The spot
Speaking of the spot, the place is an amazing big bay that seems just straight out of a pirate movie with a 1,5 Km long white sand beach with a small island (Su Giudeu) in the middle and two points, respectively at the NE and SW ends. The contrast between the white sand, the harsh rocks surrounding the bay, the bushes of the Mediterranean vegetation and the turquoise blue water is stunning and breathtaking.
Aside from the obvious fact the SUP Cruising there is great, Chia is basically a SUP Surfing spot. As long as the wind forecasts call for a strong episode of southeasterly wind, this spot is a safe bet (check Windguru at
www.windguru.cz/it/index.php?sc=49178). Indeed, if you are a windsurfer and/or a kitesurfer too, you won’t waste the windy days, so bring your Windsurfing or Kiteboarding kits too! Typically the Scirocco (the SE wind coming from the Sahara Desert) lasts for two or three days, then it can die off or veer to the W/NW. Given the big fetch area, which extends from the North African Coast all the way to the southern coast of Sardinia, SE swells build up rapidly in Chia and subside slowly. Needless to say, Chia provides the best SUP Surfing conditions in presence of windless days and subsiding SE or even (more rarely) NW swells. Bear in mind, however, that the nature of the waves is very different whether you surf the left or the central break of the spot (the latter located some 200 m from the Su Giudeu island). This is due to the sea floor, rocky near the left point, sandy in the centre, where you basically ride a fast, powerful and hollow beach break. No real channels to talk about, so making to the outside can be really frustrating when it’s big. While riding the left mini-spot is recommended, it must be stressed that unfortunately it can get pretty busy with locals. So if it’s too crowded by short and long boarders, staying apart and riding the central mini-break is a better option, even though that in turn will mean dealing with the aforementioned very challenging beach break. Even so, if you are skilled enough, that break will guarantee you killer vertical takeoffs, short tube rides and … last but not least, lots of wipeouts. In that regards, be careful as the sandy bottom is pretty shallow and when it’s big, wearing an impact vest and a helmet is strongly advised. Other hazards include a strong current with big swells and (in Late Spring and Summer) the occasional sunbathers swimming near the break. All in all, we do love this spot for its immense beauty, consistent and challenging conditions.
