I love it when I can start the trip with some surf before actually coming to the final destination which was Sardinia. So early morning start allowed us to make a pit stop in Tuscany. We arrived there around 11am and managed to squeeze in two surf sessions. Sunny warm weather, glassy waves, just the right size… such a cool way to start the trip. I knew I was going to sleep well on the overnight ferry from mainland to Sardinia.
25.12.2019 Lillatro
First day we went to the most exposed spot in the Capo Mannu area. Nice head high waves and not that many people in the water.
26.12.2019 Sa Mesa Longa
The waves and the wind picked up overnight. When we drove to the end of the Capo Mannu peninsula and big from the wind protected lines were traveling into the bay. It looked big, I have never surfed the spot and there was noone there?! I have no idea why. So I went in and had the place to myself for more than 2 hours before some other surfers arrived. Such a sick session, some big drops, but easy walls and long rides. I was a bit worried the whole time how and where do you go out of the water. Spot description said sketchy entry and exit. But exit was actually quite easy, you just have to hit the right part of the beach. That was one of the best sessions I’ve had in Sardinia ever. So sick :D !
27.12.2019 Capo Mannu
Waves dropped a bit next day, so we went back to Mesa Longa. But it was still big, but a bit bumpy and hard to surf, hard to get a wave. With the swell and wind dropping we drove south to Piscinas to surf the last remains of the swell in the afternoon. But the size and the wind were still there, so this was maybe the worst session of the trip. But we still love this place :) !
28.12.2019 Sa Mesa Longa & Piscinas
I was hoping for some xxxs waves to remain until the morning but no such luck. Actually, you could catch a few if you really wanted to but I was really interested in what the south coast was doing. In the meantime the NE wind kicked in and south coast has spots that get waves from NE/E. I was a bit skeptic how this works… NE swells are not that big and the waves have to make a turn to hit Sardinia’s south coast. Also, wind blows past the south coast so I expected some not very big and a bit blow out waves.
We were in for a surfprise :D. Driving down and west from Cagliari we hit this bay with a perfect glassy left hand point break. With only two people out. What a sick wave and an awesome session. Later I have found out people usually surf another spot in the bay that is more of a performance wave.
29.12.2019 Pula
East swell dropped the next day, so we went to another beach that has sand bottom hoping to score some small beach break waves. I though the waves were going to be the same the whole day so I took my time going in in the morning. Too bad. Morning still had some nice size. Actually my session was at the worst time in the day haha because waves picked up again in the evening. But still it was super fun gliding over crystal clear water watching the sea bottom fly under the surfboards.
When waves picked up in the evening we went back to the point break and had another fun session there on small waves over really shallow rock bottom. It was way less fun though when I figured out that I have lost my booties. We drove back to Chia but they were gone.
30.12.2019 Chia/Pula
NE swell turned more east and picked up again. Back to the point break that again started working on all cylinders. Another super fun session, lunch and the another session at the “performance” wave spot in the bay. Waves were way smaller than in the morning, but this wave just stacks up and makes a sick right hand wall for making turns. It reminds me of the wave in Tuscany.
31.12.2019 Pula
When the last E swell waves disappeared the sea turned flat. What followed were three days of adventures in Sardinia. We went stand up paddling to and island that has a via ferrata that lets you get over the cliff to the top of the island. So we climbed it. Amazing views from the top. There were also amazing views from the climbing route but I refused to look at them haha. I only looked up, I hate heights.
Next day was mountain biking day and then another just easy day of exploring Sardinia and swimming in thermal pool in the middle of nowhere in the Sardinia’s inland. That was quite an interesting experience.
Saturday the waves came back, this time again from the NW direction. We waited late into the afternoon for the waves to pick up and slowly the Capo Mannu woke up. It wasn’t as epic as it was the first time and there were other surfers in the water, but the session was still really good
4.1.2019 Capo Mannu