Contreiras

Contreiras, also known as Bruxas—meaning "Witches" in Portuguese—is a foreboding left-hand point break that grinds over a jagged, uneven reef. The wave often breaks treacherously below sea level, creating a deceptively smooth face that looks inviting from the sand but has claimed countless injuries on its shallow, razor-sharp bottom. This is no wave for the faint of heart; only experienced chargers should paddle out, and even then, respect for the shifting tides and pronounced swell direction is non-negotiable.

Best Surf Season (October - March)

This is when the North Atlantic properly wakes up. From October onward, average swell heights climb from 2.0m (6.6ft) to a winter peak of 2.5-2.6m (8-8.5ft), while average wave periods stretch into the 12-13 second range. The Azores High drifts south and releases its grip on the Iberian coast, allowing deep extratropical lows to march east across the Atlantic. Their long-period NW and NNW groundswell lines up perfectly with the NNO-NO-ONO-O swell window that Contreiras needs, and despite often north-heavy winds, the SSW-SW-WSW offshore flows still arrive enough of the time to produce clean, heavy, hollow peaks. This is the heart of the surf year at Contreiras.