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Jericoacoara, northern Brazil
Photo: Wake Up Stoked
WORDS MIRIAM TYMIEC
We don’t ‘dare to hope’ at the moment, but if we did then we would expect to be able to get away and travel this autumn. That would coincide with Brazil’s windy season and if you are dreaming of a ‘kiteeat-sleep-repeat’ kind of holiday in warm weather, then this Brazilian getaway, Jericoacoara or Jeri for short, is as good as it gets. While the whole coast north from Fortaleza has one kite spot after another, Jeri, a former fishing and hippie village, is one of a kind for its vibe and atmosphere. It is all built on sand and sits in between dunes in a national park. During the bumpy ride through these dunes and desert scenery, you wouldn’t expect to find what awaits you at the end of the ride – you’ll watch the surfers or a spontaneous capoeira show, see the sun sink into the ocean from the main dune, then wander barefoot on unpaved sandy roads and buy the famous Brazilian cocktail caipirinha on Caipi Street, and maybe catch some live music. There is wind all day every day during the season, and compared to the more southerly spots the wind is stronger and the windy season lasts all the way into January. From August until December or January you can expect 20 to 30 knots of side onshore wind on a daily basis, with the wind picking up slowly during the day and reaching its peak around 2 or 3pm until 5pm, when it gets a bit lighter towards sunset. There are multiple downwind options, and in fact Jeri is not a classic kite-straight-from-your-door spot, as it is more a starting or ending point for your downwinders. In the bay of Jeri itself you are
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not allowed to kite, only windsurfing and surfing are allowed, so you will have to go downwind of the main dune to start your downwinder. This can get quite gusty so is more ideal for intermediate riders. For beginners there are plenty of kite schools in Jeri as well as Preá, a village upwind from Jeri. Condition-wise you can mostly expect choppy water that is flatter in the morning, getting choppier as the wind picks up in the afternoon. You can also find small wind-waves and flat-water lagoons along your downwinders. One downwinder highlight is from Jeri to the lagoon of Guriú, a tide-dependent lagoon, which has a few beach shacks to refuel yourself with a coconut or soft drink. If you still have energy you can make your way back out to the ocean and continue your downwinder to Tatajuba lagoon. But make sure you do this with an experienced guide who knows the tides, as it gets tricky getting back to Jeri at high tide. A cost you will need to factor in is the beach buggies or 4x4s for your daily downwinders. The drivers all charge pretty much the same price and it is hard to bargain, so if you are on a tighter budget it makes sense to share a buggy or 4x4 to split the cost.
