all) you're likely to end up on the rocks... Shocked

While the day to day sailing can be quite fun there, I would strongly consider going on a forecast based "strike mission" if you have the ability to leave whenever you want. The epic spots like Ponta Preta and Corral Joule are basically flat as a pancake if there isn't a solid ground swell running, so if your goal is to hit those epic spots, you could end up unlucky if you just pick a random week in February and book it months ahead of time. If you don't care about getting to sail those epic spots, the day to day sailing, beach culture, night life, etc are all really fun and worth the trip anyway!

Actually, this Friday and Saturday are looking pretty freaking good!! Go now!! Leave tonight!! Wink

Wind-NC.com · Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2019 11:52 am Post subject:

Oh, and yes- start with the Angulo center- great gear, great beachfront spot to grab morning coffee with full breakfast/lunch menu, etc... They probably have recommendations on lodging as well-

https://www.angulocaboverde.com/

Tons of launch and conditions info here too, check the "West Coast" page for all of the epic spots!

dcharlton · Joined: 24 Apr 2002 Posts: 414

Wow! Thanks, Any!!! Great tips!

David