Stormrider Guide to surfing Asturias

Spain, EUROPE

Rodiles, Willy Uribe

Summary

+ Epic left rivermouth	- Wet and windy
+ Consistent year-round swells	- Cold winter water
+ Many exposed beachbreaks	- Steep, slow access
+ Empty remote beaches	- Crowded summers

In Asturias, the mountains run close to the coast, creating a rugged, difficult to access coastline of sheer cliffs and steep-sided valleys. Small offshore islets interfere with the swell and many rocky coves have poor waves, but there are some excellent west-facing beachbreaks that are offshore in the summer NE sea breezes. Regional classic rivermouth Rodiles works on larger autumn to winter swells so there is usually something to surf all-year-round.

When to Go

Swells arrive from the W and then shift to the NW and even due N while the low pressures track eastwards. Winds will start SW, sometimes at gale-force, before clocking W then NW as the front goes by. Summers suffer long flat spells and the light afternoon sea breeze is NW-NE. High pressure means constant S-SE in winter and morning offshores that can whistle down the valleys. Autumn is the best season but Dec-March can be a consistent period, with cool weather and potential for perfect surf. Tidal variation is huge (up to 4.15m), keeping surf session windows brief.

Surf Spots

Rodiles is the best wave in Asturias, forming up a world-class rivermouth lefthander similar to Mundaka, but slightly shorter and handles less size. Needs a moderate winter NW swell, 2hrs either side of low to produce lengthy walls with inviting pull-in sections. Always crowded, heavy localism, strong rips, car crime and estuarine pollution. The small beach at Playa España can have one or two good peaks plus some higher tide shorebreaks. Peñarrubia’s medium-quality lefthand reefbreak is best at low to mid tide and needs a fair swell to get going. Flanked by the playas Cagonera and Cervigon, where a low tide left reef breaks. El Mongol is Gijon’s best wave, a powerful righthand reefbreak that needs a big NW swell to work. Gets going at headhigh, closes-out at double that. Best at high tide. Average-quality, city centre beachbreak San Lorenzo, picks up a limited amount of swell, but is surfable during most tides and SW winds. Often crowded, with surf school, surf shops and bars at hand. Luanco’s east-facing beachbreak and ultra-hollow, outside righthand reef only work on the biggest of swells. Verdicio consistently picks up plenty of swell, but the low tide sandbars between the rocky outcrops are pretty average with slow corners or close-outs. West-facing Xago is an ultra-consistent beachbreak with good peaks at all tides and shelter from summer NE sea breezes. Stretching from Playa El Espartal to Salinas, this is one of the most popular surfing beaches in Asturias. Fast, barrelling, consistent beachbreak peaks, working during all tides and summer NE sea breezes. In the small holiday resort of Santa Maria del Mar, average beachbreaks plus a fickle lefthand reef will appear on moderate NW swells around mid tide. Long, dune-backed Playón de Bayas has plenty of shifting, all tide peaks. Extremely consistent and a swell magnet, E winds, lower tide and a summer NW swell should line up the banks. Standard beachbreak peaks at Aguilar are helped by some large rocky outcrops to shape the sandbars. Works during most stages of the tide, but W swells won’t get in. Cadavedo is very sheltered, east-facing beachbreak and only an option on huge swells and stormy conditions. Cueva’s high quality, west-facing beachbreak matches rivermouth rights at the eastern end with rocky lefts at the other end. Very consistent. Best low to mid tide. Otur is a good option for small swells, works on most tides and gets hollower as it drops to low. Top quality, consistent beachbreak Frejulfe works on all tides – low for the eastern rivermouth and incoming to high for the rocky western end. Nearby Navia has a right reef at Moro and dirty lefts at the town beach. Tapia is a popular surfing beach and contest site that’s often crowded thanks to a good-quality, consistent beachbreak with semi-permanent, hollow lefthander, fed by a stream. Best mid to low tide, outgoing, with some shelter from NE sea breezes in summer, but it is a year-round wave.

Statistics

dominant swell

W -N

swell size (ft)

5-6

4-5

3-4

2-3

4-5

5-6

consistency (%)

dominant wind

SW -NW

NW -NE

W -NE

SW -NW

average force

F4-F5

F3-F4

F4-F5

consistency (%)

water temp (C)

wetsuit

4/3

3/2

4/3

Travel Information

Weather
The climate is humid, with mild, year-round temps, however weather patterns are unstable. Summer days are often cloudy and winters are very mild and rainy, even though the mountains may be cloaked in snow. A 4/3mm suit will cover all but the coldest winter days and spring thaws at the freezing rivermouths. During summer, a light steamer/springsuit combo will be needed as it gets colder further west.

Lodging and Food
Almost every Spanish beach has a campground with amenities: Rodiles has 3! They are cheap and very lively in summer. If you want to stay dry, look for pensions (P), hostels (Hs), or hotels (H) depending on budget. Beach hotels tend to be expensive. Meals cost $18. Local tapas are tasty, but they can leave an empty stomach and wallet!

Nature and Culture
Asturias offers 9th century “prerománica” architecture, in the old part of the Principado capital, Oviedo (with its Gothic cathedral) and Avilés. Check the high Picos de Europa (Covadonga), enjoy local music and apple cider fiestas in fall.