Daymer Bay

Submitted by:
Dave
Updated:
22nd Apr 2004

Daymer Bay
by: Spencer

Daymer Bay
by: Spencer

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Daymer is on the North side of the Camel estuary in Cornwall, opposite Padstow. It is an ideal location for all standards of windsurfers. The sands are gently shelving so you can stand up quite a way out, and also have a long trek back with our kit once the tide goes out. In general Daymer bay is a perfect location for those looking for their first steps into wave sailing as the waves are fairly weak and predictable and theres usually plenty of other people about. If theres no swell then Daymer bay provides good flat water blasting and gybe practise in the shallow waters.

Further out from the beach the main curent has a strong tidal flow in both directions, so watch out for that and don't sail out there on an outgoing tide and a Southerly wind. Most wind directions here are OK, but anything from SSW-ESE suffers badly from a wind shadow due to the Brea hill behind the beach.

Further out to sea still is Doom Bar, which can apparently have some amazing waves in the right conditions and provide an epic days wave-sailing for those experienced enough to cope with the strong currents and large waves.

As well as the currents and the lack of beach on large high tides, you also have to watch out for the rocks on the edge of the beach, the long carry with your kit at low tide and the car park (and windsurf) charges in the car park. The Car Park is atop a small cliff above th beach and can give a good granstand view of the action on the water below. It does fill up quickly in the summer though. There is a small shop and cafe in the car park, and guest houses, camp sites and hotels are all available nearby,

There are plenty of other things to do in the area too. Polzeath just around the corner can have excellent surf. Rock further up the estuary is a safer, more sedate place for beginners to windsurf. The Camel trail's worth cycling if you have a mountainbike and theres no wind or surf.

There are also a couple of wind shadows from the hills around you so look at the area carefully and think about the wind direction so you don't end up in a no wind hole - Done it loads of times myself and thought if only I hadn't done that last 100 yards I wouldn't be doing this swim!!!! (Anything between SSW & ESE wind is bad as Brea Hill - the lump to the left of the beach at Daymer - causes a huge wind shadow)
All that sounds a bit negative but if you are looking for a first step into some predcictable, clean, not too powerful waves stay on Daymer bay side from an hour after low to an hour before high and if the swell is good you'll have endless hours of fun without feeling in danger.
Just remember if you cross the river channel you've got to get back. I've done it as the wind was dropping on a short board and was lucky not to have to walk to Padstow and get an expensive taxi ride back to Daymer. If you're concerned about your ability to get back then just sail it on an incoming tide - you can only end up at Padstow harbour or Rock - And there's a loveley pub at Rock that serves good Guinness!!!!!!
If there's no swell you'll get few better gybing platforms!!