Ribeira d’Ilhas

Situated in a valley where a creek flows into the sea, its geographical configuration is that of a natural amphitheatre, ideal for organising events. It is not for nothing that the first national and international championships held in Portugal were conducted here. Ribeira d’Ilhas is a long point break right hander (the waves follow the coastal contour) that receives all kinds of swells and works in all tides, and is the region’s most consistent wave. With W/NO swells, Ribeira d’Ilhas can provide right handers of up to 200 metres in length. It is a very valuable and competitive wave, as it allows for different levels of approach by surfers.

Type of wave: long right hander

Seabed: rock and reef

Tide conditions: all tides

Swell conditions: all swells – conditions ideal with O/NO

Wind conditions: from any quadrant – conditions ideal from SE to NE

Consistency: + + + + +

Break angle: 55º

Length of break line: 150 to 300 metres

Wave height: 0.5 to 3.5 metres

Break type: progressive/sloping

LIVRO7 practice level: 4 - Surfers able to execute take-offs from the side, in a single movement, to the right and to the left, on unbroken waves, and with the capacity to support breaks on powerful waves of up to one metre.