About Essaouira bay
Essaouira (historic name Mogador) has a long sandy bay south of its medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, and its port. The Mogador islands lie off the south of the bay, and the Oued Ksob river mouth and the village of Diabat mark its south end. The main beach faces west-north-west (about 290°).
Which wind works at Essaouira bay?
The summer north wind (the alizé) blows roughly side-shore from the right. We count winds from 50° to 170° (roughly NE round through E to S) as offshore or side-offshore.
Orientation comes from OpenStreetMap coastline data, averaged over a few kilometres of beach around the spot. A straight offshore wind here blows from 110°; we count 50° to 170° (±60°) as offshore or side-offshore.
Hazards to know
- A north wind pushes you south along the beach, towards Diabat and the Oued Ksob river mouth.
- The Mogador islands (Îles Purpuraires) are a protected nature reserve: no landing.
- Keep clear of the port at the north end of the bay.
- In summer, respect swimming zones and keep at least 50 m of clear space downwind.
Safety rules and emergency numbers
Who is it for?
Learners: only with an instructor. Riding alone: you should be able to self-rescue and get back upwind.
When is it windy at Essaouira bay?
Monthly daytime wind averages (11:00–18:00 Moroccan clock time of the period, ≈ 10:00–17:00 on today's UTC+0 clock) from ERA5 reanalysis, 2015–2024, plus offshore wave and sea temperature means from the Open-Meteo marine model, 2022–2024.