Brazil — Pontal de Maceió21h · 14 kt
85GOKitesurfing atBrazil
BrazilPick your slot
Min. level
Beginner
Optimal wind
14-32 kts
Season
July to December
Live · now
What to check
Discover the spot
The spot
Discover Brazil
At the mouth of the Rio Jaguaribe, in the small fishing village of Fortim, Pontal de Maceió is the rising newcomer of Ceará. The spot lives entirely by the tide: between mid-ebb and mid-flood the sandbanks at the river mouth pen in a flat, shallow stretch of water you can stand in; at high tide the central beach fills up and the waves take over. Steady, un-gusty wind and next to no crowd: Pontal de Maceió still has the quiet of a place just getting started.
Pontal de Maceió still has the quiet charm of a fishing village: few people on the water, only a handful of schools, and a buzz that is only just starting to build with the spot's growing name. It's an emerging Ceará destination, about two hours from Fortaleza, tucked between the coast's big names — Parajuru half an hour upwind, Canoa Quebrada an hour away. The classic downwind heads straight for Parajuru, some twenty kilometres down the coast — a way to stretch the day along a shoreline that's still unspoilt.
Who & when
Level and best time
Who it's for
A spot that rewards anyone who can read the tide. From mid-ebb to mid-flood the flat, shallow water at the river mouth — often shallow enough to stand — makes it an ideal place to learn and string together your first runs. At high tide the central beach picks up waves and rocks: then it's a spot for confident riders, strapless or in the surf. Beginner and progression on the lagoon at low tide; advanced in the waves at high tide.
source : fun-and-fly.com ↗Best time
Wind season runs July to December, with a remarkable peak in September–October when the wind is at its most reliable. On the water everything hinges on the tide: the flat water opens between mid-ebb and mid-flood and closes at high water. The wind is moderate and steady, 12 to 25 knots, onshore in the morning then side-onshore in the afternoon, from the east to south-east.
source : whenwherekite.fr ↗Before you go
Safety
The river-mouth current
The Jaguaribe mouth current is strong: it sets seaward on the ebb and upstream on the flood. Stay upwind of the mouth, keep margin, and watch for drift if the wind drops.
source : fun-and-fly.com ↗Shifting sandbanks
The sandbanks at the mouth shift: their shape and depth change with the tides and the seasons. Scout the water at low tide before you go out, and don't rely on a previous session.
source : kitesurfculture.com ↗Rocks and boats at high tide
At high tide rocks show up on the central beach and fishing boats work close to shore. Keep your distance from the beach as the water rises and watch for boat traffic.
source : spots.universkite.fr ↗