AIR TIME!

Columbia Water Sports operate in an enclosed bay (see below), offering flat water and  chop to play with but that doesn't mean you can't take air off the ramps. And out of the bay, there are big swells and higher winds particularly in the afternoons when it's usually Force 4 in the high summer thanks to thermals across the south coast of Cyprus.  They get light winds in the morning, so it's good for beginners or improvers wanting to perfect their gybes for the afternoon. And quite often it will be windier in Pissouri Bay thanks to local thermals than other spots down the coast.

 

 

 

There are no windsurfing centres to compare with Dahab and Vassiliki in Cyprus, but some smaller operators doing a whole lot more than the average hotel. Columbia Water Sports was among the first to get serious about windsurfing, and it remains one of the best partly thanks to its location:

Pissouri Bay - away from the crowds at Dahab or Vass, it's a small bay but beautifully quiet. During most of the summer, the predominant winds are westerlies, which go right to left across the headland and into the bay. That makes it calmer and protected to the right for beginners, but windy enough to plane most days over to the left hand side of the bay.

Don't be deceived by the flat calm in this picture. We often get a real blast from a thermal downdraft around 4pm which we call HERO after one of the baristas in the coffee shop by our beachstore. Experts will find bigger winds and rolling swells to play on outside the bay. To be honest, WE DON'T GET BIG WAVES...Pissouri is not a wave resort. But we ain't complainin'. The wind in the Bay can be gusty, while it's steady outside the Bay, but the gusts often make it better for planing in the Bay than out, so we take what we get and play with it.

 Valentino carving by the beach in the Spring.

SAFETY FIRST - for most of the summer, there are red floats in the bay to mark the swimmers' only area. That's a no go area for all craft, including windsurfers.

OUR WINDSURFING SEASON - We run from April (Easter) to early Nov. Cyprus is one of the most southerly parts of the EU and one of the sunniest.

 

WIND - The windiest months are usually April, August and September when there's more than a 40 per cent chance of getting winds of Force 4 or more. But it's more complicated than that - if you look on the weekly forecast, you will see that the wind tends to increase in the afternoon. That is because thermals kick in around the Bay in the afternoons and usually blow at 3 pm to around 5.30 pm. Click on this link for annual wind stats measured from our nearest weather station, nearby Akrotiri. link      

 SHOULD I BRING A WET SUIT? In April you might need a shortie wet-suit but we do have some to use inclusive of our rental prices. By June it's warm enough just to sail in a rash vest and shorts. Our tip - bring your own rash vest to keep out the UV! The water temperature is usually over 23C in the summer.                                             Carving out of the bay, in the big blue and only a rash vest...

 YOU COULD BE SAILING WITH TURTLES IN PISSOURI

 Turtle nesting site Pissouri Bay. They pop up in the bay all the time - and you may be lucky enough to see them hatching. More info from turtlewatch if you click on this link www.episkopiturtlewatch.com/eng/

Sailing past Cape Aspro (the white cape) outside the bay.

 FANCY A BREAK FROM WINDSURFING? TRYTHIS

 The hobie cat - not the tourist boat! Or we've got this:

 

or you could try this....

  Valentino taking big air kite surfing.

KITE SURFING

Kite surfing courses - contact: Christophe on (00357) 99604129 or e-mail christophe@cyprus-wind.com. Check out his zone at www.cyprus-wind.com or hit this link

DIVING 

Pissouri Bay Divers offer try-dives in the bay and deep dives on the Zenobia wreck or elsewhere around Cyprus's coast. Phone: 00357 96530761 or website www.pissouribaydivers.com. You will find them in the row of shops around the corner from Artemis restaurant.

BRINGING YOUR OWN KIT is advisable if you want to sail in other places, such as Avdimou, a quiet bay near Pissouri, wave sailing at Curium or blasting parallel to the beach at Ladies Mile near Limassol. As these beaches are in the British Sovereign Base Area, no kit is available to rent on these beaches, so you have to use your own, and stick with the local by-laws and rules, as the SBA are strict, particularly about not allowing sailing in the swimming areas which are bouyed off.

Limassol - Crest Water Sports offer windsurfing at the St Raphael Hotel, east Limassol by the Raphael Marina. St. Raphael Marina - Main Center - Limassol - Cyprus Tel: 00 357 25 635101 - Mob: 00 357 99 302077
info@crestwatersports.com

MOUNTAIN BIKING

The Troodos Mountains are an hour's drive away. They are a biker's paradise. There are plenty of places you can rent mountain bikes from. Click on this link.

 

OTHER THINGS TO DO ON NO WIND DAYS

Go go go toTHE LAST CASTLE restaurant near Agios Georgios west of Paphos- it's like the set from Mama Mia, stone tables under a vine, and a real slice of traditional Cyprus. They don't have a menu - it's souvla chicken or pork (or veggie option) served lunchtime only, not open at night. Fabulous views over the sea, and cool breezes, but wonderful simple cooking. Getting there is also an experience, just before you get to the little fishing harbour of Agios Georgios (worth going to for a quick dip and a look at the caves) you head off right at the sign for Akamas Peninsula, then follow the road. It gets rough (off road) but it's passable. Go past the White River taverna and at a rock, marked Last Castle, go right up a hill on rough road and it's about 500 metres on the left. It's worth the ride.

Visit a winery - there are many clustered a short drive from Pissouri on the road from Kouklia to the Troodos mountains via Mandria. We can strongly recommend the friendly welcome at Zenon Winery on the Mandria New Road near the lovely village of Omodos (worth a stop for lunch). They produce vintage reds, and soft whites, and offer free tasting with home made hot olive bread (freshly baked when we arrived) and other nibbles. It's an amazing winding road, breathtaking views, though not the quickest way to the hills (it's probably quicker to go to Limassol on the motorway and hang a left at the second roundabout for Platres) but it is spectacular. It's right through the wind farm (mixed blessing).

Walking

Pissouri is still pretty rural, and there are plenty of footpaths to explore but beware of the odd snake in the grass! There are amazing Alpine-style hikes in the Troodos mountains too!

Goats in Pissouri produce Haloumi - a hard cheese that is delicious as a starter when grilled.

Shops

Pissouri Bay and the Village have banks and supermarkets. But we'd recommend you explore the old quarter in Limassol by following the motorway signs for the old habour. There's a fantastic bazaar offering locally made leather and lace you and you can even get a motorised barbeque or a new suit or leather jacket made to measure in one of the many little workshops.

Discos

There are no dedicated discos in Pissouri, though there's Cyprus Night which jumps on Fridays at the Vine Leaf in the Bay and Wednesday night in Pissouri Square. It's a 25 minute car ride to Paphos and Limassol which have discos, clubs and big shopping centres.

GOLF

There's also top class golf nearby at the Aphrodite Hills complex or the Secret Valley course.

WINE

Cyprus is rightly proud of its fruity red and white wine, with a history of winemaking stretching back to the ancient Greeks. There is a wine festival in the village in the Autumn, and you'll still see loads of vines around the bay area. There are vineyards in Pachna and some of the roads up to the Troodos.

 PLACES TO SEE

Curium (Kurion) Roman ampthitheatre overlooking the sea on the coast road through Episkopi. Ancient remains may not be your thing, but Curium is spectacular and it's just above a fabulous wave beach, where you can bodyboard and relax and some great tavernas. Great day out.

Flying like Tornados, members of the RAF sailing club at Ladies Mile.

Ladies Mile (above) is a wild, windswept peninulsa which stretches like a finger into the sea for over 3kms and at the tip is RAF Akrotiri (you may see jets taking off and landing). On the leeward side are three miles of sandy beach, with unbelievable warm shallow water, which is great for a day out with the kids to have a paddle. There are amazing salt flats with flamingoes in the Spring, and loads of tavernas to chill out. You can also watch the RAF sailing club windsurfing down the strip. Sadly we can't rent you boards for Ladies Mile as it's in the British Sovereign Base Area. If you want to sail here, you can, but you have to bring your own kit, as no-one is allowed to rent out windsurfing boards and rigs from this beach.

More things to see:

Amazing mosaics in the Roman villa at Paphos port.

Turtle beach at Lara Bay in the Akamas beyond Paphos.

Savas pottery on the coast road to Paphos

Vineyards and wine shops in the hills including Pachna.

The Troodos mountains - wonderful Alpine scenery

Vultures - ask Yiannos to take you on a sea trip to see them nesting in the cliffs near Episkopi and you may see the rare Cypriot hawk, Eleanora's Falcon. You can also go snorkelling under the cliffs. But you need a large group of you! AND DON'T FORGET THE TURTLES...they nest on Pissouri Beach, and you can get more info from Turtle Watch.

GO NORTH

You can cross into the North at the crossing point in Nicosia - an historic, bustling city on 'the green line',the demarcation line between Cyprus and the northern half of the island, which was occupied by the Turkish armed forces in the invasion of 1974 which split the island in two.

It's peaceful now, and you can travel to the north in a rented car, but you need your passport. Most people head for the romantic port of Kyrenia, once the jewel in Cyprus's crown. And the home of Lawrence Durrell, author of one of the best books on the island, BITTER LEMONS. See if you can spot his house, near the Queen Victoria water tap up a long road from the spectacular hill village of Bellapais, famous for its abbey overlooking the sparkling Med and its Tree of Idleness. There are also Crusador forts which should interest anyone who has read Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code and the lost treasures of the Knights of the Templars.