Pure Ocean Surf Academy

Pedra Branca

Level: Advanced

Pedra Branca The first wave that we find, just opposite the Ericeira campsite, is Pedra Branca at the southern end of Empa Beach. Its name comes from a submerged stone, paler than the others, in the area where Surfers normally catch the waves. It is a very fast, reef-bottom left that receives SW to WNW swells. Due to the low reef shelf that is exposed at low tide it is normally surfed from mid to high tide. This wave is regular and dangerous and characterized by an area of rapid starts, followed by a barrel to the inside. Type of wave: Fast, powerful, left barrel Bottom type: Reef. Tide conditions: Mid to high tide. Swell direction: From SW to W/NW. Wind conditions: From SE to NE. Wave height: From 0,5 to 3,0 meters.

Reef

Level: Advanced

Reef Continuing along Empa Beach, which is bordered by a small cliff, 300 meters to the north we find Pedra Branca’s twin beach and a wave called Reef. This right is formed from a very flat reef shelf which starts on land and gets deeper as it stretches NW. This is another regular, dangerous wave that has a very short, fast take-off zone followed by a barrel that ends exactly on the exposed shelf on the Surface on the inside. It only works with N to NW swells at mid tide. Type of wave: Fast, powerful right barrel. Bottom type: Reef. Tide conditions: Mid tide. Swell direction: NW/N. Wind conditions: From SE to NE. Wave height: From 0,5 to 1,5 meters.

Ribeira D’Ilhas

Level: All Levels

Ribeira D’Ilhas If we walk 500 meters north, we come across the most memorable and cosmopolitan of all the waves in the Reserve. Located in a valley with a sandy beach in the center where a stream flows into the sea, it is shaped like a natural amphitheater, which is perfect for Surfing events. It is no surprise that it was the venue for the first national and international championships in Portugal. Ribeira d`Ilhas is a long pointbreak right, meaning that the waves follow the contour of the shore, which receives all types of swells and works in all kinds of tide. It is the most consistent wave in the region. Ribeira d’Ilhas and its W/NW swells can provide rights up to 200 meters long. It is a very valuable, competitive wave as it allows surfers very different levels of approach. Type of wave: Long right. Bottom type: Rocks and Reef. Tide conditions: All tides. Swell direction: All swells – ideal conditions with W/NW. Wind conditions: Any quadrant – ideal conditions from SE to NE. Wave height: From 0,5 to 3,5 meters.

Cave

Level: Advanced

Cave We find Cave on the south side of Coxos Bay, with a shore angle still facing south. Surfers only recently started Surfing this powerful right and it has become very well-known in recent years because it is so spectacular and dangerous. It is really extreme, tubular and risky. It starts on a sudden, shallow shelf of reef that does not connect with the land. The water suction from the base to the top of the wave is so strong that it starts below the waterline, hence the name, and the barrel becomes progressively hollower, wider and flatter as the wave comes to an end. Cave should only be used by highly experienced surfers and even they are advised to wear protection. Type of wave: Fast, right barrel, flat and very dangerous. Bottom type: Reef. Tide conditions: High tide. Swell direction: N/NW. Wind conditions: From SE to NE. Wave height: From 1 to 2,5 meters.

Crazy Left

Level: Advanced

Crazy Left Near the south side of the bay is the Crazy Left, a pointbreak that only breaks well in N and NW swells. As it is too exposed to the north wind, it is not a very consistent wave in terms of quality, but when conditions are ideal its walls are fast and tubular with a number of sections offering high speeds. It only gets swells in perfect conditions above two metres because it is located in an area where the water drains off from the bay. Type of wave: Fast, long, left barrel. Bottom type: Reef. Tide conditions: Mid to high tide. Swell direction: N/NW. Wind conditions: From SE to NE. Wave height: From 0,5 to 2,5 meters.

Coxos

Level: Advanced

Coxos Located in a landscape that has remained immaculate since people began to come here in the early 1970s, the Coxos wave is the one that best symbolizes the spirit of local Surfers and the values governing the World Surfing Reserve: protection, preservation and sustainability. It is formed by a reef that slopes gently and uniformly to the middle of the bay. It has a classic pointbreak configuration with its break line accompanying the contour of the shore from start to finish. It is always a strong wave that has different sections and works with a variety of swell directions. In ideal conditions it offers barrels lasting several seconds. The locals’ devotion to this wave was the spark that triggered the whole World Surfing Reserve application process. Type of wave: Long, powerful right with several barrel sections. Bottom type: Reef. Tide conditions: Low tide to rising or falling mid tide. Swell direction: All swells, ideal conditions with W/NW. Wind conditions: From SE to NE. Wave height: From 0,5 to 3 meters.

São Lourenço

Level: Advanced

São Lourenço Moving on from Coxos Bay and walking northwards for a few minutes, we find São Lourenço Beach in a large bay around 1.2 km wide. Near the middle, about 300 meters from the beach, is the São Lourenço wave itself, the last of those in the reserve. These rights start on a rocky plateau to form fast waves with a large volume of water because their peak is located at a considerable distance from the beach. It is normally surfed at mid tide and needs N/NW swells and an easterly wind. Type of wave: Powerful right with several sections receiving larger swells. Bottom type: Rocks, sand and reef. Tide conditions: Mid tide. Swell direction: N/NW. Wind conditions: From SE to NE. Wave height: From 0,5 to 4,5 meters.