Cap Vert — Ponta Preta (Sal)06h · 8 kt
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Min. level
Advanced
Optimal wind
14-32 kts
Season
January, February, March, November, December
Live · now
What to check
Discover the spot
The spot
Discover Ponta Preta (Sal)
Ponta Preta is THE wave of Sal: a long, fast right-hander that peels over the volcanic reef just metres off the rocks — the wave that has hosted the World Cup and made legends of Mitu Monteiro and Airton Cozzolino. One of the most beautiful on earth when the NW swell lands. Make no mistake, though: here the working wind pushes you out to sea and the wave breaks onto rock. This is an experts' spot, full stop.
Ponta Preta is a name that echoes through the strapless world. A right-hander wrapping over the reef — fast, long, breaking so close to the rock that the smallest fall tears gear off you. It's the champions' wave, where Mitu and Airton made their name in front of the World Cup cameras — and you feel it the moment you lay eyes on it: beautiful, serious, unforgiving. The wind blows off the land, across the wave, quietly tempting you past the point before you notice. You don't come here to improve; you come to surf a wave you already respect. You leave wrung out, grinning at having touched a piece of kitesurfing history — or you should never have set foot here.
Who & when
Level and best time
Who it's for
Seasoned wave riders and pros, strapless, comfortable in size. Every source agrees: "advanced kitesurfers only", "experts-only". This is a world-tour competition wave (GKA Kite-Surf World Cup), not a place to learn. Forget the twin-tip — you ride a directional. If you're unsure of your level, the answer is no — ride Kite Beach first and get a Santa Maria centre to guide you out.
source : kiteguide.com ↗Best time
The season is winter: the trade wind blows from November to March (15-25 knots on average), and the biggest swells land between January and March. The dream setup is a big northwest swell — that's when the right-hander runs longest and cleanest. Cape Verde's Atlantic tidal range stays moderate; no precise tide window is published for the spot, so go by the centre or the locals on the day.
source : kiteguide.com ↗On site
Arrival guide
Access from Santa Maria
Ponta Preta sits on the southwest coast, about 3 km west of Santa Maria. Get there by taxi, rental car, or on foot along the coast (30-40 min). Many ride in on a downwinder from Santa Maria / Kite Beach — but only if you're genuinely ready for what waits at the end. The wilder points further west are 4x4 territory and call for local knowledge.
source : salcaboverde.com ↗Launch
You're not launching off soft sand here: it's a stony, volcanic-rock beach with a pounding shorebreak. Getting on the water is the trickiest part of the spot — once you're on the wave, it's gentler than the rock on the shore. Rig well back from the water, pick your moment, and don't wing the launch.
source : web.kite-and-windsurfing-guide.com ↗Centres & guiding
No school is based at Ponta Preta itself: the kite centres are in Santa Maria / Kite Beach, and many run guided trips out to the point. This is also Mitu Monteiro's island — world champion and strapless pioneer, whose school sits over at Kite Beach. The smart move: go through a Santa Maria centre to get taken out and briefed.
source : web.kite-and-windsurfing-guide.com ↗Before you go
Safety
Offshore wind + reef: the main trap
The number-one danger is easy to state and easy to underrate: the NE trade — the spot's working wind — blows cross-offshore. It pushes you out to sea, past the point, toward the open ocean — and the moment it gains a touch of east, it's flat-out offshore. Facing you, the wave breaks some fifteen metres off the rocks over a shallow reef: here, almost every fall costs gear. The locals' rule is blunt — never ride alone, and never go past the point.
source : kiteguide.com ↗Powerful swell, no rescue
This is a genuine big-wave spot: up to 6 m at the winter peak, a long, fast Atlantic swell. No safety boat or on-site rescue is documented here — you're your own judge, and you're far from anywhere. Add the shorebreak slamming the launch and reef channels you can't read from shore: this terrain demands real margin. If the swell is beyond what you truly control, you don't go out — the next window will come.
source : kiteguide.com ↗Community
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Session reports (swell size, swell direction, the day's trade-wind angle)
Who's heading out today? You don't ride alone here — find a buddy