To quote the Kitesurfing guide for Europe for Guincho:
“with large swell, the conditions are extremely challenging with strong currents and a shore break that eats equipment (especially at high tide). It’s the preserve of experienced sailors”.
I wish I had read this properly before I attempted a few sessions here….
The first time I went out I got taken out by the shore dump. It was like a 1.5m of water coming straight up the beach straight into your body.
The next attempt I got through but taken out by the first line of waves, got washing machined in the wave, and was lucky not to drop my kite.
The third time I went out I lasted about a few hours, and upon coming into shore got washed up the beach and into the shot of a photographer that must have got some amazing photos of my face as I was literally dumped on the beach (the kind of shot that would be published with the title how not to kite at Guincho!)
After speaking to a few other none local kite surfers from Holland and France, I was glad to hear they too all suffered the same fate as me and I was told that the swell was much much larger than normal today.
The next few days were thankfully better as the swell was running smaller and it started to make a lot more sense conditions wise.
Local knowledge goes a long way here and I have a lot of respect for people who ride well here. The conditions are really good when it’s on, and you need to be focused to ride and surf it properly.
John Alex Clarke 