# Cumbuco - Barra do Cauípe — Cumbuco, Brazil

The sea beach of Barra do Cauípe, in front of Lagoa do Cauípe, at the mouth of the Cauípe river, about 7 km northwest of Cumbuco. This is where the classic downwind from Cumbuco ends, one of the best known in Ceará: flat water until Cumbuco village, lagoons left by the low tide afterwards and waves at Pico das Almas, about 2.5 km before arriving. On the sea side there is a shorebreak and small waves; the flat water lagoon, just behind the sand, is another spot.

It works with the trade wind, which blows almost daily from July to January, stronger in September and in the afternoon. From the east it comes in side-onshore. From May to July it comes more from the southeast, almost parallel to the beach, and is more gusty. From February to April is the rainy season and the wind is less constant.

You launch on the wide sand in front of the northern tip of the lagoon, between the barracas and the sandbank. Intermediate level: you need to handle the shorebreak and there are no lifeguards. Do not go near the river mouth to the southeast: when the bar is open, especially after the rains, the current pulls out to sea, and rocks appear on the shore next to it at low tide. Cars and buggies circulate on the sand; parking is on the sand, near the barracas, with limited space. At the lagoon there are barracas with food and a kite school. If you arrive by downwind, organise the buggy ride back to Cumbuco beforehand. In case of emergency call 193 (fire brigade) or 192 (SAMU). The best time is from August to December.

Photos: "O que será o Ceará? III" by Fabiomaia76 (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons; "O que será o Ceará? IV" by Fabiomaia76 (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

- **Sports:** Kitesurf
- **Difficulty:** Intermediate
- **Location:** Cumbuco, Brazil (-3.58760, -38.77770)
- **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 | 2 | 69 | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| February | 2 | 91 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| March | 10 | 88 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| April | 13 | 86 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| May | 4 | 93 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| June | 1 | 89 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| July | 1 | 64 | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| August | 0 | 29 | 71 | 0 | 0 |
| September | 0 | 16 | 84 | 0 | 0 |
| October | 0 | 17 | 82 | 1 | 0 |
| November | 0 | 27 | 73 | 0 | 0 |
| December | 0 | 39 | 61 | 0 | 0 |

## Local winds

- **Alísio del este** — E (90°), 15–28 kn. The trade wind that crosses the Atlantic: it 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. At this beach, which faces east-northeast, it comes in side-onshore.. Side-onshore wind: if you fall, you drift towards the beach and towards the northwest. Stay away from the river mouth.
- **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 and is usually lighter and more gusty in the morning. Here it blows almost parallel to the shore.. Parallel to the beach: the drift is long towards the northwest and there is little push towards the shore. Be clear about where you are going to exit the water.

## Zones

- **Launch** — Launch zone
- **Barra do Cauípe** — Navigation zone
- **River mouth (current)** — Restricted zone

## Points of interest

- **Cauípe river mouth**: When the bar is open, especially after the rains, there is a current out to sea. Its position changes from year to year.
- **Rocks on the shore**: Rock outcrops on the shore next to the river mouth, visible at low tide (approximate position).
- **Lagoa do Cauípe**: The flat water lagoon behind the sand: another spot, with its own launch on the west shore and on the sandbank.
- **Lagoon barracas**: Barracas with food at the northern tip of the lagoon, next to the launch.
- **Arrival of the downwind from Cumbuco**: The downwind from Cumbuco ends here, about 7 km along the coast. Organise the buggy return before leaving.
- **Cars and buggies on the sand**: Cars and buggies circulate along the beach, and parking is on the sand: look before setting up and launching.
- **Pico das Almas**: Wave peak over sand bottom halfway through the downwind, about 2.5 km to the southeast. Waves up to a metre and a half at high tide, rip currents. Intermediate level.
- **Vila Galé Sunset**: Resort next to the beach, 1.2 km to the southeast.

## Hazards

- Cauípe river mouth: with the bar open there is a current out to sea
- Shorebreak on the shore and waves in the outside area
- Rocks on the shore near the river mouth, visible at low tide
- Cars and buggies circulating on the sand
- Isolated spot: no lifeguards

## Obstacles

- Cars and buggies on the sand
- Barracas and bathers next to the lagoon

## Facilities

- Toilets
- Parking
- Restaurant
- School

[See it on Ventus Surf (3D map, zones and live forecast)](https://ventus.surf/spots/cumbuco-barra-do-cauipe-3YBkKiMyC6uHj6vLtDZZ?lang=en)