This area of water is great for beginners to learn to paddle, or when the waves are kicking up rough out at sea. It’s shallow and warm year-round. The birdlife isn’t as varied as the Ria Formosa lagoon (less chance of seeing flamingos) but the moorings on the eastern side provide a chance to paddle between all kinds of yachts and rate them on a scale of Gleaming Gin Palace to Sunken Wreck.
As well as having some sandbanks which can form tiny private islands at the right state of tide, the western end is a haunt of kitesurfers when it is windy. Keep well away from them as they go fast and can wipe out without warning. Better launch points are by Rocha Delicada (avoid low tide as it can get muddy) and Alvor Town Quay / Coastal Boardwalk.
Vale de Lama is a possible launch point for those approaching from the west, where there is a parking and picnic spot by an oyster farm, but avoid getting caught on the shellfish beds. One of the possible Inland Paddles is to paddle up the Odiaxere River on a high spring tide and see how far you can get. This end is also the closest to the exit to the open sea, if you want to stick your nose out and maybe catch a wave or two.