Map › Ervatão - Boa Vista › Ervatão
Spot · tier 1 · Cape Verde
Ervatão
A remote bay on Boa Vista's southeast coast, well outside the island's developed kite hub at Sal Rei, offering left-hand waves with right-handers up to about 3m at the neighbouring Varandinha break. It sits within a turtle-nesting stretch of coastline and is normally reached either by a long 4x4 dune drive with a local guide or as a guided downwind kite trip from Sal Rei.
advancedwaves
Wind
| best months |
|
|---|---|
| season notes | Falls within Boa Vista's Nov-May NE trade-wind season. |
| avg knots | 16-28 |
| wind name | NE trade winds |
| quality | steady |
Water
| type | waves |
|---|
Levels
| beginner | no |
|---|---|
| intermediate | no |
| advanced | yes |
| notes | Wave riding with no rescue and no other infrastructure - for confident, experienced wave riders only. |
Launch & crowd
| description | Open, undeveloped beach launch reached via roughly 1.5 hours of dune driving from Sal Rei (guide/4x4 recommended); can also be reached as the far point of a guided downwind kite trip along the coast. |
|---|---|
| rescue | none - self-sufficient riding only |
| vibe | isolated, rarely more than a handful of kiters, if any |
Monthly wind statistics
Station: Vila de Sal Rei, Boa Vista, Cape Verde (weatherspark modeled climatology) (Weatherspark (Cedar Lake Ventures, MERRA-2 reanalysis-modeled climatology), ~28 km) — windfinder.com/windstatistics/boavista_ervatao (a spot-specific station page) could not be retrieved -- every attempt during this lookup returned HTTP 429 rate-limiting from windfinder.com. Substituted Weatherspark's modeled climatology for Vila de Sal Rei, Boa Vista's main town, ~28 km northwest of Ervatão on the same island. Dominant direction is essentially due N/NE year-round (steady NE trade winds), consistent with the site's reputation for reliable wind Nov-May.
| Month | Wind ≥4 Bft | Avg kn | Dir | Air °C | Water °C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | —% | 14.5 | N | 22.2 | — |
| Feb | —% | 14.4 | N | 21.7 | — |
| Mar | —% | 13.9 | N | 22.2 | — |
| Apr | —% | 14.2 | N | 22.8 | — |
| May | —% | 13.9 | N | 23.3 | — |
| Jun | —% | 12.3 | N | 24.4 | — |
| Jul | —% | 9.5 | N | 25.6 | — |
| Aug | —% | 9 | N | 27.2 | — |
| Sep | —% | 10.3 | N | 27.8 | — |
| Oct | —% | 11.6 | N | 26.7 | — |
| Nov | —% | 12.5 | N | 25.6 | — |
| Dec | —% | 13.6 | N | 23.3 | — |
Hazards
- no rescue service
- remote - long way from any help
- waves up to 3m at Varandinha next door
- reef/rock sections possible on a wave coast
Rules
- turtle-nesting reserve area - respect nesting sites, avoid driving on the beach where nests may be present, be mindful at night in nesting season
Tips
- book a guided downwind trip (Sal Rei schools run a roughly 1.5-hour downwind session toward Varandinha) rather than attempting the drive/spot solo if unfamiliar with the area
- bring reef booties and full repair/safety kit - nothing is available on site
Travel basics
| airport | BVC Aristides Pereira International Airport (Boa Vista) |
|---|---|
| getting there | 1.5h+ 4x4 dune drive from Sal Rei, or by guided kite downwind trip from the Praia Carlota/Estoril area |
| accommodation | none on site - stay in Sal Rei |
| cost level | mid |
| no wind | no-wind days are best spent exploring Sal Rei or other parts of the island, since there is nothing at Ervatão itself |
Nearby: Varandinha, Curral Velho, Praia de Chaves
Sources: kitekriol.com