Faja do Araujo is the only wave on the island's east coast, a left-hand point that breaks over boulders and is strictly for experts. It sits in an extremely isolated spot and is a genuine mission to reach. When everything lines up, it turns into a world-class, freight-train left that reels for hundreds of metres, the best wave on the island.
When It Works
The point draws swell from northwest through northeast, with northwest (NW) the standout direction. It takes a serious NW swell to wake up, refracting through 90 degrees before it even starts breaking, and it works from 2.4 m / 8 ft to 7.6 m / 25 ft. Once you clear the big rocks that litter the lineup, expect heavy big-water drops leading into cavernous barrels over tricky slabs of rock. Consistency is very low, so the good days are few and far between.
Wind and Tide
Look for west (W) offshore wind. It breaks on low to mid tide only, with a rising tide the better call.
Local Tips
This one is expert-only. Between the boulder lineup, the big-water drops, and the slabby rock bottom, it is no place to be out of your depth.
Access
You can check it from the miradouros to the south. A logging road runs down to a few houses, and from there it is a half-hour walk up the rocky shoreline. Getting in and out is difficult over the rocks, a 15-minute paddle south of the point. Parking is free and roadside.
