Las Cucharas Bay, Lanzarote (Canary Islands)
Las Churachas Bay
Cucharas Beach is located in the Canary Islands on the Island of Lanzarote at the town of Costa Teguise.
The 600m long horseshoe shaped bay surrounded by the hotels and a number of windsurfing centres. It is generally windier than other spots in Lanzarote, which is one of the reasons it attracts windsurfers. With the north-east trade wind, the water is flat and protected on the inside of the bay, and then windier outside the bay where there is a reef creating waves to ride and jump.
Every July the European Professional Freestyle Tour comes to Cucharas Beach to hold a major event, such are the excellent freestyle conditions at that time of year.
The wind is the most consistent from April to September, with the wind blowing over 15 knots (force 4) over 80% of the time. The winds are less reliable between November and January, with February, March and October being in between. The sea temperatures range from 17° – 21 ° throughout the year, with the warmest temperatures between June and august, and the coldest temperatures from January to April. The sea temperatures are a little cooler than the other Canary Islands. Bring a wetsuit with long legs at least for the winter (2/3 mm) and a shorty for the summer. During the coldest days some may prefer a 3 mm long sleeve suit or even a 4/3 mm.
WIND:From as early as March, the consistent north-east trade wind blows side/side off-shore from the left, and is most consistent during the summer (April-September), blowing regularly from 4-6 Bft (12-27 knots). The wind also benefits from a thermal effect as the land heats up, so will be at its windiest during the hottest part of the day, peaking between 12.00 and 18.00 pm.
It can get very gusty in the bay making it tricky for small boards to get away from the launching area.
SAILING:The sandy crescent shaped bay of Las Cucharas is a safe location surrounded by beach and shore on all sides.
The bay provides what can best be described as three distinct windsurfing areas that are created by the shape of the bay and the effect of the prevailing north-east trade wind that blows cross shore form the left.
From the sandy launch spots in front of the windsurfing centres, the first 100m or so is shallow and sheltered from the strength of the wind. This provides an ideal training environment for teaching kids and entry level sailors in flat water without too much wind. There are also jetties extending from the shoreline that further shelter the water close to the beach. In the mornings the wind can also be slightly northerly and hence cross-offshore, which further enhances the sheltered conditions.
From 100 m or so until 500 m, the north-east wind gains in strength and becomes much cleaner. The water state remains fairly flat with some small waves coming through. This provides an ideal bump and jump, as well as slalom and freestyle area for intermediate to advanced sailors. It is a fairly safe area, as you will be surrounded by fellow sailors, and there is a conveniently placed platform 400 m out from the shoreline which allows people to attach their boards, have a rest and enjoy the action without sailing back to the shore.
At about 500 m, the Bay becomes open sea, and upwind there is a reef that provides excellent waves between 0.5 and 3 m depending on the ocean swells. The water can be a beautiful turquoise in this area. A key feature of these waves is that they are ideal for the first time wave sailor as well as the advanced. There is lots of space between the waves, and it is possible to exit the waves safely. They break cleanly, and for their size don't have much power. They are ideal for jumping and backside wave riding. There is also plenty of depth over the reef at low tide so as not to damage fins or hurt yourself on the reef. The waves then reform on the inner reef where they become better for entry level wave sailors to practice their wave riding techniques, and due to the water's depth, do not break until they reach the shore which will cause a small shore break.
The best wave for more advanced wave sailors is to be found upwind close to the north-eastern tip of the bay at Los Charcos. Here the wind is also at its strongest. Some local sailors will launch from the shoreline up at Las Charcos but the shore is rocky at low tide.
Even further upwind there is a harbour entrance. On occasions this will produce a very short wave . A lot of locals sail from this harbour. There is a car park and sand to rig on but the launch is a little tricky over a slippery reef.
Best Suited To
- Beginners and improvers in the mornings at all tides.
- Freeriders.
- Bump and jump sailors.
- Slalom.
- Freestyle.
- First time wave sailors.
- Intermediate and advanced wave sailors.
- Professional level wave sailors when it is big over the reef.
- Best gear to useThere is a choice of water states at Cost Teguise which means that many types of equipment are suitable, depending on the requirements of the sailor, from high wind low volume wave boards to large freeride boards and wide beginner boards. It is also suitable for slalom sailing, and is a destination used by the slalom pros to train in winter, but this is less popular.
Most popular board size:
- 68 –135 LMost popular sail size:
- 4.7 - 7.0 M.NOTE: There is no kitesurfing at Cost Teguise
ABILITIES:- Beginners inside the sheltered bay
- Intermediate and advanced freeride.
- First time wave sailors.
- Intermediate and advanced wave sailors and slalom windsurfers.
- Professional level wave sailors.
- Great holiday destination for families, couples, friends
and singles.SEASON:The wind is the most consistent from April to September, with the wind blowing over 15 knots (force 4) over 80% of the time. The winds are less reliable between November and January, with February, March and October being in between. The sea temperatures range from 17° – 21 ° throughout the year, with the warmest temperatures between June and august, and the coldest temperatures from January to April. The sea temperatures are a little cooler than the other Canary Islands. Bring a wetsuit with long legs at least for the winter (2/3 mm) and a shorty for the summer. During the coldest days some may prefer a 3 mm long sleeve suit or even a 4/3 mm.
The windspeed statistics below show the percentage of days with wind above 15 knots (force 4 Bft) and average sea and air temperatures at Costa Teguise:
- Cross-shore 90% of the time (north-east).
- 75% of planing winds over 15 knots (force 4 Bft).WATER:The water is turquoise blue and temperate in temperature at around 17 to 21 deg C during the sailing season so you may need a light-weight wetsuit during the colder periods. The water is generally flat in the bay and as you sail further out to sea it turns a darker blue and has rolling swell and waves up to 3 m 500 m upwind.
RIGGING:There is room on the white sandy beach for rigging or if you are renting gear that will be rigged at the sailing centre and you carry it from there to the beach.
LAUNCHING:The launching area is flat water with a sandy bottom however it can be challenging on small boards to get out past the rock wall which blocks the wind in what is a narrow channel for sailors exiting and entering the beach.
POTENTIAL HAZARDS:None really to speak of. There can be a little shore break if the swell is high. The waves can get to over 3m off Los Charcos, but can be avoided easily.
Windsurfing Centres
There are several windsurfing centres in Costa Teguise providing the whole range of gear for rent as well as lessons for all levels of sailors. These centers also rent surfboards, SUPs and other gear...
- Services Overview:
- Premium Gear Rentals
- Beginners Gear Rentals
- Kids Gear Rentals
- Walk-Up Rentals
- Hourly Rentals
- Take-Away Rentals
- Advanced Booking Rentals
- Adults Lessons
- Kids Lessons
- Safety Observers
- Rescue Craft
- Parking
- Photo Service
Location of centre:- Walk from accommodation
- Short walk from beach
Facilites:- Food
- Beach Bar
- Changing Rooms
- wifi
- Shady Seating Area
- Equipment Washing
Other equipment for rent:- SUPs
- Surf Boards
- Body Boards
- Catamarans
- Snorkeling Gear
- Hawaiian Canoes
Windsurfing Club Las Cucharas is a full-service windsurfing centre. Read more... - Services Overview:
- Premium Gear Rentals
- Beginners Gear Rentals
- Kids Gear Rentals
- Walk-Up Rentals
- Hourly Rentals
- Take-Away Rentals
- Advanced Booking Rentals
- Adults Lessons
- Kids Lessons
- Safety Observers
- Rescue Craft
- Parking
- Repair Shop
Location of centre:- Walk from accommodation
- Beachfront
Facilites:- Food
- Beach Bar
- Changing Rooms
- wifi
- Shady Seating Area
- Equipment Washing
Other equipment for rent:- SUPs
- Surf Boards
- Body Boards
Windsurfing Paradise Lanzarote Windsurf Paradise Lanzarote is located near the beachfront at Lanzarote and offers windsurfing gear rentals for all levels and ages. Read more... - Services Overview:
- Premium Gear Rentals
- Beginners Gear Rentals
- Kids Gear Rentals
- Walk-Up Rentals
- Hourly Rentals
- Advanced Booking Rentals
- Adults Lessons
- Kids Lessons
- Safety Observers
- Rescue Craft
- Parking
Location of centre:- Walk from accommodation
- Short walk from beach
Facilites:- Food
- Beach Bar
Other equipment for rent:- SUPs
- Catamarans
Location Pro Centre Lanzarote is located approximately 200 metres from the launching area up a moderate road/walkway. It is central to accommodation in the area so easy to get to by foot however if you need to drive there is a free public car park nearby. Business Hours Operating hours are 10 am to 6 pm daily, 365 days a Read more...
Costa Teguise Accommodation
Costa Teguise has a great range of 4 and 5 star hotel accommodation, as well as apartments and villas to rent. Most are located within walking distance of Las Cucharas Beach, as well as other services such as the bars, restaurants and shops.
Featured Accommodation- Star Rating:
- 5-star
Beach Access:- Beach-front
Room Types:- Single
- Twin
- Double
- Triple
Room Facilities:- Private Bathroom
- Bath or Spa Bath
- Balcony or Terrace
- Views
Property Facilities:- Adults Only
- Restaurant(s)
- Bar(s)
- Outdoor Pool
- Day Spa
- Fitness Centre
- Communal Lounge Area
- Car Parking
Activities:- Entertainment
- Tennis
Meliá Salinas is a luxury ADULTS ONLY hotel located right on the beachfront on Las Chucaras. There are a variety of room types catering for 1 – 3 guests and many rooms have spectacular views across the ocean plus they look out directly over the Windsurfing areas. Facilities include 2 beautiful pools set in tropical gardens, beach bar, 2 buffet Read more... - Star Rating:
- 4-star
Beach Access:- 0-5 mins walk
Room Types:- Single
- Twin
- Double
- Triple
Room Facilities:- Private Bathroom
- Bath or Spa Bath
- Balcony or Terrace
- Views
Property Facilities:- Adults Only
- Restaurant(s)
- Bar(s)
- Outdoor Pool
- Day Spa
- Fitness Centre
- Communal Lounge Area
- Street Parking
Activities:- Entertainment
- Bikes
Barceló Teguise Beach is and ADULTS ONLY resort hotel located 150 m from Las Chucaras beach. Rooms cater for singles, twin-share, double and triple-share and all have balconies, private bathrooms, some with spa baths. The hotel has a communal lounge area, buffet restaurant, outdoor pools in a tropical setting, an endless pool overlooking the beach/windsurfing area, bar and fitness centre. Read more...
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- NE
- Flat Water Blasting
- Bump and Jump
- Foiling
- Longboard Cruising
- Advanced Wave Sailing
- Intermediate Wave Sailing
From as early as March, the consistent north-east trade wind blows side/side off-shore from the left, and is most consistent during the summer (April-September), blowing regularly from 4-6 Bft (12-27 knots). The wind also benefits from a thermal effect as the land heats up, so will be at its windiest during the hottest part of the day, peaking between 12.00 and 18.00 pm.
It can get very gusty in the bay making it tricky for small boards to get away from the launching area.
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Flat Water
- Small Waves
- Large Waves
- Open Sea
- Bay
- Warm Water
- Salt Water
- Sand
- Difficult Launching
- On-site Parking
- Town
- Accommodation
- Bar
- Restaurants
- Public Toilets
- Windsurfer Shop
Costa Teguise
Lanzarote
35508
Spain
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1 Review on “Las Cucharas Bay, Lanzarote (Canary Islands)”
THE SAILING
We had mixed feelings about the windsurfing at Costa Teguise and had spoken to many people throughout our trip who had a similar experience to what we had.
If the wind angle is not exactly right, getting out from the launching area can be a challenge due to a large rock wall that just out of the bay by about 50 metres. Combine this with a rope to keep sailors from straying into the swimming area (making the launching causeway about 30 m wide) and it can be a very frustrating time if you come off your board due to lack of wind and having to try to water start in that area.
It is absolutely fine for beginners as they are able to stand up on their long buoyant boards and up-haul the sail. The issue is mainly with boards that lack enough buoyancy to keep one afloat.
To be honest I felt like a complete beginner (which I am not) trying to get out of this zone and I was pleased to see that even some of the locals struggled in this area.
The launching area was also a bit congested. The beach area was deep enough but due to the narrow causeway of the launch area out to the actual sailing area, you had to step over other sails and boards strewn all over the beach (but not a major issue really).
Once out of the causeway and sheltered area the wind was fairly consistent (particularly the further away from shore you sailed).
There is a good point-break on the left hand-side of the bay where many sailors hang out to frolic in the waves. One out there, the point is relatively clear from obstruction given that it juts out from the land.
The water temperature was moderate to warm (I just wore shorts and rash top) and changed from turquoise to deep blue the further you ventured out. There wasn’t a lot of flat water sailing to be had (because the wind was quite gusty towards the shore where the water was flt) although the waves tended to be a little more rolly due to the swell as opposed to chop.
The sailors in this location were predominantly males but there were a few females out there as well.
WINDSURFING CENTRES
At the time we visited there were 3 windsurfing centres offering a variety of gear suited to the area at varying levels. They also offered a great variety of lessons types for all levels.
The sheltered bay really is a fabulous location for teaching before sailors head further out to sea where the wind increases substantially.
All 3 centres shared the rescue boats and took it in turn to make sure there were observers on-deck all day. We believe this is a relatively safe environment to learn and progress.
ACCOMMODATION
There is a great variety of quality accommodation at this destination and based on our experience represented exceptional value to the quality of the property and the food offered.
There are some great Adults Only hotels and also plenty of lovely self-cater condos, villas and apartments which would be ideal for families, larger groups or those looking for a longer stay.