# Potrerillos - Bahía Príncipe — Potrerillos, Argentina

Bahía Príncipe is one of the two kite spots at the Potrerillos dam, about 50 minutes from Mendoza via Ruta Provincial 82. It is on the south coast, at the first roundabout of Parador A, next to the Asociación Mendocina de Windsurf; the Asociación Mendocina de Kite has held national kite and wing championships here. You set up on the point that enters the lake north of the club and ride towards the northeast, through the middle of the lake.

In the morning the lake is calm. After midday a thermal wind enters from the southeast, from the dam wall, at 10 to 20 kt and roughly from 12:30 to 17:00. It arrives gusty due to the hills and almost always requires large kites, from 12 to 18 m; there is also a lot of foil and wing riding. The best times are spring (October to December) and autumn. Do not go out with Zonda.

The water is cold all year round: use a full wetsuit. The lake level changes significantly between years and seasons, and with the lake low, sandbanks and islets appear. From 13 December to 8 March, the Bahía Príncipe public beach, next to the parador, has about 900 m buoyed off for swimmers with lifeguards from 11:00 to 18:00: kite from the point and stay far from that area and the club's sailing boat anchorage. From 2025 the south coast is under concession for a tourist development, and in October of that year the Asociación Mendocina de Kite agreed to move its headquarters to the La Tosca peninsula: access points may change with the works. The association recommends not learning alone: there are schools in Potrerillos.

Photos: "Embalse Potrerillos, sobre el río Mendoza 01" by BiblioJu (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons; "Embalse Potrerillos, sobre el río Mendoza 02" by BiblioJu (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons; "Embalse Potrerillos, sobre el río Mendoza 03" by BiblioJu (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

- **Sports:** Kitesurf, Wingfoil, Windsurf
- **Difficulty:** Intermediate
- **Location:** Potrerillos, Argentina (-32.98662, -69.16405)
- **Favourable wind directions (where the wind blows from):** E (90°), SE (135°)
- **Wind range (knots):** 10–22
- **Best months:** September, October, November, December, February, March, April

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

| Month | <7 kn | 7–13 kn | 13–20 kn | 20–35 kn | >35 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 83 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| February | 92 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| March | 89 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| April | 96 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| May | 89 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| June | 91 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| July | 89 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| August | 73 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| September | 76 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| October | 80 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| November | 77 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| December | 77 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Local winds

- **Térmico del sudeste** — SE (135°), 10–20 kn. The wind on almost every afternoon: the morning is calm and after midday it enters from the dam wall, roughly from 12:30 to 17:00. It arrives gusty due to the hills: ride with large kites.. It takes you towards the northwest, towards Bahía Príncipe and its swimmers: ride north and east of the point, far from the buoys and the sailing boat anchorage.
- **Este** — E (90°), 10–18 kn. Some afternoons, especially in summer, the thermal enters more from the east, along the lake. From the point it blows side-on and slightly towards the shore.. With the lake low, sandbanks and islets appear in front of the point: check the bottom before going out.
- **Zonda** — WNW (290°), 15–40 kn. Hot and dry wind coming down from the cordillera, from the west and northwest, with very strong gusts. No riding.. Unpredictable gusts that blow you away from the shore. With Zonda, do not go out.

## Zones

- **Parking** — Parking
- **Launch** — Launch zone
- **Potrerillos - Bahía Príncipe** — Navigation zone

## Points of interest

- **Point launch**: Narrow point north of the Asociación Mendocina de Windsurf: set up here and launch towards the northeast.
- **Roundabout parking**: Next to the Ruta 82 roundabout (OpenStreetMap). In summer there is free parking at Parador A.
- **Asociación Mendocina de Windsurf**: Windsurf and sailing club on Ruta 82; venue for kite and wing championships (OpenStreetMap).
- **Bahía Príncipe public beach**: Beach with about 900 m buoyed off for swimmers and lifeguards from 11:00 to 18:00, from 13 December to 8 March; parador with restobar, food trucks and toilets (approximate position).
- **Sailing boat anchorage**: Sailing boats anchored in front of the club: do not ride between them.
- **Islet**: Sand islet that appears or disappears depending on the lake level (satellite image).
- **Viewpoint**: Viewpoint over the lake next to Ruta 82 (OpenStreetMap).
- **Potrerillos dam wall**: The dam, at the eastern end of the lake: the afternoon thermal enters from this side.

## Hazards

- Strong gusts due to the hills surrounding the lake
- Zonda: very gusty westerly wind that blows you away from the shore
- Cold water all year round, with risk of hypothermia: use a full wetsuit
- The lake level changes a lot: with the lake low, sandbanks, islets and rocks appear
- Swimmers at Bahía Príncipe from December to March

## Obstacles

- Narrow point with water on both sides: set up carefully and without lines crossing the path
- Sailing boats anchored in front of the Asociación Mendocina de Windsurf
- Kayaks, boats and swimmers at Bahía Príncipe in summer

## Facilities

- Toilets
- Parking
- Restaurant

## Restrictions

- Costa pública y gratuita, sin horarios.

[See it on Ventus Surf (3D map, zones and live forecast)](https://ventus.surf/spots/potrerillos-bahia-principe-q83YRk99OyRaZrxWdNVH?lang=en)