Punta dell'Arco

As the open southern/southwestern extremity of Ventotene, this point projects into the open Tyrrhenian Sea and takes the full brunt of the wind-driven sea from the S through SW. The warm Scirocco (S-SE) builds the largest waves here thanks to its long African fetch, and the Libeccio (SW) adds Tyrrhenian chop, so the site is unworkable in those conditions. The island's 139 m volcanic massif sits to the north-east of the point and shelters the landward N-NE arc from the Tramontana, blocking the northern sectors almost entirely. The NW-W flank stays open to the sea, however, so the Mistral (NW) can still push swell onto the wall.