Essaouira

About This Spot

Essaouira ('the Windy City of Africa') is a reliable Atlantic trade-wind spot in a wide, gently curving bay just south of the medina. Wind: the thermally-reinforced Alizé blows predominantly N to NE, hitting the main bay as side-shore (with a cross-off component near the medina end). Season runs April–October. April–May and Sept–Oct are the lighter shoulders (~15–22 kt), good for learning; June–August is peak, with steady 20–28 kt daily and gusts to 35+. The wind kicks in late morning/early afternoon and holds to evening. Winter (Nov–Mar) is hit-or-miss — roughly 20% of days have no usable wind, the rest lighter. A 9–10m is the everyday kite in summer; bring a 12m for the shoulders. Water & skill: inside the bay the water is relatively protected with a shallow sandy bottom — choppy rather than truly flat, but the most beginner-friendly water on this coast and where the schools teach. Head out of the bay's lee and you get real Atlantic swell, current and a more dynamic, side-on ride suited to improvers. True wave riders go to Moulay Bouzerktoun (~17 km N, cross-off, big swell) or Sidi Kaouki (~25 km S, stronger wind, powerful waves, stronger current) — both advanced and reached via school shuttles. Launch & access: the main beach is ~5–10 min from the medina, with a huge sandy launch area and 15+ certified schools (storage, rescue, lessons). Hazards: it's open ocean — cold water year-round (18–20°C, wear a 3/2 minimum), cross-off tendency near the ramparts means self-rescue/downwinder awareness matters, plus the offshore Île de Mogador, tide-dependent shoreline, gusty wind near buildings, summer beach crowds, camels/horses and fishing-boat traffic. Tides materially affect the launch, so check the state before rigging.