The year ended a lot like it has begun. On an amazing island in the Mediterranean sea called Sardinia. My second trip there was quite an improvement because just before departure I bough a camper van. And to make things even better, the small house on wheels was shared with my gf <3. Now all the rookie camper van user troubles I think deserve another separate post haha… but regardless the surf trip was a blast! Smaller but cleaner conditions and t-shirt sunny weather almost from start to finish.
Since first few days were flat we also did some mountainbiking and stand up paddling. How did that go?
Stand Up Paddling in Sardinia
I don’t know much about stand up paddling in other Sardinia regions but if you pick Golfo di Orosei you will not be sorry. The nature is amazing and in late December all the summer busy hidden bays and caves are virtually empty! So what is so amazing about this area? It is the coastline of a national park called “Parco Nazionale del Golfo di Orosei e del Gennargentu“. The whole coastline is accessible only by sea or by foot and when it comes to hiking to the hidden bays of Bay of Orosei the hikes can be quite long and demanding. Meaning this is 100% pure nature. Combine this with high cliffs, hidden bays and beaches, the bluest water you have ever seen and Karst like formations, countless caves, even caves you can paddle into…it’s just amazing.
Mountainbiking in Sardinia
Ok, do it for the views and nature. Not for the trails. This is my limited experience. We only did two trails in the same area where we were stand up paddle boarding and the trails are rocky, very technical (to the point where a lot of parts shouldn’t even be called trails) and I guess not ridden very often because they are partly overgrown with bushes. Still it is a cool experience with some very sweet trail parts, beautiful nature, cactuses everywhere, sheep everywhere… it’s wild.
Surfing in Sardinia
Unlike the last years trip, when the forecast was full on with huge waves and strong winds, this time it was more mellow. And actually better. Waves were smaller which meant from time to time we had to chase the swell remains to the more exposed beachbreaks, but the weather was sunny, warm, perfect for New Year time, the waves were clean and glassy, there was no wind to speak of during the whole trip until the last day. Even the big swell that came in the middle of the trip came without the forecasted wind. Pizza and Bella vita :D
Sardinia, 26.12.2018-6.1.2019