Viana do Castelo

The ride is quite short and I follow directions for the Kite Surf shop at the yacht club. Another classy joint with everyone at lunch, but the shop is closed, so I scout around finding a good parking spot. The day is young so on with the wetsuit grab a 10m kite and my gear and down to the beach. A strong cross shore wind with kites, windsurfers and foils out on the water. All rigged up I ask for a launch. It seems to be going well but then the kite falls back to the beach and my helper scurries after it. Next time it's successful and I get out on the water. The wind is blustery and I find the kite falling out of the sky and in my ham-fisted way I slam it into the water a couple of times. Not feeling confident I come off the water and walk the kite back up wind. This time I ask for a launch and again have trouble with the kite falling back to the ground just when a load of teenagers rush past playing football, fortunately they just miss getting tangled in by lines. It would have been better to have launched the kite towards the sea.

Not feeling good about the day I go in search of a campsite and find there is one just 300m away. This is packed with serious water sport fanatics with every sort of sport represented; wetsuits, windsurf boards and sails, surf boards, foils and kites everywhere.

Not feeling good about the day I go in search of a campsite and find there is one just 300m away. This is packed with serious water sport fanatics with every sort of sport represented; wetsuits, windsurf boards and sails, surf boards, foils and kites everywhere.

The following day I get out on the water and make a few decent runs but the cross shore wind drives me down the beach and I endure the walk of shame, plodding upwind carrying the board and flying the kite. This is my experience of Viana, but I tell myself I am learning, consistent water starts and more balanced runs, albeit downwind.

After four days the wind drops and I pack up to make for Porto.

What did I think of Viana? A great location but if I am to make the best of these opportunities I've just got to be secure in the harness, toes up and digging the rail in, going up wind. There is far to much energy expended in the walk of shame.