Nearby Riozinho do Campeche 21 km · Lagoa de Ibiraquera 33 km · Lagoa da Conceicao 33 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
No onset time is published for this spot.
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
Thermal or synoptic
thermal sea breeze and synoptic fronts
Strength
Direction to shore
Onshore/maral; exact shoreline geometry unconfirmed.
Dominant direction
Onshore sea breeze at the spot; the wider Florianopolis area rides NE thermals and S fronts.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan20
- Feb8
- Mar20
- Apr20
- May17
- Jun23
- Jul31
- Aug41
- Sep46
- Oct42
- Nov39
- Dec35
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
- 9Jan26°
- 8Feb27°
- 9Mar26°
- 9Apr24°
- 9May22°
- 9Jun20°
- 9Jul18°
- 10Aug18°
- 11Sep20°
- 10Oct21°
- 10Nov23°
- 10Dec24°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20% | 8.9 kt | SSW | 24.5°C | 25.9°C |
| Feb | 8% | 8.2 kt | S | 24.8°C | 26.6°C |
| Mar | 20% | 8.9 kt | N | 24.3°C | 25.5°C |
| Apr | 20% | 9.3 kt | N | 21.9°C | 23.5°C |
| May | 17% | 9.2 kt | N | 19.5°C | 22.2°C |
| Jun | 23% | 9.1 kt | N | 18.2°C | 20.1°C |
| Jul | 31% | 9.4 kt | N | 17.7°C | 17.6°C |
| Aug | 41% | 10.2 kt | N | 17.7°C | 18.4°C |
| Sep | 46% | 10.8 kt | N | 19.4°C | 19.9°C |
| Oct | 42% | 10.2 kt | SSW | 20.1°C | 21.1°C |
| Nov | 39% | 10.4 kt | NNE | 21.5°C | 23.4°C |
| Dec | 35% | 9.8 kt | N | 23.2°C | 24.3°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
estuary
Standing depth
Shallow. On the river behind the passagem the water is clear enough to see the bottom and a paddle touches it in places; the estuary flat at the passagem itself is low-depth with no wave. No measured figure has been published for the riding area.
Tides
Semidiurnal and small: two highs and two lows a day, with roughly 0.9 to 1.0 m between them on springs and much less on neaps. That range is measured at Florianopolis, not at the passagem, and nobody has recorded which stage of the tide works best at the river mouth.
Temperature
25.2°C summer · 18.3°C winter
Wetsuit
Boardshorts or light top in summer; spring suit or 3/2 mm wetsuit in winter depending on wind chill.
Currents
estuary/river-mouth currents possible; strength unconfirmed
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
2 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch is not rated
Somewhere else
Riozinho do Campeche, 21 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
The Florianopolis and Palhoca schools launch here when the breeze is onshore; the exact rigging spot is not documented.
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Go with a Palhoca or Floripa school the first time; the access track and rigging spot are not written up anywhere.
- Stay off the restinga vegetation when rigging; the beach is inside the Serra do Tabuleiro park.
- Check river flow and tide with the school before you drive out; nobody has published which tide stage works.
- Bring a 3/2 in winter; the water drops to about 18 C.
- Treat it as a flatwater and lesson day, not a wave day.
- There is no public rescue here. The school working this spot carries radios and a rescue boat, which is a reason to ride with it rather than alone.
- The passagem is the access to Praia do Sonho; the schools also call the area Reserva do Maciambu, so ask for both names.
Getting there
Airport
Florianopolis Hercilio Luz International Airport (FLN)
Route
Drive from Florianopolis toward Palhoca and the Maciambu/Praia do Sonho area; local school transfers may choose the spot depending on wind.
Transfer
45 min
Cost level
medium
Staying
Stay in Florianopolis, Palhoca, Praia do Sonho or Pinheira/Guarda do Embau depending on whether the trip is kite-focused or beach/nature-focused.
No-wind days
The Serra do Tabuleiro park visitor center and the Restinga da Baixada do Maciambu trails; SUP or kayak on the Rio Maciambu; the beaches at Praia do Sonho, Pinheira and Guarda do Embau.
FAQ
Is Passagem do Maciambu suitable for beginners?
Yes. Local schools describe it as a good option for lessons because the wind is onshore and the water is shallow.
What is the wind like?
A local school describes the onshore wind as constant for teaching, though no long-term wind statistics for the spot were found.
Are there kite schools nearby?
Yes, Florianopolis-area schools including Mane Kite School & Friends and Aulas de Kitesurf Floripa use the spot for lessons.
Are there any rules or restricted zones?
The spot sits near the Parque Estadual da Serra do Tabuleiro protected area, so riders should stay off restinga vegetation and any informal access tracks.
Last updated: August 2026