Map › Italy › Tremestieri & Il Pilone › Il Pilone
Sicilia · Messina Strait, Capo Peloro · Messina · Torre Faro
Il Pilone
also known as Capo Peloro, Torre Faro, Punta del Faro
Nearby Tremestieri 19 km · Punta Pellaro 27 km · Lazzaro 33 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
There is no daily build to wait for. The working wind is synoptic Scirocco funnelled up the Strait, so it can be on at dawn, fill at midday or hold through the night. The chart decides the session, not the clock.
The wind
locals call it Scirocco
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
synoptic
fills in: There is no daily build to wait for. The working wind is synoptic Scirocco funnelled up the Strait, so it can be on at dawn, fill at midday or hold through the night. The chart decides the session, not the clock.
Typical strength
15-25 knots year-round; Scirocco can be reinforced by the Strait and reach about 40 knots.
The quiver, in words
Small. Local advice is 7 and 10 and to leave the 12 at home, because the Strait usually delivers more than the forecast promises.For a 75-85 kg rider that reads as a 10 on an ordinary Scirocco day and a 7 once it reinforces toward 40 knots; the reading is indicative, extrapolated from the local advice rather than measured, and no month-by-month range exists.
Direction to shore
Scirocco arrives from the south-east, compressed between the Sicilian and Calabrian shores and accelerated up the Strait, so at the pylon beach it runs along the coast as a side wind rather than straight in. No wind-sector diagram exists for the launch and the angle shifts either side of the point, so read the water before you commit.
Dominant direction
SE, S
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan42
- Feb47
- Mar56
- Apr54
- May35
- Jun20
- Jul11
- Aug12
- Sep36
- Oct35
- Nov49
- Dec35
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
- 11Jan16°
- 11Feb15°
- 13Mar16°
- 11Apr17°
- 10May19°
- 8Jun25°
- 8Jul28°
- 8Aug29°
- 10Sep27°
- 10Oct24°
- 11Nov22°
- 10Dec18°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42% | 10.5 kt | NW | 12.1°C | 16.4°C |
| Feb | 47% | 11.1 kt | NW | 12.1°C | 15.3°C |
| Mar | 56% | 12.6 kt | S | 12.9°C | 15.6°C |
| Apr | 54% | 11.4 kt | NW | 15°C | 16.9°C |
| May | 35% | 10 kt | S | 18.8°C | 19.4°C |
| Jun | 20% | 8.2 kt | NNW | 23.6°C | 24.6°C |
| Jul | 11% | 7.8 kt | N | 27.2°C | 28.3°C |
| Aug | 12% | 8.3 kt | NNW | 27°C | 28.5°C |
| Sep | 36% | 9.9 kt | S | 24.3°C | 26.5°C |
| Oct | 35% | 9.8 kt | S | 21.5°C | 24°C |
| Nov | 49% | 11.2 kt | S | 17.2°C | 21.6°C |
| Dec | 35% | 10.4 kt | NW | 14.1°C | 18.4°C |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from weather reanalysis on a 10–25 km grid (2022-2024), not a ground station: reliable for trade and synoptic winds, understates thermal sea breezes and valley winds. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
ERA5 reanalysis grid point (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical weather API — ECMWF ERA5/ERA5-Land reanalysis, not a ground station · 2022-2024
The water
Type
sea
Standing depth
false
Tides
Capo Peloro is listed as tide independent.
Temperature
24.8°C summer · 15.7°C winter
Wetsuit
Shorts in summer, shorty in spring/fall, full wetsuit in winter.
Currents
Capo Peloro is the meeting point of the Ionian and the Tyrrhenian and strong flows run through the Strait. Accounts of the water at the pylon itself conflict: a light current that causes no trouble on one hand, on the other a flow strong enough that beginners are told to stay away and that entry and exit are the hard part of the spot. Assume the strong version until you have watched it run.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
9 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: medium
Somewhere else
Tremestieri, 19 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Beach around the old electricity pylon at Capo Peloro/Punta del Faro, reached by car with a short walk.
Space
medium
Rider tips
- Read the Scirocco forecast with suspicion: the Strait can multiply what nearby stations show, up to about 40 knots.
- Do not take the any-level tag on generic spot databases as a beginner endorsement without local support.
- Plan launch and landing around the summer beach users.
- Never ride alone here: the wind, the current and the instant depth make self-rescue hard.
- Put something on your feet at the launch; the beach turns to fine and coarse pebbles in places.
- Full wetsuit in winter and a shorty in spring or autumn: the water bottoms out around 15.7 C.
- Pack small. A 7 and a 10 cover most days here and the 12 stays in the bag.
- Sort the launch on the sand: there is no shallow water to walk out into and fix things in.
Getting there
Airport
Reggio Calabria (REG) is the closest airport across the Strait; Catania Fontanarossa (CTA) is the larger eastern Sicily option.
Route
From Reggio Calabria, get to Villa San Giovanni or Reggio port, cross to Messina by ferry or hydrofoil, then carry on to Capo Peloro by bus, rental car or taxi. From Messina port or the city centre it is about 20-25 minutes by car or taxi.
Transfer
25 min
Cost level
medium
Staying
Stay in Torre Faro, Ganzirri or Messina; the beds cluster around Torre Faro and Messina.
No-wind days
Capo Peloro lagoon and nature reserve · Ganzirri and Faro lakes · Messina city · ferry crossing viewpoints over the Strait
Photos
FAQ
Is Il Pilone suitable for beginners?
No, it is not recommended for beginners because of reinforced Scirocco, immediate deep water and the technical currents of the Strait, despite some generic listings marking it any level.
What is the wind like at Il Pilone?
Scirocco is the working wind, typically 15-25 knots but capable of reaching about 40 knots as it funnels through the Messina Strait.
What hazards should riders know about?
Capo Peloro sits where the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas meet and is crossed by very strong currents, combined with deep water immediately off the beach.
Are there kite schools nearby?
Yes, Messina KiteSurf operates in the area.
Last updated: August 2026