Overview
Santa Maria is an 8 km (5 mi) sandy beach on the southern tip of Sal, made up mainly of mellow, small beachbreaks. Waves break over a mix of uneven reef and sand around the wooden pier, known as the Ponton, with a few lefts peeling off a reef close to the big hotel and old harbour. This stretch is really wind and kitesurf territory, and locals love it for a sunset session. Out on the eastern tip of the bay, Lembje Point occasionally serves up some seriously nice lefts for all types of surfer.
When It Works
The beach draws swell from southwest through north to northeast, with southwest swell the best match. It picks up the all too rare southwest swells and summer northeast swells, along with big winter northwest swells that wrap in. Both lefts and rights come through, and the waves are usable from 0.3 m / 1 ft to 1.8 m / 6 ft. Consistency is moderate, so it pays to catch it when the setup lines up. The left by the reef doubles as a handy gauge of the swell size over on the west coast.
Wind and Tide
Look for north offshore wind. The beach works across low, mid, and high tide, with a rising tide generally the better call. At high tide the sand gives an easy, forgiving ride.
Local Tips
This is a friendly place for beginners, with the gentle beachbreaks making it an easy spot to find your feet. Expect a fairly quiet lineup when it works.
