Retamar

Retamar is a Mediterranean beach spot just east of Almería, oriented around reliable west/southwest (Poniente) wind. Multiple sources describe small to modest wave conditions alongside generally clean water, with a wide launch area that makes setup straightforward. Depending on the specific section of beach used, conditions are described as flat to choppy, with reports of small to medium chop or small waves. Wind is a key strength: west through west-southwest directions (including S through WSW/W in the combined guidance) are consistently favorable, and the thermal contribution often builds the wind in the afternoon. One source specifies a thermal sea-breeze window in the afternoon (roughly mid-afternoon into early evening), which helps explain the typical “wind kicks in after about 2 PM” pattern. Typical riding wind speeds are reported in the 15–25 knot range, with generally high reliability in the spring-to-summer period. Safety planning is essential. The beach environment includes pebbles and stones and there is shore break (severity described as moderate in one source and small in another). In summer, riders must use designated kite navigation/channels to keep clear of swimmers—police enforcement is specifically noted—so plan your launch/ride area carefully and stay within the channel to reduce drift risk from side-shore effects and lateral current. For seasonal planning, spring into early autumn stands out, with best consistency cited from February–June in one dataset and from April through September (with October also mentioned regionally) in another. Water temperature varies strongly through the year (winter cold to warm summer), and wetsuit guidance ranges from long wetsuits in winter to shorty/shorts in summer.