Tucked away in a far corner on the east coast of our little island, Fajtata is a surf spot which is gaining popularity amongst local surfers.
Fajtata is a favourite of many locals, including Valerio who organised the fantastic Fajtata Classic 2021 earlier this year. It is his top spot as he revealed in Episode 1 and he can’t get enough of this bay.
I’ll be dead honest, it’s a new word for me too and googling it revealed its unique name… maybe the wind whistles as it blows from an eastern direction?
Fascinating stuff, but I am struggling to think of why the past participle is being used for a name. The name of the surf spot derives from a tiny kiosk of the same name. Teresa runs the show there and she’ll serve up the best post-surf ftira and keep your beers cold for you while you’re strutting your stuff in your wetsuit.
It is a handy spot. There is a car park, a lovely promenade and the shoreline is very accessible with your board. The area is handy for surf-skate sessions too as it’s all flat making it an ideal learning spot. You get in easily and you can climb out without major difficulty. It is an ideal spot for intermediate surfers, particularly in the winter months, where you won’t run the risk of running over a few swimmers on the way to your best wave ever.
Its location is great as the bay faces the opposite side of Ghajn Tuffieha Bay, meaning that when the winds change direction, you have the option of a different surf spot.
Another huge positive is that it has a rocky entrance and exit, meaning you’re not taking a bucketload of sand with you back home. Your car is already filled with Riviera’s copper sand after all and your girlfriend has been nagging you for months. If, like me, you only clean your car once a year, you can simply tell her the sand gives the car romantic beachy vibes. If, like me, you don’t have a girlfriend, you don’t need to answer to anyone, my man!
But those rocks can be truly unforgiving so use this site when you feel prepared and feel you know what you’re doing. The water’s power is quite surprising as it drags back into the sea after crashing onto the entrance point. The ladders are helpful, but do be careful of a mooring or two out near the lineup. They make excellent orientation markers, but you don’t want your leash to wrap around them.
Fajtata is next to Saint Thomas Bay, another surfable area when it is not inundated with people in the busier summer months.
Ideal conditions
The left wave at Fajtata is super fast and you can have fun with a sharp turn on it. The right provides a nice drop as after the hollow a huge section greets you on the inside.
When it’s offshore with an Easy South East swell, it’s a sweet spot for advanced surfers.
Hmm, now talking about ftira, I am hungry af so time to point you to the next article.
