The first gust that hits you on Brazil’s northeast coast feels like a promise—steady, warm, and endless. For decades, kiteboarders & windsurfers from around the world have flocked here, drawn by wind that rarely takes a day off and a coastline that’s designed for adventure. Europeans were among the first to make Brazil their winter migration, swapping the cold for months of perfect sessions between dunes, lagoons, and open ocean. Names like Cumbuco, Jericoacoara, and Barra Grande have become legends in the sport, each offering its own mix of conditions and culture. Today, Brazil is more than just a destination—it’s a mecca, a place where riders chase not just the wind, but the energy of a community that returns year after year.

Our next stop was the sand spit outside Tutoia, famous for its beginner-friendly kiting lagoon. To get there, we had to drive 10 km up the beach. I took the wheel so Tim could enjoy his lunch, smoky barbecue steak piled with rice, beans, spaghetti, and salad from a roadside grill. These stalls are everywhere, perfuming the streets with charcoal and meat, and the best part, its only $5 CAD for a meal.

Arpoador

12-14th September. The kite club here had a great setup: shady hangout spots, hammocks swaying in the breeze, chilled beats drifting from the bar. For $20 CAD per day, we could camp on the property, use the toilets, and rinse off in an outdoor shower that sent water flying sideways in the wind.

The lagoon was perfect for Jaxon—waist-deep, sheltered, and flat. He could safely practice, just letting the kite go and standing up if things got tricky. For Tim and me it was less ideal—too shallow for my surfboard fins, and I often catapulted onto the mud when they caught bottom. Still, the setting was idyllic.

Jaxon drove out…

Macapá

15-20th September. A windswept beach that feels more like a kiteboarding outpost than a village. Life here revolves around the wind and the water. We spent five days camped at Friendly Kite School. No camping fee, just good vibes with the use of the toilet & shower, another pipe in the sand, that blew in the wind.

Out front is the tidal lagoon where Jaxon spent hours every day, rapidly improving his kite skills. Tim and Charley ripped around in the afternoons while I wrestled with my surfboard in the vicious, gusty wind.  The current & wind was strong, and without foot straps I spent more time flying than riding.  Everyone else used twin-tips—I have one back home, but not on this trip. 

Still, the sunshine, warm water, and music in my ears gives me the physical workout I need.  Hopefully from the beach I look like I’m exactly where I intend to be—cruising along with style—instead of actually locked in a never-ending battle just to stay upwind. Haha

Our days here followed the rhythm of the tides, kiting when the water was high, sometimes till after sunset. School work when low. I filled the fridge with fresh salads and baked a daily loaf of sourdough bread. We have to be careful with the water in our tanks, keeping it exclusively for drinking.  Cooking and dishes we are using the ground water. Midweek is calm, but by Friday the carpark was full, the lagoon full with kiters. Locals tell us that in high season hundreds of pretty kites fill the sky each day.  It would be nice to see, but one we’re glad to not get tangled up in.

drinking water & a new filter

We’ve been in touch with kiting friends from back home who arrive down here at the end of the month. They are bringing down a few goodies for us, our ‘wish’ list was for a new iPhone and a water tester. After meeting with the Brazilian couple who had one, we decided it was a must for us. Being able to test the quality of water before putting it in our tanks will prolong the life of the filters.

For the past few months we have noticed our water pump change. Normally it runs with a steady flow, but had changed to a pulsing sound. Then gradually over time the flow had reduced. Assuming it to be the pump, Tim spent time taking it apart and reassembling without improvement. We looked for leaks in the system, nothing. It turned out to be the filter, if was full and could no longer allow water to flow. Swapping it out with a new one, the water instantly flowed strong again. Yay, we learned something new.

Lagoa de Jojica

22 & 23 September. What a gorgeous part of the world, the coast is endless white sand and turquoise water, with simple fishing villages. On our way to the next kite beach we first spent two nights & a relaxing day at Tiao Campground on the shores of beautiful fresh water Lagoa de Jojica. White sand, palapas, hammocks slung in the water and fresh Caipirinha. Really, can life get any better?