Fuerteventura

Fuerte ventura roughly translates as “big adventure”. Time and again Fuerteventura is exactly that. Especially for anyone who scours the mile-long gravel tracks for the best spot (in given conditions) among numerous first-class breaks here. As early as the ’80s, photos of Jürgen Hönscheid in double-mast-high waves made the North Shore legendary. In the north, hardly a winter day goes by without a surfable wave breaking over lava reefs. That’s why (especially during the less windy season) wavesailors must pack a surfboard too, even if it does get painful at check-in.

Fuerte also means endless sandy beaches and turquoise water with the finest of freeride conditions. Sotavento in the south-east of the island is probably the comfiest venue the Canaries has to offer kiters and windsurfers. April to September sees a 70-100% chance of wind and Sotavento enjoys an impressive quota even in winter: conditions worthy of any brochure (particularly René Egli’s – probably Europe’s most popular centre is based here). The north-easterly Passat, accelerated between the mountains and the narrow part of the island by a Force or two, shoots (north-westerly) cross-offshore back out to the ocean in Sotavento creating freeride paradise.

What makes Fuerte different from Gran Canaria and Tenerife is that there are no really high mountains on which clouds could build up and spill rain. So there’s not much growing amongst the sand and rocks – but that’s why this island’s fanclub are so dedicated. Besides windsurfers, kiters and surfers these are mainly the sun-hungry in the tourist strongholds of Jandia or Costa Calma. Windsport enthusiasts don’t even have the former fishing village of Corralejo to themselves anymore. Those who prefer it calmer should escape to Cotillo or Lajares further inland.