You no longer need to go to the beach to see if there are waves, although nothing beats seeing it with your own eyes. Before getting lost in a thousand external apps, at Oceanside we make it easy for you to check La Cícer in real time:

1. Check the sea right now: With our Live Webcam of La Cícer, you can see the real size of the sets from your mobile before leaving home.
2. Check the exact data: You can see the current conditions and forecast on our Webcam & Forecast page updated to the minute.

But, do you know how to interpret what the numbers say? Here we explain the trinity of the forecast for surfing in Las Palmas.

1. The Period (The best-kept secret)

This is the data that confuses beginners the most. The period is measured in seconds and is the time between one wave and the next.

• Low period (6-8 sec): Typical "windswell". Waves are very close together, messy, and with less power.
• High period (+10-12 sec): Waves with a lot of energy coming from far away. In Gran Canaria, a swell with a high period means powerful and organized waves.

Golden Rule: 0.5m with 13 seconds of period is usually a better session than 1.5m with 6 seconds.

2. The Wind and its direction

The wind carves the wave like a sculptor.

• Offshore (Land wind): In Las Canteras, this is usually South or Southeast wind. It smoothes the wave, combs it, and makes it open perfectly.
• Onshore (Sea wind): Direct North wind. It flattens the wave and creates "choppy" conditions.
• The Trade Winds (Alisios): Our predominant wind. Sometimes it can be strong, but at Oceanside, we know which corners of the beach remain protected.

3. The Tides in Las Canteras

Knowing how your local spot works is vital. La Cícer is a sandy beach that changes drastically.

• Low Tide: Waves usually break faster and hollower.
• High Tide: The wave can become "mushier" (softer/less power) if there is too much water over the sandbank.

Trust local knowledge

Reading a forecast helps, but nothing beats experience. Take a look at our Webcam and, if you still have doubts about whether the conditions are safe for your level, stop by the school. In our surf courses, we teach you how to interpret these variables so you can learn to be an autonomous surfer.