Wavelength Surfing Magazine

Where?

Lanza lies about 90 miles off the coast of Morocco, it faces into the North Atlantic and is about a four hour flight from London.

What sort of waves?

Lanzarote has almost everything you could want, El Quemao and Village Left are heavy world class waves, the point in La Santa is a big right point, it’s pretty soft but is rideable almost as big as you want to go. Meanwhile round the coast at Famara there is a beach break which caters for all levels of surfers depending on the size.

Does the island get much swell?

The prime stretch of reefs and beaches face directly into the North Atlantic so any low pressure system that has any wind pointing at Lanzarote will result in a swell for the island. In the middle of winter the islands get totally pounded and it rarely goes flat, winds are a problem in the summer.

What about the weather?

It’s proximity to North Africa means that Lanzarote is surprisingly dry for an island, the predominant wind here is North Easterly blowing straight from the Sahara which brings warm dry weather. It does get hit by low pressure systems though this is quite rare and sun is the order of the day.

What else is there to do?

The landscape is insane, it’s as close to the moon as you’re likely to get on earth. This is of coarse due to the volcanoes that shaped the island. One of the most interesting places to see is Timanfaya National Park, there are few more incredible landscapes on earth. And go and see the Artist Man which is a big draw and a visit to his house and gallery is essential for any art lover.

Can I learn to surf there?

The Lanzarote Surf School run by Welshman Tim Jones is one of the most comprehensive surf schools and surf coaching centres. Their courses are thorough and interesting and any level of surfer will learn and develop their skills.

(Check out www.lanzarotesurfschool.co.uk)

Where can I stay and how do I get about?

Caletta del Famara or La Santa are the two main surfing areas, both have accommodation and both are walking distance from the surf, check out www.purevacations.com for more details. Having a car is essential and these can be booked in advance and picked up on arrival at the airport. Driving on the island is easy with good roads, but be careful if you go offroad looking for surf as lava is unforgiving stuff!

Any dangers?

The waves are heavy and the reefs urchin infested and sharp. Localism is still a problem at some spots but nowhere near as bad as it used to be. Usual rules apply so surf in small numbers, be respectful and you’ll get some waves.