# Caucaia - Lagoa da Tabuba — Caucaia, Brazil

Lagoa da Tabuba is the lagoon at the mouth of the Riacho do Juá, between the CE-090 road bridge (Tabuba-Icaraí) and the sea, about 4.5 km upwind from Cumbuco. It is a quieter alternative to Cauípe: flat and shallow water (knee to waist deep), good for learning, finishing a course and for freestyle training. Some kite schools give lessons here, and the downwind to Cumbuco beach starts from the lagoon.

It works with the trade wind, which blows almost daily from July to January, strongest in September and in the afternoon; from May to July it comes more from the southeast and is more gusty. From February to April is the rainy season and the wind is less constant. It is a seasonal lagoon: its shape and size change significantly with the rains and from year to year.

Parking is next to the barraca on the west shore, downwind, beside the road. Launch on the west shore, north of the barraca, or on the sandbank between the lagoon and the sea. Watch out for the road and the bridge at the southern end, the sharp stones and shells on the bottom and the water, which is murky and of poor quality: do not swallow it and do not enter with open wounds. At weekends it gets crowded with people on the shore and kites in the water. In Cumbuco, ten minutes away by car, there are bars and a supermarket. In case of emergency call 193 (fire brigade) or 192 (SAMU). The best time is from August to December.

Photos: "Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil. Montando kitesurf. Icaray. - panoramio" by Boris Karpuk (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons; "Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil. Pescador lança a rede à direita. Icaray. - panoramio" by Boris Karpuk (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons; "Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil. Pescador lança a rede à esquerda. Icaray. - panoramio" by Boris Karpuk (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

- **Sports:** Kitesurf
- **Difficulty:** Beginner
- **Location:** Caucaia, Brazil (-3.66070, -38.68382)
- **Favourable wind directions (where the wind blows from):** E (90°), SE (125°)
- **Wind range (knots):** 14–28
- **Best months:** July, August, September, October, November, December, January

## Wind by month (% of days per strength)

| Month | <7 kn | 7–13 kn | 13–20 kn | 20–35 kn | >35 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4 | 87 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| February | 5 | 95 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| March | 11 | 89 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| April | 19 | 81 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| May | 4 | 96 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| June | 0 | 96 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| July | 2 | 85 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| August | 0 | 57 | 43 | 0 | 0 |
| September | 0 | 47 | 53 | 0 | 0 |
| October | 0 | 35 | 65 | 0 | 0 |
| November | 0 | 54 | 46 | 0 | 0 |
| December | 0 | 78 | 22 | 0 | 0 |

## Local winds

- **Alísio del este** — E (90°), 15–28 kn. The trade wind that blows almost every day from July to January, strongest in mid-September and in the afternoon. From August to December it comes from the east; from November to January, slightly more from the east-northeast. It crosses the lagoon from the sea-side sandbank towards the barraca and the road.. From the sandbank the wind blows out towards the lagoon; on the west shore it comes in head-on, towards the barraca umbrellas. If you fall, you drift towards the west shore.
- **Alísio del sudeste** — SE (125°), 14–24 kn. At the beginning of the season (May to July) the trade wind turns east-southeast and southeast, usually being lighter and more gusty in the morning. It blows diagonally along the lagoon.. With southeast wind the drift is towards the north, where the lagoon exits to the sea: leave space downwind and do not approach the exit.

## Zones

- **West launch (barraca)** — Launch zone
- **Parking** — Parking
- **Sandbank launch** — Launch zone
- **Lagoa da Tabuba** — Navigation zone
- **CE-090 road and bridge** — Restricted zone
- **Exit to the sea** — Restricted zone

## Points of interest

- **Lagoon barraca**: Large barraca on the west shore, downwind of the lagoon, with parking next to it. Name unconfirmed.
- **CE-090 road and bridge**: The road crosses the southern end of the lagoon. Do not ride towards the bridge.
- **Exit to the sea**: This is where the lagoon flows into the sea when the bar is open: there may be a current. Do not ride towards here.
- **Downwind to Cumbuco**: From the sandbank you head out to sea for the downwind to Cumbuco beach. Arrange your return before leaving.

## Hazards

- The road and bridge cross the southern end of the lagoon
- Sharp stones and shells on the bottom; a large submerged rock in the upwind part
- Murky and poor quality water: do not swallow it and do not enter with open wounds
- Shallow depth (knee to waist deep) and sandbanks depending on the level
- Crowds and kite traffic at weekends
- Lagoon exit to the sea at the northern end

## Obstacles

- CE-090 road and bridge at the southern end
- Barraca and umbrellas on the west shore
- Sharp stones and shells on the bottom

## Facilities

- Parking
- School
- Restaurant

[See it on Ventus Surf (3D map, zones and live forecast)](https://ventus.surf/spots/caucaia-lagoa-da-tabuba-0wjHGFgXk4F3YBdTu2B6?lang=en)