Tarifa. See you on the water.

Levante usually blows offshore or at an angle out towards the ocean. The water by the beach can look flat, but the squalls and the offshore drift demand attention. Lessons require the right conditions, a designated teaching zone and confirmed rescue cover.

★ We teach here We teach here, choosing the session and launch area to suit the conditions.

Levante can be strong and squally, with more swell both at the shore and further out. The wind angle changes along the bay, so the launch has to be chosen carefully. A crowded, sometimes narrow launch and a shifting direction call for confident kite control.

Levante arrives here offshore in strong pulses, with flat water by the beach and gusts funnelled between the buildings and the dunes. The beach narrows towards Valdevaqueros and there are rocks at the northern end, so choose your launch spot and your moment well.

A technical, exposed Levante spot: offshore wind, strong squalls and flatter water close to the beach. Rocks, little room to ride and the drift out to sea make this a place for advanced riders only, not for learning.

When Levante is strong in Tarifa, Palmones can offer lighter wind and flatter water, or light chop, in the Bay of Gibraltar. Watch out for the boats and for the entrance to the river channel.

★ We teach here We teach here, choosing the session and launch area to suit the conditions.

Getares lies in the lee of Gibraltar, on the other side of the Bay of Gibraltar, so a strong Levante in Tarifa usually arrives here weaker, while the more onshore wind builds waves that are ideal for wave riding.

Levante can blow along the shore or at an angle to the beach, depending on the spot and the exact direction. In the right conditions waves appear, but you have to watch for rocks and stones. Experience and a check of the tides and the swell are needed.

Poniente usually blows onshore or side-onshore here, bringing chop and sometimes waves and shorebreak. It is a common choice for lessons when the wind and the state of the sea match the student’s level. Use the permitted teaching and swimming zones.

★ We teach here We teach here, choosing the session and launch area to suit the conditions.

Poniente brings waves here and ideal conditions for wave riding. The strength differs from one part of the bay to another and can be lighter than expected — that is the effect of the small cove the wind passes next to.

Poniente comes into Arte Vida off the ocean, with a wave at the shore over a steeper approach and only a narrow strip of sand to rig on at high tide. The short, steep waves come from the stony bottom, which is worth keeping in mind.

The beach by the football pitch in Tarifa takes Poniente onshore or at an angle to the shore, often with chop and shorebreak. The wide, sandy beach and the regular swell make it one of our places for first lessons with an instructor. Check the seasonal swimming areas and the launch restrictions.

★ We teach here We teach here, choosing the session and launch area to suit the conditions.

A westerly Poniente can work on the ocean-facing beaches near Sancti Petri, and when the ocean is very rough, the entrance to the Sancti Petri channel offers flat and friendlier conditions. The tidal currents at the channels and the river mouth matter. Ride only in the permitted zones, knowing the local conditions, and stay clear of the waterways.