Faja dos Cubres

Faja dos Cubres delivers a world-class left pointbreak that wraps its way down a rugged rock wall, peeling over a bed of submerged boulders. When it's on, this wave is heavy, powerful, fast, and hollow, with three distinct sections that can link up into a long, freight-train ride under the right swell direction. The takeoff sits closer to the rocks than the neighboring fajas, so positioning is key. In smaller conditions, exposed boils and dry rocks become a hazard, making the wave more technical and less forgiving. This is a spot for experienced surfers who crave raw, slabby power and are comfortable navigating a tight, rock-lined lineup.

Best Surf Season (October - March)

Faja dos Cubres is a north-facing fajã on the Portuguese island of Sao Jorge, and it lives and dies by the North Atlantic storm track. From October through March, the Azores High retreats south and a conveyor belt of extratropical cyclones flings long-period groundswell toward the archipelago. Average surf heights jump into the 5-6ft (1.5-1.8m) range, periods of 9.5-10.5s put real power in the water, and the south-quadrant winds that blow offshore at this spot become more common as lows stall west of Portugal. When the NAO tilts negative, successive frontal systems line up across the Atlantic and Faja dos Cubres can see days of pumping NW-NNW groundswell with SSW-SW offshore flow. That is the sweet spot of the year at this wild north coast locality.