Saline - unforgettable! Sardinia is known for its blue waters and its beautiful, secluded bays. But there is one spot that tops everything you've seen so far.
Without further ado, we headed south. We had planned to go to Lake Garda, but due to the bad weather and the associated lack of wind, we changed our minds. The choice fell on Sardinia. After a 15-hour drive, we arrived at the ferry harbour in Livorno at dusk. We were greeted by warm air as we opened the car doors. Marvellous! We had already booked the ferry during the journey. For a mere 260 euros, we travelled overnight to Sardinia with the Grimaldi ferry line. Perfect, as you don't lose a day and can get straight from the ferry onto the water with a good night's sleep.
As we only had six days, we enjoyed every minute of it and rode after the wind, as one does. Because I get in a bad mood on less than 100 per cent surf days!
We spent the first few days in Budoni and Porto Pollo.
Then it was off toSALINE.
The beach off Stintino in the north-west of the island is better known for its small white stones than for the big surf action. In summer, the beach is even guarded so that the stones don't spread all over the world and there are no more on the beach. But at this time of year, the "normal" tourists are gone and the way is clear for us windsurfers.
From our own experience, the best wind direction is south-east. The wind blows very consistently and is cross-offshore to sideshore from the right. It is ideal for freeriding, slalom skiing or freestyle. But north and north-east are also top wind directions.
With a forecast of a good 20 knots, the wind from the south-east was strengthened by flat land formations, which meant we had fun with the 4.5 metre sail and the small slalom board.
The small round and white stones tingle as you walk into the water. But as soon as you've taken a few steps, the water becomes waist-deep and the sand is fine. This protects long fins and, even better, the foils!
In absolutely turquoise-coloured water and with old Sardinian buildings on the beach, the feeling of being able to heat almost parallel to the beach was indescribable.
Even speed pilots would get their money's worth here.
After the session, the large car park offers enough space to dismantle on the grass and round off the day's surfing with mirto and seadas (Sardinian dessert).
My favourite spot in the world!!!
Spot info
Journey:
In principle, Sardinia can be reached by plane or - far more popular - by ferry. From the Italian mainland, ferries depart from Genoa, Livorno, Piombino and Civitavecchia. Various ferry lines travel to the north of Sardinia. You can find offers under: www.moby.it , www.corsica-ferries.com , www.tirrenia.com , www.enermar.it . From the harbour in Olbia, it's a two-hour drive to Saline in the north-west of the island. Porto Pollo in the north takes about an hour.
Flights depart from many airports and with numerous airlines to the north of Sardinia to Olbia and Alghero. However, a hire car is then compulsory and, depending on the airline and aircraft size, it is not always guaranteed that you can take your own equipment with you.
Living & Camping:
There are many flats in the area around Vincent's favourite spot. You can find a large selection at www.fewo-direkt.de. Camping is of course very popular in Sardinia. Wild camping is generally prohibited, but has been tolerated in the past in the early and late season. However, this is unlikely to be the case in the current corona situation. You can find a large list with links to many campsites here: www.campingsardinien.de/camping/
Wind, weather & neoprene recommendations:
The prevailing winds in Sardinia are the Mistral (Maestrale) from the north-west, the Tramontana from the north, the Levante from the east, the Libeccio from the south-west and the Ponente from the west. In many areas, as in Saline, there are also local specialities and reinforcements. At spots such as Porto Pollo, the Mistral can sometimes exceed 50 knots. The best wind season is from April to November, with spring and autumn being particularly spoilt by the wind. The big advantage: this is the low season and not only the prices are lower, but also the density of people on the island. Temperatures are then around 20 degrees. It gets significantly warmer in summer. Water temperatures fluctuate between around 16 degrees in spring and autumn and over 20 degrees in the summer months. This means that a long-sleeved suit with a thickness of around four millimetres should be packed in spring and autumn, while a thin shorty will suffice in summer.
