Coverage area.
Portuguese coast
From the Minho border with Spain down to the Algarve — Lisbon, Cascais, Peniche, Nazaré and every major harbour. Detailed swell, wind, and current for each beach and headland.
Atlantic islands
Good Madeira and Azores coverage — essential for passages from the mainland to the islands, and Canaries approaches from the north.
Nortada tracking
The strong northerly summer wind along the Portuguese coast. Orca tracks when it strengthens, weakens, or shifts — critical for northbound passages.
Swell & surf data
Portugal gets some of Europe's biggest Atlantic swells. Detailed swell height, period, and direction for coastal harbours — critical for judging whether a bar crossing is safe.
When to use Orca.
Use Orca when…
- ·Sailing anywhere on the Portuguese coast
- ·Planning a Canaries passage via Madeira
- ·Checking bar crossings (Douro, Tejo, Guadiana)
- ·Timing a departure against the Nortada
- ·Checking swell for Atlantic-facing harbours
Use Windy instead when…
- ·You need multi-model comparison for a passage
- ·You're sailing outside Portuguese / Atlantic waters
- ·You need detailed pressure-chart analysis
- ·You want to compare ECMWF vs GFS
Tips for using Orca.
- 01
Use browser translate.
The site is in Portuguese, but the data — numbers, wind arrows, charts — is universal. A quick translation handles the rest.
- 02
Cross-reference swell with Windy.
For Atlantic-facing harbours, check Orca's swell against Windy's wave model. If both agree on 3 m+, don't attempt a west-facing bar crossing.
- 03
Check sea temperature.
Orca shows SST data, useful for fog risk — common when warm air meets cold coastal water, especially near Cabo da Roca.