Valledoria

The spot is located at the mouth of the Coghinas River, with the open sea on one side and a lagoon area inside the sandbanks on the other. The beach is wide, sandy, with plenty of space to rig and launch, which is comfortable even when there are several kites in the air. The water entry is directly from the beach, without major obstacles, and specific accesses are often used by schools to organize entries and exits.

With wind from the W to NW, the wind is generally side-on shore from the right, providing good safety conditions for all levels. With NE wind, it becomes rather side-shore or slightly side-off depending on the area, which is interesting for freestyle in the lagoon but requires more vigilance. In summer, a thermal regularly strengthens the forecast wind, allowing for frequent navigation in the early or mid-afternoon.

The water surface is very adaptable: in the lagoon formed by the river, there are large areas of flat water, ideal for practicing maneuvers, transitions, and freestyle. As you head out to sea, the water surface becomes choppy and then forms into small to medium waves depending on the wind strength and swell, with sets that can reach about 2 to 3 meters on the windiest days. You can choose to stay inside for flat water or go out to catch waves for surfkite.

Tides have little influence on this Mediterranean area, so the spot generally works the same way regardless of the time. However, the lagoon level can vary slightly depending on the river flow and prevailing winds, which slightly modifies the extent of the flat water area. Navigation can be done either in the lagoon part along the sandy cordon or in the open sea by exiting through the natural passes between the sandbanks.

It should be noted that there are submerged rocks in the sea area, offshore in certain sectors, usually identifiable by the waves breaking over them. The depth increases quite rapidly outside the lagoon, but near the shore, there is still an area where you can stand, which is practical for water starts and supervised beginners. The width of the beach and the organization of schools facilitate take-offs/landings, but it remains important to respect navigation corridors and areas dedicated to swimming in high season.