Bahia Feliz, Gran Canaria » spot info

The Spot on Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is in the happy position of being pampered by wind all year long, and is definitely the Canary Island with the highest wind guarantee. Owing to the shape of the Canary Islands, the trade winds are deflected from every island, and at some parts even accelerated. However, nowhere is the acceleration as intense as it is on Gran Canaria.
Due to the almost circular geography of the island and its mountains with a height of 2000 metres the wind often accelerates and even doubles in strength. This phenomenon, which is also called “crash barrier effect” can cause wind speeds of around 30 to 40 knots in summer.

Wind and Waves
In Bahia Feliz the wind blows mainly sideshore from the left (north-east), creating choppy water and on some days real waves. In front of the bay it is mostly a little bit calmer, therefore it is a good area for intermediates to train. Further outside the swell can reach a height of 1 to 1, 5 metres, inviting nice jumps, and the mostly constant wind helps when training the jibe or other manoeuvres. In the first 100 – 200 metres the wind can be a little bit variable, and the waves at our spot depend on direction of wind and wind speed.

Between the station and the ocean there is a narrow beach of sand and stones. During low tide the water in front of the station is flatter, and during high tide there is choppy water and sometimes a little beach break. You will always find a tide table hanging at the centre.
For beginners we always recommend taking part in windsurfing courses. Due to the sometimes challenging conditions, there are only 3 to 4 pupils per course, so you learn intensively and progress with speed!

Different Wind in Summer and Winter
In general we divide our spot into wintertime and summertime.
From October to April the wind is strong enough for planing conditions 60-70% of the days (4-7 bft). Mainly in wintertime higher waves can reach Bahia Feliz, which can complicate the entry through the shorebreak. During these days our surf instructors are there to help you and show you how to cross the breaking waves. In the case of a low pressure area, we have wind from the south west bringing waves of 1 to 2 metres (and sometimes clouds and rain).
In summer (May to September) the trade winds are stronger (6-8 bft) and more constant, but also more northerly which means that Bahia Feliz can be in the wind shadow. For this reason, Club Mistral organizes High Wind Excursions to the flat water spot of Salinas de Arinaga - a perfect spot for all surfers, who can waterstart without problems.
Of course windsurfing at the station is still possible at this time, with a thermal wind of up to 3 Beaufort we have ideal conditions for all of our beginners and intermediates.
If the trade wind reaches Bahia Feliz there is no reason to leave - we stay at the centre and go windsurfing there!
Thus in summertime Bahia Feliz offers the perfect holiday - even if all your friends or the members of your family don’t all sail on the same level.

High Wind Excursions
Accompanied by an experienced surf instructor, the excursions to Salinas de Arinaga are designed for windsurfers who are competent water-starters and have high wind experience. Here flat water and wind between 6 and 8 bft awaits us! Arinaga is a perfect spot for all classic manoeuvres as well as for new school freestyle. In summer we offer the excursions up to 6 times per week, which guarantees nearly 100% of windsurfing days.
Arinaga is also a very good spot for learning, because of the wide shallow water area in the front. Success in our waterstart lessons is therefore almost guaranteed, but you can also train jibes or other manoeuvres with our instructor.
In the winter season we try to organize high wind excursions quickly if the wind and weather conditions are favourable. The excursion fee for this service is 10€ per day or 35€ a week.
For experienced wave freaks there is also the possibility (for a small fee) to take the gear to other spots like Vargas or Pozo Izquierdo and go windsurfing there (at your own risk).

The Center
Gran Canaria was opened in 1985 and is the first Club Mistral centre. Claus Oepp has been managing the centre for many years and lives together with his family on the island. The centre is located amidst palm trees on the beach premises of the Orquidea Hotel.
Bahia Feliz is an urbanization which is totally different to the mass tourism in Playa del Inglès and Maspalomas. Over here locals and tourists live close together, creating a very special atmosphere. Bahia Felilz offers very relaxing holidays, and after a good surf session you can enjoy a little snack or a cold beer at the beach bar directly next to the surf centre.
After a great surfing day why not spend your evening in one of the small restaurants or bars in Bahia Feliz? Party people will find clubs and discos in Playa del Inglès, which can be reached by bus or taxi within a few minutes.
For our voucher guests we provide Kayaks, Boogie Boards and Surfboards for free, and in addition to this there is free wireless LAN access.

Kids
Kids are really welcome in Bahia Feliz!
We mostly offer kids lessons with 2 - 4 students only. Even though Gran Canaria is not the perfect spot for teaching children, we still have lots of them who really enjoy learning windsurfing at our center. This is thanks to our experienced and motivated instructors who take only small groups, so it is still great fun for them even if the spot is a bit challenging. We also we encourage the kids to play in the ocean with boogie boards or kayaks to learn more about waves etc.