The time has come! At last. After a long shoulder injury, I can get back on the water. As I sleepily grab my smartphone from the bedside table that morning, a message from my friend Patrick Fesi pops up: "I'll be waiting for you at the airport. Tunisia is going to get the full brunt of the storm in the next few days. You HAVE to come here!" What can I say? I'm a windsurfing pro and I'm paid to be on the water. I have time and my doctor's OK. And I'm starving. Three minutes later I'm sitting at my computer and booking a ticket. It was probably just a bit early in the morning or I was a bit hasty, because when I've just pressed the "Book" button, I realise to my horror that I've made a mistake with the flight times. By a week. Unfortunately, it's not possible to rebook.
When I book the second ticket that morning, I could cry and laugh at the same time. My mate Sylvain Bourlard is used to spontaneous trips like this. It takes less than two minutes to convince him to accompany me. I had never thought about Tunisia as a windsurfing destination. This was due to preconceptions about weak winds and images of all-inclusive hotel castles in my head. Just one day after our arrival in Tunisia, I had to throw these thoughts overboard.
Beyond "all-in"
Patrick Fesi is a typical Tunisian. Friendly, open-minded, and as he guides us through the wonderful archaeological sites of Carthage on the first day of our trip, he can't hide a little pride in his homeland. In 300 BC, Carthage was the richest and most important city in the Mediterranean. Today, the countless ruins of houses, palaces and amphitheatres bear witness to its former greatness. From Carthage, we are drawn to the sea. As the wind is still a little slow, we pay a visit to Sidi Bou Said, an artists' town on the Gulf of Tunis. The entire town has been a protected monument since 1914. Lovingly restored palaces, souks (markets), small bars and cafés line the streets here, coupled with a relaxed atmosphere and a promising view of the Mediterranean, on which the number of whitecaps continues to grow. The best news of the day is that it is expected to blow through for three days.
For windsurfers and, above all, kitesurfers, the island of Djerba, around six hours south of Tunis, is the only place we know. However, light winds and countless hotel castles with the usual all-inclusive offers are not what we came to Tunisia for. We want to discover the north coast, where - as Patrick promised me - there are wild stretches of coastline, oak forests and great wave spots. We set off for the spot Dar Janna, around two hours away. The north of the country is indeed surprisingly green, with no trace of the expected desert ambience. We leave the Ichkeul National Park - a protected wetland for rare bird species and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980 - to the left and head over green hills towards the beach. Dar Janna welcomes us with a fantastic panorama, a diagonal onshore wind and head-high ramps for jumping. I savour every second as my shoulder passes its first stress test in a long time.
Saturday night fever
It's Saturday evening. Because we are going out today, another prejudice has to be dispelled. Although Tunisia is a predominantly Islamic country, the new freedom that Tunisians fought for with their Jasmine Revolution almost ten years ago is palpable everywhere here. In the suburbs and coastal towns near Tunis, the rich and the Rasta-haired alike meet up at the weekend - and everyone else who stands for a new and cosmopolitan Tunisia. There are clubs and bars and it doesn't take long to realise that licences to serve alcohol seem to be easier to obtain here than anywhere else in the country.
Food for the phrase piggy bank
The next morning, the weather suits my mood. It's raining and not a leaf is moving on the way to Sidi Mechreg. Although it's only just under 70 kilometres, the journey takes almost two hours and my two companions never tire of feeding me phrases from the "Manual for Desperate Windsurfers": "It looks like the rain's going to stop up ahead!" Or "Look, the trees are moving now!"
The spot is flanked by the ruins of a Roman building that is over 2000 years old. It's unbelievable that it has survived here for so long, given that this place is battered by mistral storms year in, year out. My optimistic fellow travellers were right. When the clouds clear a short time later and I speed towards the solid ramps in my 4.0, I have finally become a Tunisia fan.
Mecca
Mecca is actually in Saudi Arabia. The Mecca of the Tunisian surf scene is in Ras Jebel, not far north of the capital Tunis. "Ras" is a perfect spot to be propelled into orbit by 30 knots. A sandy beach, sideshore wind, plenty of run-up and a two-metre wave that has plenty of power but won't fold you up completely if you make a mistake. In contrast to the first two spots, there are also a few locals on the water here, all smiling in a friendly manner and probably a little surprised that someone has strayed to "their" spot.
When I get back on the plane a few days later, my head is full of new impressions. Tunisia has completely surprised me. Despite all the problems that the country has without whitewashing - poverty, little infrastructure and often plastic waste on the beaches - it is more beautiful, more diverse, more cosmopolitan, windier and safer than I ever expected.
A trip there is as worthwhile as it is feasible. You can be there in just three hours. If you book the right ticket.
General information:
Journey: If you want to explore the wave spots on the north coast, you should ideally fly to Tunis. There are flights to the capital from many European cities, e.g. direct with Lufthansa, Tunisair or Air France via Paris. The flight time is ideally less than three hours and flights are available from 200 euros, depending on the season. Onward travel to the spots on the north coast is easily possible by hire car via a fairly well-developed road network. Road signs are often labelled in two languages, but a good navigation app on a smartphone is helpful. The 4G mobile phone network in Tunisia is surprisingly well developed, which makes it easier to navigate. Even though road traffic often falls into the "freestyle" category, you should at least observe the speed limits, which are regularly checked.
Wind, weather & neoprene recommendations: The spots on the north coast are fuelled by the Mistral. This means that when the cold downslope wind from the Rhone Valley fires on the southern French coast, it turns westwards over the Mediterranean, is often strengthened again between Sicily and the North African coast and then arrives on the Tunisian coast as a W to WNW wind. This weather pattern can occur all year round, but is most common between October and June. As it can be surprisingly cool on the north coast of Tunisia in the height of winter with average temperatures of just under 13 degrees, the months of October and November and March to June are the best time to visit. The winters are cool, the summers very hot - in the transitional period, you should be prepared for both and have a warm coat in your luggage as well as a short-sleeved neo. The mistral can be very strong here, 25 to 30 knots are not uncommon.
Waves: The mistral has enough time to build up solid swell on its way across the Mediterranean. The waves are usually between one and three metres in height, but on big days they can get as high as a mast. As a rule, however, the conditions can also be mastered by non-pros. After the end of a wind phase, there are often still good waves for SUPing or surfing.
Accommodation:Tunisia is an extremely hospitable country and is dependent on tourism. Accordingly, there is also a sufficient range of accommodation in all price categories and standards away from the tourist centres, which can be booked online via the well-known internet portals. If you want carefree and affordable accommodation, you can also stay on the north coast around Bizerta with full board - from here you can reach spots such as the Ichkeul National Park or the ancient sites of Carthage in a reasonable amount of time.
Surf stations & shops: Apart from the island of Djerba, 500 kilometres to the south, there is virtually no surfing infrastructure in Tunisia. You have to rely on your own equipment, and a spare mast with repair materials in your luggage is highly recommended.
Alternative programme: The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Carthage to the east of Tunis is a "must see". Excursions to the old artists' village of Sidi Bou Said, the Ichkeul National Park or simply to one of the beautiful sandy beaches north of Tunis are also worthwhile. The area around the northernmost point of Africa - Cap Angela - is particularly inviting for hiking, biking or SUPing. And the steep and rugged coastline here is interrupted time and again by great sandy beaches that you don't have to share with too many swimmers in the low season.
Good to know: The north coast of Tunisia is not a destination for windsurfing package holidaymakers who want to stay and surf at a fixed spot. You need to be flexible and your own equipment is an absolute must. As a tourist, you can move around freely, but you will get used to pushy street vendors and the usual haggling when shopping. The beaches are sometimes littered with rubbish, especially in the low season - the beaches that are popular with tourists are of course cleaned up. Even though Tunisia appears much more cosmopolitan and liberal in the coastal regions characterised by tourism than in the rural areas inland, you should respect the customs of the Islamic country and not be too revealing in public.
Windsurfing in Tunisia - these are the best spots
1 Ras Jebel (GPS data: 37.230920, 10.137320 )
The heart of the Tunisian wave scene beats around 50 kilometres north of the capital Tunis. On good days, this spot is surprisingly busy, but never overcrowded. You park right by the water, the entrance is sandy with a few rocks. If the mistral is blowing from the north-west, it comes into Ras Jebel sideshore from the left. You can gain momentum without any major shorebreak, current or other dangers and head for the ramps, which break just 150 metres from the shore. On "normal" NW days with over 20 knots of wind, the waves in Ras are between one and two metres high and are perfect for jumping and riding - a large playground that rarely overtaxes wave beginners, but also rarely bores cracks. It only gets gusty quickly when the mistral is blowing from the west, then it's worth travelling on to Dar Jenna or Sidi Mechreg.
2 Dar Jenna (GPS data: 37.334238, 9.704694 )
If the mistral is blowing a little too westerly for Ras Jebel, it is worth making a detour to Dar Jenna, just under 60 kilometres to the west. This northernmost stretch of coastline in Africa is characterised by lush greenery - an ambience that you wouldn't expect in Tunisia. The spot is nestled between the rugged Cap Hmem and Cap Angela and boasts a beautiful sandy beach. The ideal wind is a mistral from the WNW, which then comes almost sideshore from the left. Even if Ras Jebel is a little easier to surf, Dar Jenna also offers absolutely uncomplicated wave conditions with waves between one and two metres high and no major dangers.
3 Sidi Mechreg (GPS data: 37.160665, 9.119026 )
If the mistral is fully westerly, the almost 120 kilometres from Ras Jebel over to Sidi Mechreg are worthwhile: lush green hills, azure blue water and the ruins of an old Roman temple downwind create an extremely attractive ambience - sightseeing and surfing go hand in hand here. However, it's not just the remoteness of the spot - it's not too far to the border with Algeria - that means you need to know what you're doing.
On days with over 25 knots, the wave is often logohigh and breaks with pressure over a reef plate - in combination with the sideshore wind blowing from the left, this is ideal for powerful cutbacks and aerials, but also rough wipeouts. A noticeable current and the rocky outcrop to leeward don't exactly help to relax either - at least for less experienced waveriders. If you want to be on the safe side, let the lifeguards at the harbour downwind know, then these friendly fellows will keep a watchful eye and your surfing will be a little more relaxed.
Manuel Vogel
Editor surf
