Reef

both

Level 5/10

Secret Spot (Almadies)

Dakar, Senegal

🪸Sharp reef

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Secret Spot sits below the US Embassy on the Almadies Peninsula, Dakar's westernmost point. The wave is a consistent A-frame that offers both a right and a left option depending on the sandbank configuration. It's somewhat sheltered from the wind, making it a good option when other spots are blown out. The name is ironic—it's one of the most surfed spots in Dakar.

Secret Spot (Almadies) surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today4

Poor

1.4mNNW@12s

22km/h

1.4m@12s

22km/h

Thu5

Poor

0.9mNNW@12s

19km/h

0.9m@12s

19km/h

Fri6

Poor

0.8mNNW@13s

24km/h

0.8m@13s

24km/h

Sat7

Fair

1.0mNNW@12s

13km/h

1.0m@12s

13km/h

Sun8

Fair

1.1mN@10s

10km/h

1.1m@10s

10km/h

Mon9

Fair

0.9mNNW@12s

13km/h

0.9m@12s

13km/h

Tue10

Good

1.4mNW@14s

9km/h

1.4m@14s

9km/h

Wed11

Good

1.8mNNW@13s

13km/h

1.8m@13s

13km/h

Thu12

Fair

1.4mNNW@12s

12km/h

1.4m@12s

12km/h

Fri13

Fair

1.4mNW@12s

16km/h

1.4m@12s

16km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: AfternoonAM 23 km/h · PM 20 km/h · Mid tide at 5pm (0.9m)

Swell

1.4m

NNW(334°)

Score: 18/25

Period

12s

Mid-period swell

Score: 14/25

Wind

22km/h

NNE(33°)

Score: 1/25

Weather

29°C

0.0mm71%

First light 6:36amSunrise 7:06amSunset 6:40pmLast light 7:10pm

Windswell

0.2m@2s

Secondary

0.6m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.4m @12s NNW in window

Wind22 km/h NNE cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 6:36–9:05am · droppingStrike window: 12:43–7:10pm · through highIdeal tide: 0.3–1.5m

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

27°

31°

30°

29°

27°

29°

32°

30°

28°

29°

32°

33°

31°

28°

30°

34°

37°

34°

27°

31°

36°

35°

32°

27°

30°

37°

36°

33°

27°

30°

34°

32°

30°

26°

29°

32°

31°

29°

26°

29°

31°

30°

29°

26°

28°

30°

28°

2m1.0

sec

12s

13s

12s

10s

12s

14s

13s

12s

swell

windkm/h

20g22

25g42

21g39

23g41

18g32

16g25

17g29

19g38

23g41

21g35

23g37

26g43

25g46

23g43

19g35

14g22

16g27

17g36

8g27

6g18

8g19

11g20

11g27

9g26

11g30

11g18

13g24

19g37

15g39

5g32

9g21

8g17

5g19

9g24

14g28

9g13

12g21

15g31

15g35

7g17

10g22

13g29

15g32

17g34

12g23

14g27

16g33

18g35

20g36

tidem

4:30am1.0m

10:52am0.1m

5:15pm0.9m

5:24am1.1m

11:42am0.1m

6:05pm1.0m

6:15am1.1m

12:24pm0.1m

6:48pm1.1m

12:40am0.1m

6:57am1.2m

1:04pm0.1m

7:25pm1.2m

1:25am0.1m

7:38am1.1m

1:38pm0.0m

8:02pm1.2m

2:06am0.1m

8:16am1.1m

2:14pm0.0m

8:38pm1.1m

2:39am0.0m

8:50am1.0m

2:43pm0.0m

9:10pm1.1m

3:14am0.0m

9:25am1.0m

3:18pm0.0m

9:43pm1.1m

3:51am0.0m

9:57am0.9m

3:51pm0.1m

10:15pm1.1m

4:30am0.1m

10:30am0.9m

4:25pm0.1m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

4:30 am

High · 1.04m

10:52 am

Low · 0.15m

5:15 pm

High · 0.90m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Poor

Components

Swell Direction13/25

Swell Size18/25

Swell Period14/25

Wind1/25

Raw Score46/100

Adjustments

Wind History-1

🌊 Tide+5

💨 Gusty Wind-3

⚠️ Weak Component-5

Adjusted Score42/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score42

🌊 Optimal tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to DSS, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.4m @12s NNW in window

Wind22 km/h NNE cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: NW (315°)
Direction range: 285° - 345°
Size range: 1m - 2.5m
Ideal size: 1.7m - 2.1m
Height multiplier: 0.90×
Ideal period: 14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: E (90°)
Offshore range: 60° - 120°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: low to mid
Optimal range: 0.3m - 1.5m

Water temp

22°C

Wetsuit

Springsuit / 2mm

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

6/10

Access: Below US Embassy. Sheltered, consistent. Local favorite.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Secret Spot (Almadies)?

Secret Spot is a reef break in Dakar, Senegal, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Secret Spot (Almadies)?

Secret Spot picks up swell from the WNW round to the NNW, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the NW. It starts working at around 1m and handles up to about 2.5m, with the sweet spot around 1.7 to 2.1m. Period matters too: aim for 14s or longer, as anything under 10s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Secret Spot (Almadies)?

An E wind is dead offshore at Secret Spot, and anything from the ENE round to the ESE keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Secret Spot (Almadies)?

Secret Spot is at its best around the low to mid tide, roughly 0.3m to 1.5m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Secret Spot (Almadies)?

The most reliable run of swell at Secret Spot comes Oct to Apr. There's a second window in May and Sep too. Winter NW swells. Below US Embassy. Consistent.

How cold is the water at Secret Spot (Almadies)?

The water at Secret Spot averages around 22°C, so you'll want a springsuit or 2mm. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Secret Spot (Almadies) good for beginners?

It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 5/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. Expect a moderate crowd (6/10) when it's on. Below US Embassy. Sheltered, consistent. Local favorite.

How do I get to Secret Spot (Almadies)?

The nearest airport on our list is DSS, then it's roughly a 25-minute drive. Below US Embassy. Sheltered, consistent. Local favorite.

What other surf spots are near Secret Spot (Almadies)?

The closest breaks we track are Club Med (0.9 km), Vivier Right (0.9 km) and Vivier Left (0.9 km), handy when Secret Spot isn't working. We track 7 spots around Dakar in total.