Ride more
Stop guessing. Start riding.
4Shor scores every spot for your sport and ability, up to 8 days ahead — so you always know when to go.
Stories
Guides, interviewsand stories from the water.
How to read the forecast, get started in your sport, and find the best watersports spots across Europe — plus the occasional conversation about how 4Shor works.
TravelCan you kayak into the Algarve sea caves?
You can kayak into some Algarve sea caves only in small swell (under about 1 m, ideally less), on a suitable tide, early in the day and never alone.
26 October 2026 · 5 min read
TravelCape Verde for winter kitesurfing: what to actually expect
Yes: December is trade-wind season on Sal and Boa Vista, with kiteable wind on roughly 80–85% of days, for about a 6-hour flight from the UK.
1 October 2026 · 5 min read
ForecastingSwell period explained: why a 14-second groundswell surfs nothing like a 6-second windswell
Swell period is the seconds between wave crests: a 2m swell at 14 seconds carries about 28 kW/m of power, more than double a 2m swell at 6 seconds.
18 September 2026 · 5 min read
InterviewFrom twintip to foil: your questions on switching, answered
The questions twintip riders ask us most about learning to kitefoil: wind range, the first sessions, safety, kit and when each board wins.
12 September 2026 · 5 min read
SeasonalRiding the Meltemi: a windsurfer's guide to Greek summer wind
The Meltemi is the Aegean's summer north wind, reliable from mid-June, peaking in July and August, and strongest on afternoons around Paros and Naxos.
8 September 2026 · 5 min read
Getting startedOpen water swimming for beginners: wetsuits, safety and your first cold dip
Yes, wear a 5/3mm or 5/4mm wetsuit for UK open-water swimming in May, when the sea is about 10–13°C, plus a tow float and a slow, short first dip.
6 September 2026 · 4 min read
ComparisonWing foiling vs kitesurfing: which should you learn first?
Wing foiling suits patchy wind (roughly 10–25 knots) and kitesurfing needs a steadier 12–25 knots, so pick wing foiling first unless your week is windy.
4 September 2026 · 5 min read
Getting startedeFoiling for beginners: what it feels like and what you need
An efoil is a battery-powered hydrofoil board that needs no wind or waves, lifting off at about 10–12 km/h on flat water with a handheld remote.
4 September 2026 · 5 min read
ComparisonThe best water-sports forecast apps in 2026
No single app is best: Surfline suits live-cam surfers, Windy and Windguru suit model readers, and 4Shor gives a 0–100 score for 10 sports in Europe.
22 July 2026 · 4 min read
Field notesPaddleboarding into the Witches Cauldron, Pembrokeshire
The Witches Cauldron near Ceibwr Bay, Pembrokeshire, is a calm-weather paddle through a sea arch; we moved to a calm Friday evening so a beginner could do it.
21 July 2026 · 5 min · video
Field notesThree days chasing wind in Tarifa
In Tarifa, Poniente is the friendlier westerly and Levante the strong, gusty easterly: we rode 18 knots Poniente, then small-kit Levante at Valdevaqueros.
20 July 2026 · 3 min read
Field notesA surf weekend in Cornwall
A two-day north Cornwall surf trip: a dawn session at 1.2 m and 11 seconds before the wind went onshore, a low-tide evening spot, and a smaller Sunday.
19 July 2026 · 3 min read
Field notesAlgarve mornings: SUP, swim and surf
In the Algarve we stacked three sessions into one day: a glassy dawn SUP, a warm-water swim in a sheltered cove and a small, playful evening surf.
18 July 2026 · 2 min read
ForecastingReading the wind for kite & wing: strength, direction and gusts
Read kite and wing wind by speed (roughly 15–30 knots), direction (cross-shore is best) and gust factor, then match your kit to the whole day.
9 July 2026 · 3 min read
ForecastingHow to read a surf forecast (and a surf report)
To read a surf forecast, check swell height and period, swell direction, wind and tide: a 1 m swell at 14 seconds with offshore wind beats 1.5 m at 6 seconds.
2 July 2026 · 8 min read
Getting startedKitesurfing for beginners: wind, kit and your first sessions
Beginner kitesurfing needs steady wind of roughly 12–20 knots, cross-shore direction, flat shallow water and lessons from a certified school.
25 June 2026 · 3 min read
Getting startedSurfing for beginners: catching your first waves
A good wave height for beginner surfers is roughly 0.3–1 m of small, broken whitewater with light wind, ideally around low to mid tide.
18 June 2026 · 3 min read
TravelTarifa: Europe's wind capital, and when to ride it
Tarifa is Europe's wind capital because the Strait of Gibraltar funnels air between Spain and Morocco; ride Poniente to learn and Levante for power, May to September.
11 June 2026 · 3 min read
TravelEurope's best watersports destinations
Europe's best watersports destinations include Tarifa, Portugal's Atlantic coast, the Canaries, Greek islands and Sardinia, each best in a particular season.
4 June 2026 · 3 min read
SeasonalWhen to go: a season-by-season guide to European watersports
The best time for European watersports depends on the sport: surf peaks October to March, wind sports June to August, and September to October is the all-round sweet spot.
28 May 2026 · 2 min read