It is known that the end of summer in Mallorca can lead to sudden changes in weather, some even abrupt. Late summer storm / Weather sudden changes
Storm in our Mallorca kitespot in September
One afternoon, beginning of September. In our kitespot on Pollensa Bay-Sa Marina, things look as usual, some kitesurfing students, the kiteschools, some private kiters … while a cloud formation in the sky start to show that changes in the weather probably are on the way.
As the cloud formation seems yet far, we continue with our kite lessons but with one eye on the skies. In Sa Marina, Pollensa bay, kiters and kite schools continue with their activities indifferent yet to the incoming storm, as the weather change has not arrived yet.
After half hour, the storm is already arriving over us, darkening the sky. It is the moment to stop all activity, our kite lessons were almost finished, though we offer our kite students to follow with their lessons tomorrow and we proceed to start packing all the kite equipments and stuff … as a rain begins to fall.
It will rain for the rest of the day, throughout the night and during the next day. Via WhatsApp and email we inform our kite students about the weather evolution and we set our next lessons for the day after.
The storm
What started as a cloud formation approaching from North- Northwest, continued with the rain arriving, evolving to hard rain and strong winds from North blowing hard all over the Northern coast of Mallorca.
Once the storm ended, the sea conditions still were showing its consequences,
waves were breaking all over the bay
Effects of the storm in Pollensa Bay
The peak of the tide reached the buildings, stone walls and fences near the beach. Tons of posidonia were carried to shore
It is noticeable how almost all boats and sail vessels which were not sheltered inside a port or the yacht club facilities were dragged from their moorings and carried away towards the beaches, downwind from the storm and scores of meters inland
As winds were still blowing, though with less intensity, some kitesurfers, bravely, returned to the beach and started the first kitesurfing rides
When boats, some of them of considerable size, were carried away by the waves, as consequence of the fierce winds that blowed during the storm, some they reached the other side of the bay, more than 6 kms downwind of their original moorings
Boats of different size were beached and spreaded all over the shore, some of them damaged on their hulls, keels and even on their electronic appliances which seawater had flooded
BAD WEATHER LESSONS CANCELLED
Lesson learned the hard way. If you have a small motor or a sailing boat and you are moored off the yacht club, be always aware about weather forecast and possible weather changes.
At the end of summer in Mallorca, though it is not frequent, storms, can bring unpleasant surprises. Kitesurfing during storms, is neither a good idea as strongs winds will put you at risk, which, if we think it over, it should be perfectly avoided.
Kitesurfing, definitely can be a risk sport, let’s be ourselves who decide the level of risk we want to deal with. Kitesurfing safe and … by the way, if you own a boat, visit the weather forecast sites and remember, it is always better to prevent than to cure.
