Overview

Kitesurf
Wingfoil
Windsurf

The Hydrobase is Senegal's most renowned kitesurfing spot. Located south of the historic city of Saint-Louis (UNESCO World Heritage), on the Langue de Barbarie sand spit, this narrow strip separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Senegal River, offering two radically different conditions metres apart.

Ocean side: challenging waves 1-2m (up to 4m in heavy swells), currents, side-shore N-NW wind. Experienced riders only.

River side: flat water, shallow, maximum safety. Perfect for beginners and freestyle.

Main wind November to July: NE trade wind morning (offshore), shifting N-NW afternoon (side-onshore), 15-25 knots. January-February: Harmattan (Saharan east wind) up to 30 knots. July-October: weak westerly except storms.

Best season: December to May. Water 20-22°C, air 25-30°C.

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Spot forecast for Saint-Louis - Hydrobase

Sunrise 06:59 · Sunset 18:42

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< 7 kn7–12 kn13–20 kn21–30 kn31–40 kn41+ kn Gusts Your minimum: 7 kn

Forecasts provided by Open-Meteo

Saint-Louis - Hydrobase: when to go?

Rideable days and hours computed for a minimum wind of 7 knots · log in to set your own (foil, twin-tip…)

Season · peak

400h

in March · 31 rideable days

The season runs from February to June, peaking in March: 28 rideable days a month and 400 hours of usable wind, at 31 °C. The low point is August, at 13.5 days.

Rideable days per month

Wind strength when it is rideable

7-12 knots · 86%13-20 knots · 14%21-30 knots · under 1%

When the spot works, wind sits mostly between 7 and 12 knots — 86% of rideable hours. Big-kite territory. The coldest month is June, at 29 °C. The wettest month is August, with 87 mm.

Monthly averages: Saint-Louis - Hydrobase

Monthly averages — Saint-Louis - Hydrobase — averaged over 2 years of records — Weather data by Open-Meteo.com — How it is calculated
Month	Rideable days	Usable wind	Temperature	Rain
January	22.5	139 h	32 °C	0 mm
February	26.0	185 h	33 °C	0 mm
March	31.0	400 h	30 °C	0 mm
April	29.5	380 h	32 °C	1 mm
May	29.5	372 h	32 °C	0 mm
June	24.5	236 h	29 °C	0 mm
July	22.5	187 h	29 °C	23 mm
August	13.5	104 h	31 °C	87 mm
September	16.0	125 h	31 °C	59 mm
October	20.5	147 h	33 °C	6 mm
November	19.5	129 h	34 °C	1 mm
December	22.0	152 h	30 °C	5 mm

Photo gallery of Saint-Louis - Hydrobase

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Technical details of Saint-Louis - Hydrobase spot

The spot works with winds from N, NNE, NE, WNW, NW, NNW.

Rideable Not rideable

Local association recommendations

DaKite Tour / Bertil Willotte — kitesurf guide-instructor covering Saint-Louis and all of Senegal. Contact: dakitetour@gmail.com

Au Fil du Fleuve — comfortable accommodation with gear storage, guides to spots. Snacks offered after sessions.

Spot opening date · Required level

Spot opening date: Open all year round
Required level: Intermediate

Parking

Access from Saint-Louis city through Guet Ndar fishing quarter then past the Muslim cemetery. Beachfront hotels: Hôtel Dior, Hôtel Mermoz, Hôtel Oasis, Hôtel Cap Saint-Louis, Hôtel Diamarek, Hôtel Valentine Paradise. Camping Océan (motorhome spots) next to Hôtel Dior. Many budget guesthouses along the beach.

Wind specificities

NE trade wind dominant November to July, 15-25 knots. Offshore in morning, turning N-NW in afternoon due to thermal effect becoming side-onshore. Harmattan hits January-February, gusty up to 30 knots. During rainy season (July-October), weak westerly (5-15 knots) except storms.

Hazards

Senegal River mouth: a few km south — extremely strong currents and dangerous eddies. Never navigate here.

Rip currents: ocean side, currents form depending on tides, especially rising tide. Waves up to 4m in heavy swells.

Harmattan: January-February, gusty east wind up to 30 knots with sand reducing visibility.

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SAINT-LOUIS12.6 kmsource WIS2 - WMO

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Additional stations

Ogimet - Saint-Louis (Senegal)12.6 km

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Saint-Louis - Hydrobase kitesurf, wingfoil and windsurf spot