Beach Faces:

West

Best Wind Direction:

Anything in a West, South-west is best which is cross-onshore. Sea Breezes start from the end of May to the middle of July. A 5–10 knot West/North-west breeze will build to 5.3m weather quite often.

Best Wind Direction For Waves:

South-west. The waves are mostly windblown chop that builds up the Bristol channel. South-west winds blow from the left, making it port tack going out!

Not Good:

Anything from the East. If it is South or South-east, Weston will be really gusty on the inside. Instead go to another spot called Berrow.

Tide:

When it is out you can’t see the water from the beach! Weston is therefore sailable 2 to 2.5 hours either side of high tide depending on how the sand bars are. Be careful of the “one last run” syndrome which can become one last run through mud! Check the tide before you go.

What’s On The Bottom:

Sand. Very friendly towards kit when in the water. Not so good for de-rigging.

Any Hazards:

Just some groynes that are a mile apart; they are just posts. There are also a few soft sand signs to beware of. With the predominantly onshore winds, there is very little current. There is little shore break because it is a very shallow shelving beach, but you do get very close together waves, which get a bit dumpy at high tide.

Other Water Users:

Kitesurfers but they are generally down the far end of the beach. Some jetskiers (known locally as “Brummie Tos***ers”) that should be avoided.

Suitability / Levels:

You have to be comfortable on a 120 litre board and be able to waterstart as a minimum because it is quite choppy.

Wipeout Factor:

You can get a good tumbling on a big day when it is South-west on a big tide. A lot of people might sit and wait. On it’s day Weston can get really big.

Instruction:

Mark Hosegood (Top UK Pro sailor) provides expert video coaching from intermedaite to Pro throughWindsurfers World  Tel. 0117 955 0779.

Kit Hire:

No

Friendly Factor:

Super friendly. For first-timers just chat to anyone and they will help you out. Note: when everyone else gets off the water it is worth getting off the water too. They wil know more about the tide than you!

No Wind Alternatives:

Super friendly. For first-timers just chat to anyone and they will help you out. Note: when everyone else gets off the water it is worth getting off the water too. They wil know more about the tide than you!

Facilities:

Accommodation:

B&B’s in Weston if you really want to go for a weekend.
Try: http://www.weston-super-mare.com/index.html

Local Hotshots:

Mark Hosegood, Jon Tinney and Team Airborn which are Graham Woods, Adam Lewis and George Shillito.

Local Knowledge / Secrets:

When it’s South/South-east go down to Berrow (south from Weston). Along the coastline there is a spit of land, go to the other side of the spit and you get a clean wind that will be a force stronger than Weston. You drive onto the beach as in Weston. Go to the left hand side as far as you can. Brean Down is another spot that works in a South-west.

Extra:

Personally I think some of the conditions we get there, are 90% better than the south coast. You can be going out through breaking waves for up to 100 metres which is fantastic for jumps, and then you can mess around on all those wavelets on the way in.
The water is brown from the silt coming from the Severne Estuary and this does put some people off but not me!

For more info on spots in the South-west go to:www.bristolnomads.org.uk

How To Get There:

M5, take Weston Super Mare junction and follow the signs for the beach!!

Report By:

Mark Hosegood. Mark is sponsored by O’Neill, O’Shea, Whitewater fins, Reef and the Walnut Grove Clinic.