02. Jan  2014 Thursday 764 

Can Pastilla. Small swell only, but I got a lot of exercise in pop up and turning.  A new year, and I have great plans. Let `s see what will happen.

I arrived from Mallorca yesterday. Today I was first looking at Tonel, but then setteled for Mareta.  Most places are closed for the winter. Still I counted 15 surfers. And the 4,95 menu is still on at the supermarket.

Tonel. Body boarder coming out of a small tube that is collapsing behind him.

Mareta had clean swell, good for my long board, but finding  a peak with some green water shoulders was not that easy. It was however good training for pop up, which I can now do in one sweep, providing the wave is steep enough.  After the surf, I went to the restaurant and had a coffee and cake, and looked at the surfers.. Overcast and 16 deg C

Mareta

Beliche. A nice sunny day. Only 5 surfers. A lot of the sand from the beach has been washed away, by the last storms, and created some nice sand banks.

I have mooved to a camping near Luz. This afternoon I tried the beach. Nice clean swell, and I had it all for myself. The rest of the surfers were crowding further down the beach.

I just came across this video http://youtu.be/uBPDpDkGHRA Meia beach during the last storm swell 5 January 2014

Luz, today and yesterday. Not fantastic wave, but usable for training a bit with  pop up. I am alone on the beach. There are some more surfers, but they surf at the end of the beach. A bit of a tight take off, so a stay away.

Luz

Luz

Beliche. Photo is from the day before.

Beliche. Great swell. i was popping up in one sweep many times. A lot of surfers out. I managed to end up in a group of locals. Drop in on one, but they were friendly enough.

23 Jan no surf , but I went to have a look at different beaches. At Zavial all the sand has been washed away by the storms.  2 photos below. from Zavial

Zavial last spring

I am getting ready to try to jump over the wave.

Mallorca. Can Pastilla. Quite good conditions. There have been sets up to 5 feet. I have a glass long board in storage in a a shop nearby, so I can use my motorbike to go surfing. Very handy.

Mallorca Can Pastilla. Sunday was sunny with small waves. Today was very windy during the afternoon, when I was there. 3 to 4 feet swell, and a lot of kite surfers and wind surfers to pay attention to.

Mallorca.  Can Pastilla. Nice swell. 2 to 3 feet. Manny paddle surfers out. But the beach is long and actually, for surfing I found better waves down along the beach, and I was alone there.

Can Pastilla. Another fine day. Sunny 16 Deg. The swell was very moderate, but well shaped. I managed to surf from the line up to the beach. First going along the wave in one direction , and then making a almost 180 degree sweeping turn and then surfing the wave in the other direction.

I decided to have a look along the Algarve coast. First stop was Albufera camping, wich is pretty good. Then I drove 7 km to the nearest beach to have a look. The swelll was usable. About 10 surfers out. Most from a surf school.
Tomorrow i think I will head towards the border to Spain.

The camping.

Gale beach at Albufera. There is a surfer at the far end of the peak.

A 300 Km trip, an I was at El Palmer beach. Betwn Cadiz and Tarifa. Lot of swell here. Too much actually.
El Palmer is a grat place. Surfs hops, Bars and Restaurants.. Some nicely built. Some more drift wood style.
A place that may not survive the| lay de Costa Inspectors and their Magic Wand
The El Palmer camping is well maintained. With real green grass. The bath rooms are built in Al Hambra style.
 

El Palmer Beach

El Palmer DIY

From the camping

From the camping

I surfed today at El Palmer beach. The waves looked very big at first, but there was a surf school out, so I thought I could manage as well. I checked several beaches during the day.
I finished a splendid, sunny day withy a coffee and some cake. Tomorrow it is up early.

El Palmer

Surf contest in Conil.

Surf contest in Conil. La Fontanilla |\Beach.

Trafalgar. Las Canons de Meca

Trafalgar. Las Canons de Meca

I am not having a lot of luck with my surf here. There are big waves, but it is windy and a a bit rough for me.

El Palmar sun set

Everything a man needs. A coffee shop and a surf shop. From El Palmar water front.

Looking around again today. Fuente de Gallo is a very nice area. 1 surfer out. It is located just outside Conil.

3 photos from Fuente de Gallo

Today I arrived back to Portugal. And ended up in a nice town called Castro Verde. 100 km from any coast. There is a good camping there. next to the municipal pool.

The mill actually worked.

House in Castro Verde

The church

Today I was looking at the surrounding  area, and trying to find the water fall Pulo do Lobo. Around the Castro Verde town there is a lot to see. Wild life protected area. Nature park. As you drive along some roads there is a stork nest in every tree top.

Mertola.

Mertola. U can free camp on the small pier.

Mertola with the castle. Guadiana river.

Mareta. Small swell. I was catching several waves. Doing proper pop up. The exercises  I do every second day, at home, seems to help, or keep me in shape.

I looked after surf everywhere. Including Lagos Mos Beach. Eventually when the swell came late bafternoon, I missed it.

Beliche. Looked a bit complicated.

Mareta looked better.

Luz. I like that place. A bit of sun and it feels like summer. The beach is also protected from the North West wind. I was catching 10 waves, but it was just a short ride.

Luz , the parking

Checking at Tonel

Beliche yesterday.

Yesterday I came back from Mallorca. Today I had first day surfing at Amado. The weather is pleasant, but windy. The swell moderate. A good day to start.