Carcavelos Surf Guide
Surf spot guide
Ideal Surf Conditions
Swell Direction
W to WSW and even SW.
Wind
North.
Surf Height
Head-high to several feet overhead.
Tide
Medium-low, but it'll break on all tides
Carcavelos Surf Guide
Just 15 minutes outside Lisbon, this wave features heavy, sand-bottom barrels, especially in wintertime when it's really cranking. And though the waves may look unmakeable when you take off, if you hold a high line and hang tight, you're looking at an 85 percent success rate. The waves in summer are fairly inconsistent, as it's tucked pretty far in to get the short-period windswell that lights up the beachbreaks around Ericeira and Peniche. But come autumn, and straight through into spring, the waves march in around the corner, peaking up and down the hard-packed sandbars.
Ability Level
All Abilities
Beginner to advanced, depending on how big it is.
Local Vibe
Doable
Slightly chaotic, but there is a hierarchy.
Crowd Factor
Moderate
Due to its proximity to the city, there's almost always a crowd, regardless of how good it is.
Spot Rating
Perfect
With the right swell/wind/sand combo it can get really good.
Shoulder Burn
Medium
Can be some work on the bigger days.
Water Quality
Dirty
Close to Lisbon so it can get very nasty.
Hazards
Crowds and hitting bottom on bigger days.
Bring Your
Shortboard, Fish, Longboard
Access
Parking low right there.
Bottom
Sand.
Best Season
Autumn is best but there are days in the Winter and Spring. Much slower in the Summer.
Do you have local knowledge about Carcavelos?
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