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Cantabria · San Vicente de la Barquera - Comillas · San Vicente de la Barquera
Oyambre
also known as Playa de Oyambre
Nearby Playa de Meron 2 km · Playa de la Concha 25 km · Playa de Valdearenas 31 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
On sunny summer days the W to NW fills in and strengthens through the afternoon as the thermal adds to the gradient, so the afternoon is the session. Winter and shoulder-season wind is synoptic and can be up at any hour. No local onset time has been recorded.
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
fills in: On sunny summer days the W to NW fills in and strengthens through the afternoon as the thermal adds to the gradient, so the afternoon is the session. Winter and shoulder-season wind is synoptic and can be up at any hour. No local onset time has been recorded.
Typical strength
Wind reaches 12 kt or more on roughly 120 days a year here. Monthly means run from about 5 kt in July and August up to 9 kt in December, and the long record at San Vicente de la Barquera averages 5 kt with 10 kt mean gusts, so the sessions are the days that beat the average, not the average itself. Nothing is measured on the beach.
Thermal or synoptic
thermally strengthened on sunny summer days; winter wave setups are synoptic
Also on record
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The quiver, in words
Indicative, with no local figures published: on the days that work, a 75-85 kg rider is around 10-12 m, dropping to 8-9 m on the stronger winter fronts. Summer means are too low for a twintip most days, which is why foil gear gets used from June to August.
Direction to shore
W to NW is typically cross-onshore; NE to E is cross-on to onshore on Playa de Oyambre east of the headland.
Dominant direction
W to NW; NE to E is also reported for the east side of Cabo de Oyambre
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan26
- Feb27
- Mar, riders' month27
- Apr, riders' month28
- May, riders' month20
- Jun, riders' month10
- Jul, riders' month13
- Aug, riders' month18
- Sep, riders' month22
- Oct, riders' month17
- Nov, riders' month41
- Dec29
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov.
- 9Jan14°
- 10Feb14°
- 9Mar14°
- 9Apr15°
- 9May16°
- 8Jun19°
- 8Jul21°
- 9Aug22°
- 9Sep21°
- 9Oct19°
- 10Nov17°
- 10Dec15°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26% | 8.7 kt | S | 9.8°C | 14.4°C |
| Feb | 27% | 9.5 kt | W | 10.3°C | 13.7°C |
| Mar | 27% | 9.4 kt | WNW | 12.3°C | 13.8°C |
| Apr | 28% | 9.2 kt | WNW | 13°C | 14.6°C |
| May | 20% | 8.8 kt | WNW | 15.3°C | 16.3°C |
| Jun | 10% | 7.7 kt | WNW | 18.5°C | 19.2°C |
| Jul | 13% | 8 kt | NW | 20.5°C | 21.4°C |
| Aug | 18% | 8.6 kt | WNW | 21°C | 22.1°C |
| Sep | 22% | 8.7 kt | WNW | 19°C | 21.2°C |
| Oct | 17% | 8.7 kt | SE | 18.2°C | 19.3°C |
| Nov | 41% | 10.3 kt | S | 14.1°C | 16.8°C |
| Dec | 29% | 9.5 kt | S | 11.5°C | 15.1°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
ocean/estuary
Standing depth
At low water the estuary mouth opens a wide shallow flat, and that is the standable part of the spot. No measured wading depth is published, and the depth moves under you as the tide turns on a range large enough to redraw the beach inside a session.At high water it is an Atlantic beach break with no standing area.
Tides
Low tide forms a wide flat-water area over the estuary mouth; high tide gives an Atlantic beach break. Whether the kiting itself swings that hard with the tide is disputed, but the launch area is tidal either way.
Temperature
18°C summer · 13°C winter
Wetsuit
Water 13-18 C. A wetsuit every session, all year; the Atlantic here is cold even in August.
Currents
Current runs at the estuary mouth. The tidal range changes the spot significantly through the day.
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
6 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: large but tide-dependent
Somewhere else
Playa de Meron, 2 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Large sandy beach with a dune belt, running from the mouth of the Ria de La Rabia at its east end west to Cabo de Oyambre, inside the Oyambre Natural Park in the San Vicente de la Barquera municipality. Parking sits on the beach strip itself. Usable shape and water state are set by the tide.
Space
large but tide-dependent
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Read the tide table first: low water for the flat area over the estuary mouth, high water if you want the beach break.
- Rig and walk on the sand, not on the dunes; the marsh and dune habitats are protected.
- Bring a full wetsuit whatever the month, the water is 13-18 C.
- Come in winter for the Atlantic wave setups and expect cold, technical days; come in summer for flatter water and a much busier beach.
- Work out which end you want before you park: the Ria de La Rabia mouth is the east end of the beach and the shelter is under Cabo de Oyambre at the west end.
- In summer the wind is an afternoon thing, so mornings here are for surfing or walking rather than kiting.
Getting there
Airport
Santander Airport is the nearest major airport, listed as 55 km from Oyambre; road distance to San Vicente de la Barquera is listed as about 59 km.
Route
Drive west from Santander on the A-67/A-8 corridor toward Ceceno, then north to the bay. Public transport routes through San Vicente de la Barquera and you still need a local transfer to reach the beach.
Transfer
50 min
Staying
San Vicente de la Barquera, Comillas, El Tejo, campsites, surf houses, and rural accommodation around Oyambre Natural Park.
No-wind days
surfing at Oyambre or Meron · walking in Oyambre Natural Park · Comillas sightseeing · San Vicente de la Barquera old town and beaches · Picos de Europa day trips
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite Oyambre?
March through November is the main season. Winter brings the most reliable waves, while summer is often flatter and better suited to flat-water and foil sessions.
Is Oyambre suitable for beginners?
Beginner, intermediate and advanced levels are all listed. Beginners typically use the flat water at low tide, while advanced riders use the waves that form at high tide.
What is the wind like at Oyambre?
W to NW is the typical direction, thermally strengthened on sunny summer days but also exposed to Atlantic synoptic and wave systems, especially in winter.
Are there rules or restricted zones at Oyambre?
The beach lies inside Oyambre Natural Park, protected since a 1988 law covering its beaches, marshes, dunes and cliffs, so local park and lifeguard signage should be checked before launching.
Are there kite schools near Oyambre?
Yes, including Northwind Kitesurf, Kung Fu Kite and Oyambre Surf.
Last updated: August 2026