Surf spot guide · Madeira, Portugal
Rarely ridden expert point near Paul do Mar producing freight-train barrels over boulders on big W-NW swells.
High Waves
Large waves up to 2.8m expected at Ponta Paul. Peak conditions around 9:00 AM.
Exercise extreme caution when entering the water. Strong currents and large waves present. Warning valid until 9:00 PM.
Ponta Paul is one of the most dangerous and seldom-surfed waves on Madeira's southwest coast, sitting at the northern tip of Paul do Mar village. You can see the point from the coast road, and from far off it seems almost doable, until the first set shows up and ends that idea. The wave is ferociously fast, hollow top to bottom, and breaks over supershallow boulders with zero margin between surfer and rock. The takeoff is an airdrop off a critical lip, and the ride accelerates through 200 to 500 meters of unrelenting wall. If a section closes or the drop is missed, the rocks are guaranteed. Only a handful of surfers have ridden it, and there have been close calls. The break demands a NW to W groundswell of at least 3 meters at low to rising tide, with a northerly offshore cleaning up the faces.
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Essentially unsurfed. The break sees solo or zero surfers virtually every session, with only a handful of rides in its history.
Committing big-wave test piece for a tiny crew
Madeira
Unsurfed Madeira boulder right, accessible only by boat, breaking hollow and fast over a shallow boulder bottom on big NW swells.
Madeira
Powerful boulder-bottom right-hander on Madeira southwest coast, famous for hollow barrels on big W-NW swells.
Madeira
Madeira's most consistent south-shore right: a long, fast boulder-bottom point that turns deadly on the inside section.
+9 MORE →Study the wave from the coastal road above Paul do Mar for several sets before even considering entry
Commit only on clean low tide with a pure NW groundswell - mixed swells make the exit unpredictable
Have a spotter and water safety on standby
Know the boulder shelf layout before paddling anywhere near the impact zone
The wave is not paddleable at full size - tow-in has been discussed for the biggest days
HAZARDS · KNOW BEFORE YOU PADDLE
Located at the northern end of Paul do Mar village. Roadside parking available on the coastal road above the break. No formal car park, no lifeguard, no facilities. The entry and exit over the boulder shelf requires careful timing and local knowledge.
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