Réunion South Coast

Réunion South Coast faces the open Indian Ocean on the island's windward flank, where the persistent trade winds drive an energetic swell year-round against a shoreline of black lava, coral reef, and occasional volcanic sand beaches. Saint-Pierre, the south coast's main town, is the island's second commercial centre and the hub for southern Réunion's fishing fleet. The tidal range around Réunion averages 0.5 to 1.0 metres, semi-diurnal, small relative to many global coastlines but sufficient to govern access to the fringing reef passages. The southern coast's coral lagoon is protected by a network of natural reef barriers, while further east toward the Piton de la Fournaise volcanic zone the coast is raw and inaccessible — black lava flows that reached the sea as recently as 2007 have created new coastal land still being colonised by marine life. The surf on the south coast is powerful and consistent, making Saint-Leu to the west the recognised surfing capital of the Indian Ocean. Trade-wind swell from the south-east averages 1.5 to 2.5 metres, with occasional south-swell episodes from Southern Ocean storms pushing waves to the reef breaks.