# El Mollar - Dique La Angostura — El Mollar, Argentina

The La Angostura dam, El Mollar lake, is in the centre of the Tafí valley, at almost 2,000 m altitude, between El Mollar and Tafí del Valle. This spot is the west coast of the lake in front of the Casas Viejas neighbourhood of El Mollar: an open and dry grassland that reaches the water, between a marsh with reeds to the north and another reed bed to the south. It is one of the two most popular areas for riding on the lake; the other is about 900 m to the north, on the Tafí del Valle side. Kite has been practiced on the lake since 2005 and a sign from the Secretariat of Tourism presents it as favourable for sailing and windsurf due to its winds.

You ride with the valley thermal, which rises from the plains through the gorge and enters the lake from the east and southeast from midday until mid-afternoon; in the early morning the lake is usually flat. On this coast the east enters head-on and the southeast side-on from the right, so the wind returns you to the shore. It is a moderate wind, local riders talk about gusts of around 14 kt, and at this altitude the air is less dense: take a larger size than at sea. The good months are from September to March; in summer afternoon storms are common. The west wind blows offshore on this coast and you cannot go out.

With onshore wind, set up and launch far from the water. Between the grass and the water there is a strip of low vegetation and reeds, and the water at the shore is shallow. There are fishing boats and rental kayaks on the lake. The dam is within the La Angostura Provincial Reserve: look after the shoreline vegetation. There is no road to the coast: leave the car at the end of the Casas Viejas street and walk about 350 m through the grassland. There are no services on the coast; the centre of El Mollar, 2 km away, has accommodation, food and petrol.

- **Sports:** Kitesurf, Windsurf, Wingfoil
- **Difficulty:** Intermediate
- **Location:** El Mollar, Argentina (-26.92000, -65.70802)
- **Favourable wind directions (where the wind blows from):** ENE (70°), E (90°), ESE (115°), SE (135°)
- **Wind range (knots):** 10–25
- **Best months:** September, October, November, December, January, February, March

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

| Month | <7 kn | 7–13 kn | 13–20 kn | 20–35 kn | >35 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 97 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| February | 98 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| March | 95 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| April | 91 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| May | 92 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| June | 92 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| July | 93 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| August | 84 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| September | 78 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| October | 83 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| November | 89 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| December | 97 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Local winds

- **Viento del valle (este)** — E (90°), 10–22 kn. The valley thermal: rises from the plains through the gorge and enters the lake from the east from midday until mid-afternoon. On this coast it enters head-on and returns you to the shore.. With onshore wind, set up and launch well away from the water and do not let yourself fall onto the shore. At almost 2,000 m the air is less dense: take a larger size than at sea.
- **Sudeste** — SE (135°), 10–22 kn. The same thermal when it enters more from the south: it stays side-on from the right, the most comfortable angle to enter and exit on this coast.. It takes you towards the north, towards the marsh with reeds: gain height and return to the launch.
- **Oeste** — W (280°), 10–35 kn. Offshore wind that comes down from the hills, especially in winter. On this coast it blows towards the middle of the lake: do not go out.. It takes you away from the coast towards the middle of the lake, with cold water and strong gusts. Do not go out with a west wind.

## Zones

- **Launch** — Launch zone
- **La Angostura - El Mollar** — Navigation zone
- **Parking** — Parking

## Points of interest

- **Launch**: Open and dry grassland in front of the water, between the northern marsh and the southern reed bed.
- **Parking**: End of Casas Viejas street; from here about 350 m on foot through the grassland to the water. Approximate position, no marked parking.
- **Marsh with reeds**: Wet area with reeds to the north of the launch: do not launch or land here.
- **Reed bed**: Reeds and a small lagoon on the shore to the south of the launch.
- **Cocodrilos Camping**: Campsite in El Mollar, about 3 km south by road (OpenStreetMap).

## Hazards

- Onshore wind: the kite can drag you towards the shore if you launch close to the water
- Marsh with reeds to the north of the launch and reed bed to the south: do not launch or land there
- Altitude of almost 2,000 m: the wind is less powerful, the sun is strong and the water is cold
- Afternoon storms in summer: if the sky clouds over the hills, get out of the water
- West wind: blows offshore and takes you to the middle of the lake
- No services or rescue on the coast: do not ride alone

## Obstacles

- Reeds and low vegetation on the shore
- Fishing boats and kayaks on the lake

## Facilities

- Parking

[See it on Ventus Surf (3D map, zones and live forecast)](https://ventus.surf/spots/el-mollar-dique-la-angostura-HdtBT5LdMZV8YD0J7ihN?lang=en)