The Cave (La Grotte, Cap Sim)
Marrakech-Safi · Pachalik d'Essaouira باشوية الصويرة · Sidi Kaouki
also known as La Grotte, Cap Sim, The Cave
Riding essentials
Season
Oct–May
Months riders and schools name
How windy
12-16 knots
Character: mixed
Room to launch
room to launch not rated
access rules on record, below
Water
waves
20 °C in summerExposed Atlantic reef/right-hand wave area at Cap Sim, with long right tubes over a reef bottom
Hazards
12
Reported by riders
Level
Intermediate to advanced
With a caveat: see Your level
Crowds
medium crowds
Schools
3
named at this spot
From the airport
20 min
Essaouira-Mogador Airport (ESU)
When it fills in
On this coast the wind picks up most days between 10am and noon, holds through the afternoon and in peak season often runs overnight. Nothing has been recorded at the reef itself, and a cross-off day there behaves differently from the bay.
Nearbystraight-line distance
Backup spotsWhere riders go when the wind doesn't work here.
- La Couronneno page yet
- La Bouteilleno page yet
- Lanterno page yet
- Sidi Kaouki beachno page yet
- Maraboutno page yet
- L'Oued / Sidi Kaouki
The spot
The challenge
Where to stay
The wind
locals call it Alizes / northeast trade wind; Chergui can also blow hot, offshore and gusty from the Sahara.
Direction
Direction to shore
cross-off
Dominant direction
N, NNE and NE across the forecast data for La Grotte, Sidi Kaouki and Cap Sim; the regional pattern is northeast trade wind.
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
The quiver, in words
No quiver data exists for the reef. On the surrounding coast a 75-85 kg rider covers most of the April-September season with 9-12 m and goes to 7 m on the 22-28 knot July and August days, while 10-12 m covers most rideable winter days. Regional guidance, not measured at Cap Sim.
Character
Typical strength
Regional figures for the Essaouira coast, with no measurement at the reef: 12-16 knots on rideable days in January and February, 15-20 in March, 16-22 in April, 18-22 in May, 20-26 in June, 22-28 and above in July and August, 18-24 in September, 14-20 in October, 12-18 in November and December.
Forecast
Live forecast
Month by month
- Jan, riders' month42
- Feb, riders' month58
- Mar, riders' month63
- Apr, riders' month73
- May, riders' month78
- Jun77
- Jul92
- Aug94
- Sep69
- Oct, riders' month53
- Nov, riders' month48
- Dec, riders' month33
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec.
- 11 ktJan18°
- 13 ktFeb17°
- 13 ktMar17°
- 15 ktApr18°
- 16 ktMay18°
- 15 ktJun19°
- 16 ktJul19°
- 16 ktAug19°
- 14 ktSep19°
- 12 ktOct20°
- 11 ktNov19°
- 11 ktDec18°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
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.
Every figure, month by monthForce 4+ · Knots · Wind from · Air · Water
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | Wind from | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42% | 11 kt | NE | 16 °C | 17.5 °C |
| Feb | 58% | 12.7 kt | NNE | 16.7 °C | 17.1 °C |
| Mar | 63% | 13.2 kt | NNE | 16.7 °C | 17.1 °C |
| Apr | 73% | 14.5 kt | NNE | 18.8 °C | 18 °C |
| May | 78% | 15.5 kt | NNE | 19.8 °C | 17.8 °C |
| Jun | 77% | 15.3 kt | N | 21.4 °C | 19.1 °C |
| Jul | 92% | 16.4 kt | N | 23.5 °C | 18.9 °C |
| Aug | 94% | 15.8 kt | N | 23.9 °C | 19.4 °C |
| Sep | 69% | 13.7 kt | NNE | 21.9 °C | 19.4 °C |
| Oct | 53% | 11.9 kt | NNE | 22.2 °C | 20.1 °C |
| Nov | 48% | 11.4 kt | NNE | 19.9 °C | 19 °C |
| Dec | 33% | 10.7 kt | NE | 16.8 °C | 18 °C |
How this is modelledmodelled · 2022-2024
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
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
waves
Standing depth
Nothing to stand on. It breaks over reef, entry and exit are awkward, and at low water the rock is exposed rather than wadeable. Treat the whole zone as deep water over stone.
Tides
Tide guidance for this stretch conflicts: high tide, medium-to-high, and falling mid tide all appear for La Grotte and Cap Sim. What is agreed is that low water brings the reef closest to the surface, so the incoming half of the cycle is the safer default until a local tells you otherwise.
Temperature
20 °C summer · 17 °C winter
Modelled monthly average: 17–20 °C
Wetsuit
Wetsuit recommended year-round; a 2026 Essaouira kite guide suggests 3/2 mm in summer and 4/3 mm in winter.
Currents
Rocks and currents at La Grotte and Cap Sim. Nobody has published a figure for the current.
Conditions
Your level
not for beginners here
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
3 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch is not rated
Somewhere else
5 spots nearby
Rescue
Rescue — full text1 min read
Launch
There is no documented kite launch at La Grotte. Access is a 4x4 dirt road or a long walk in, including 15-20 minutes of rocky cliff path and a steep descent to the beach. Treat launch and landing as self-managed reef access rather than a serviced kite beach.
Rules & access
1 min read
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Schools that ride here
Rider tips
- Go the first time with a local guide or a school; the dirt road and the cliff path both catch people out.
- Line up swell, tide and wind direction before you commit: the tide advice for this reef contradicts itself between high, medium and high, and falling mid tide.
- Do not expect Essaouira Bay here. No managed launch, no rescue boat, no beginner area at the reef.
- Be careful with April to September Chergui days: offshore and brutally gusty.
- Carry water, spares and a way out that does not depend on anyone else. There is nothing on site.
Getting there
Airport
Essaouira-Mogador Airport (ESU) is the closest airport; Marrakech Menara (RAK) is the common larger alternative.
Route
The Cave sits on the cape at Cap Sim between Essaouira and Sidi Kaouki, about 20 minutes by car from Essaouira town, then a dirt road best driven in a 4x4, or a long walk.The Cap Sim roads and the cliff access are rough.For Sidi Kaouki in general, take the Agadir road south out of Essaouira and turn off toward the village; bus line 2, a car or a taxi all work.
Transfer
20 min
Cost level
Low-to-medium.2026: Essaouira airport to city taxis run around 150-200 MAD, and a Marrakech Airport to Sidi Kaouki private transfer runs around MAD 600-800; Essaouira is generally considered relatively cheap.
Staying
Nothing to stay in at La Grotte. Sidi Kaouki is the closest base, a village with small guesthouses, hotels and surf stations, and Ocean Vibes runs kite and surf camps there. Essaouira has everything else.
No-wind days
Surf La Grotte, Cap Sim or Sidi Kaouki when the swell suits. Otherwise the Essaouira medina, the fish harbour and a hammam; yoga, horse riding, quad tours and dune trips are all sold locally.
FAQ
Is The Cave suitable for beginners?
No, it's rated advanced only, with a rocky reef bottom, currents, and difficult access.
When is the best time?
Swell generally peaks October through May, with October to March cited as best for the wave itself.
What is the wind like?
Typically cross-off, and strong offshore Chergui gusts can hit between April and September.
Is there rescue on site?
No dedicated rescue or lifeguard service was verified; the nearest schools operate from Sidi Kaouki and Essaouira.
How do you get there?
By 4x4 on a dirt track or a steep 15-20 minute cliff path, about 20 minutes from Essaouira town.
The bigger pictureEverything about Essaouira
Last updated: August 2026