Peniche

The spot of Praia do Baleal is actually a set of beaches oriented differently around the peninsula of Baleal. The bay to the south is rather oriented east/southeast, while the beach to the north faces north/northwest. This allows for playing with wind and swell orientations to find the best kitesurfing conditions.

Winds from N to NW are the most frequent in thermal season. On the bay of Baleal (south side), this wind generally arrives side-on or side-shore depending on the area, providing conditions suitable for kitesurfing in the waves. On the north beach, a wind from the N to NW sector arrives more side to side-off depending on the spot, which is more technical and requires good control. Winds from W also work, with a wind often side-on in certain sections of the bay.

The water is very rarely flat. The sea is exposed to the Atlantic swell and constantly offers a mix of waves and chop. One can have simple lines of 0.5 m to 1 m on calm days, but also sets of 2 to 3 m and more during large swells. The beachbreak nature means that the waves break over sandbanks, sometimes with deeper areas and powerful shorebreaks at high tide.

Launching is done from the large sandy beach, with plenty of space to prepare and launch the kite. Launching is generally simple, but one must take into account the shorebreak and the power of the waves, especially at high tide. It is recommended to launch far from surfers, especially around the peaks of Prainha and Lagide, which are very crowded with surfers. The further one positions from the main surf areas, the more space one has for kiting.

The main kitesurfing area is located offshore from the sandbanks, staying well upwind of groups of surfers and the rocks near the tip of Baleal Island. The spot works practically at all tides, but the character of the wave changes a lot. At mid-tide and low tide, the sandbanks create more readable wave lines. At high tide, the wave is often more disordered with a more pronounced shorebreak, complicating the launch and return to the beach.

Local specifics to keep in mind are the presence of several very busy surf peaks, exposed rocks near the tip of Baleal, and, on some days, slightly irregular winds when the direction becomes too side-off in certain sections. Overall, Praia do Baleal is an interesting and varied wave spot, but it remains rather intended for riders already comfortable navigating in swell.