Lago di Garda Trip Report (Bikini Knowledge)
Riva del Garda
Stand-up paddleboarding on Lago di Garda (Lake Garda)
PELER AND ORA
There is a very good reason why sailors, windsurfers, and kiters travel to Lago di Garda, Italy, in search of the perfect wind to indulge their respective hobbies.
The wind here is oh so reliable, day in and day out. It is said that those with local knowledge can predict exactly when and where the wind will blow each day.
The Garda winds are thermal, created by temperature and pressure differences between the air over the water and the air over the surrounding landscape.
Every morning, a wind named Peler blows down from the north of the lake. At lunchtime, Peler stops, and a southerly wind by the name of Ora begins to pick up, becoming stronger and stronger as the day progresses, channelling wind and strong waves into the narrower north end of the lake, towards Riva del Garda. Interestingly, for about an hour at lunchtime there is very little airflow and the lake surface can be surprisingly flat.
I knew all this as I set off to explore this beautiful lake at the top of Italy, in September 2021. I carefully selected a day with low wind expectations. Taking longer over breakfast than I intended, it was close to 11.00 when I got on the water at Riva. I could feel a breeze on my skin but nothing significant, as I paddled the calm waters along the northern shore towards and down the western side of Garda.
But immediately I escaped the wind shadow of the mountains above Riva, I was picked up by Peler and propelled down the lake, hugging the shore to my right. The wind and waves were a pleasant source of momentum, the regular wakes from passing water vessels less so.
My primary goal was to reach the hidden waterfall in a cavern behind a derelict waters-edge hotel.
Lago di Garda
Approaching the old hotel, the waterfall is on your right
It was there that I had a very odd experience. Although the weather was warm, I was dressed for wind and cold water. Wearing neoprene boots, a neoprene farmer-john style wetsuit, unfastened to the waist, and a rash vest. For safety, I was wearing a jacket-style buoyancy aid with a whistle attached in case I needed to attract attention. I had a change of clothing and a personal location beacon (PLB) in a drybag attached to the front of my board, as well as plenty of food and water. As I approached the cavern, I was aware of the risk of the swell smashing me onto the rocks, so I got down and paddled on my knees.
Stand up paddle boarding on Lake Garda
Just at that moment, a young woman paddled past me, on her feet, wearing nothing but a white bikini!!
Was I being over-safety-conscious? Perhaps.
Who cares? The waterfall was a wonderful find and made anything else I might face that day worth the effort.
The hidden waterfall at Lago di Garda (Lake Garda)
Incredibly, as I exited the cavern, I realised that there was almost no wind, the surface of the water was calm, and, looking around me, I could see that the windsurfers had disappeared.
It was the calm between Peler and Ora.
It was then that I made my first mistake. I decided to take advantage of the calm conditions to cross over to the eastern side of the lake.
And once there, I made my second mistake. I stopped for lunch.
By the time I had eaten, Ora was blowing furiously from the bottom of the lake, and I would have to cross the wind, and the three-foot waves, at a 45-degree angle to return to my starting point. Most of this I completed on my knees, desperately trying to avoid the windsurfers crossing in front of me. Not easy when the wind and waves are perpetually propelling you forward.
To say I was relieved to reach the shore at Riva would be an understatement.
LESSONS LEARNED
I would definitely paddle here again. The spectacular nature of the surrounding hills and mountains, combined with the hidden waterfall, made this a few hours well spent.
But next time I would set off a little earlier, and I would not cross the lake. The correct way to do this trip is to hug the western shoreline all the way. Head south in the morning with the wind behind you and turn back when Peler stops blowing to ensure an easy return trip.
I'm sure the woman in the bikini knew this all along.
PS: I’m not sure if I looked even scruffier than normal, but my Garda adventure ended with an amusing postscript. I was relaxing under a tree in the car park, enjoying some post-paddle Pringles and orange juice when a man approached and tried to give me a two-euro coin!
Begging in Riva del Garda?
