Kitesurfing in Patos
Best wind conditions, flat water as smooth as glass and almost no other kitesurfers far and wide. Incredible, but here in Patos, the flatwater diamond in the rough is true!
Only a few kitesurfers know about Patos and its beach Praia dos Patos. On the one hand, this may be due to the fact that an accommodation has only been available there for a short time. On the other, this spot wrongly ekes out a shadowy existence between the places Moitas, Icaraizinho and Ilha do Guajiru.
Patos is a world-class kite spot and offers not just one, but three flat water spots in its immediate vicinity. Since two of the three kite spots are knee-deep, Patos can also be recommended to beginners. Another advantage is that you have an almost unlimited amount of free space by the water. Only rarely do you have to share the lagoon or estuary with a second or third kite surfer.
However, there are two small drawbacks that you should be aware of. Firstly, two of the three flat water spots are tide-dependent and as good as dry at low tide. Secondly, the only accommodation currently in Patos is 500 yards from the sea. The distance between the buildings and the sea will not change in the future either, as the entire beach is under water at full and new moon.
Spot and wind conditions
There is a shallow, flat water spot right in the mouth of the river about less than 1 mile upwind. The second flat water spot, which has knee-deep water, starts from about 0.6 miles downwind and extends to the sea. Oliver, the owner of the currently only pousada on site, offers his guests a free buggy transfer to these two spots.
The third flat water spot is a nearby freshwater lake. It is located a good 3 miles downwind in the interior of the country. The size of this freshwater lagoon depends on the amount of rainfall during the rainy season (January – June). As the year progresses, the water slowly evaporates and the lake gets smaller month by month. Since the travel time in each direction is around 20 minutes, a trip there costs a small amount.
Usually the wind starts in the course of the morning at the latest and blows cleanly and safely slightly diagonally on-shore. Here too, as everywhere in northeastern Brazil, the most reliable wind can be expected from late July to mid-January. The constant trade wind blows a little stronger in October and November.
Tide
As with all tide-dependent spots, the ebb and flow of the tide have a decisive influence – especially on the flat water spots. As good as the conditions for mirror-smooth flat water are in Patos, one shouldn’t forget that the spots are only kiteable at certain tidal times.
In the estuary, it’s best to kite two to three hours before and after high tide. Outside this time window there is far too little water available.
In the northwestern flat water spot you can only kite surf an hour before and after high tide. But even during this time the water level is mostly quite low is not more than knee-deep.
The freshwater lagoon, on the other hand, is independent of the tide.
The sea is very calm at low tide and there is a small wave at high tide.
Dangers zones
The whole spot is free of reefs and stones. There are only a few small mangrove bushes in the water at one point, but they are rather harmless. The depth of the two spots by the sea depends on the tide. Therefore you are well advised to check the depth of the water before jumping high.
Kitesurf Downwinder
From Patos you can take a longer kitesurf downwinder to Ilha do Guajiru. The 14.3 mile route initially leads past the long, lonely beach of Patos. This is followed by the 0.6 mile wide estuary of the Rio Aracati-mirim. The downwinder continues on Almofala Beach, where larger waves can be expected at high tide. About 1.55 miles after Almofala you can kite in the river to Ilha do Guajiru at high tide. This section is an absolute highlight for all shallow water lovers.
Spot overview
Patos location description
Patos is one of the few places in this region that has not yet or hardly benefited from kiteboarding tourism in Brazil. Neither the village nor the beach is developed for tourists. In the village center, which is 1.25 miles from the beach, about 1000 people live. Almost all of them live from the local coconut plantations. The less than 100 inhabitants near the beach earn their living by fishing.
In Patos nothing has changed in recent years except for the construction of the wind turbines. This place is rarely visited by one or the other Brazilian, let alone by gringos. The village has only one mini-market, three restaurants and a bar. There is nothing more to discover here.
Directions
As mentioned in the beginning, Patos is located between Moitas and the famous kite spot Ilha do Guajiru. Although the place is very isolated, the drive there is easily possible with any car. You just leave the main road CE-085 behind and follow the well-developed dust road to the beach for about 30 minutes. If you come across a large puddle on this route, just keep driving. It’s not as deep as it seems.
Accommodation and restaurants
There is currently only one accommodation near the beach in Patos, the Pousada Villa Aloha. While the main building is modest but functional, the guest rooms are more than adequate. The small bungalow complex has 6 units. The rooms and the associated bathroom are beautifully designed and spacious. The bed is comfortable and thanks to the correct alignment of the windows, a slight draught of air ensures a pleasant temperature. The price-performance ratio is absolutely in the green.
The only restaurant on the beach is just a coconut toss away. The typical Brazilian food is as tasty here as it is almost everywhere, but cheap as hardly anywhere else. The dinner here becomes a “Private Dinner” at no extra charge, as there are no more guests after dark. The host has an amazingly large selection of beers, but unfortunately he does not offer any caipirinha. Fortunately, our accommodation provider next door offers its guests a Caipirinha on request.
It should be clear to everyone that there is absolutely no nightlife here. Party animals don’t get your money’s worth here. For families with small children this lonely spot is also not very suitable due to its remoteness.
Additional Activities
There are currently no other sports or leisure activities directly in Patos. Your own creativity is therefore required. However, the well-known Ilha das Ostras restaurant is only 5.2 miles and a river crossing away. There you will find freshly caught oysters and shrimps at incredibly low prices. And some people claim that they have the best caipirinha they have ever drunk.