Mistral or sirocco? How to pick your snorkelling spot by the wind

The right question before a snorkelling day in Sardinia is not “what’s the weather?” but “where is it blowing from?”. The island is big, mountainous and swept by regular winds: the same day can serve up murky, choppy water on one coast and a transparent pool on the other. Learn to read the wind and you will almost never cancel an outing: you will move it.

The two-coasts rule

The principle is simple: clear water sits in the lee, on the coast opposite the one the wind is piling waves onto. The mistral (from the north-west) is the landlord here: when it blows, the west coast — Bosa, Masua, Chia’s west side — clouds up and builds, while the east coast stays largely sheltered: the Gulf of Orosei, Tavolara, Villasimius’ eastern side.

With sirocco and levante (from the south-east and east) the geography flips: it is the golden moment for Alghero and Capo Caccia, Bosa, Stintino and the west in general, while the eastern coves lose their clarity.

Reading forecasts like a snorkeller

Look at three numbers, in this order: today’s wind direction, its strength (below 10–12 knots almost everywhere is fine), and the wind of the previous two days — the sea has memory, and a mistral blow clouds the west even after the wind has dropped. Wave height under half a metre is your green light.

Beware of “offshore wind”: it makes the sea flat and inviting near the shore, but it pushes you out — the classic trap for inflatables and distracted snorkellers. With wind from the land, stay very close to the coast and keep an exit point within reach.

Plan B is half the fun

The soundest way to plan a week: choose a base within reach of both coasts (Alghero covers west and north, Cagliari covers south-west and south-east) and keep one guide per side on your list. The wrong day for your favourite beach becomes the right day for the one you hadn’t considered.