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where to kitesurf near bristol
James104 - 14-4-2008 at 13:03

Hi, Im about to move to Bristol. Does any one know where the best spots are? Should i be looking at going in to south wales or is there somewhere nearer?!! Any help would be grate. Ta

justal - 14-4-2008 at 13:31

Weston-Super-Mare is likely to be the closest, but people from Bristol do also travel to S. Wales or the south coast, especially Portland and Exmouth.

Al.

mNeil - 14-4-2008 at 19:57

think i would be looking somewhere alot cleaner and safer than weston super MUD; as the name suggests get GOOD RELIABLE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE before going out there you dont want to be caught out when the tide retreats. nothing wrong with woolacomb or better still westward hoe.

Si_B - 14-4-2008 at 21:03

Brean Sands is much better and safer than Weston. Works on anything with a Westerly in it. If memory serves you are only safe 2 hours either side of high tide, you can stretch to three, but it isn't worth the risk.

Had some great sessions there when I worked at Airbus a year or two ago.

If its on a Westerly, you can kite for miles up and down the coast. Water is mushy waves with very little gap in between. Water quality is actually quite good, but the sediment makes it look very dirty.

Cheers,

Simon

justal - 15-4-2008 at 08:03

WSM isn't that bad as long as you pay heed to the safety advice. The beach guide article I linked to said:

quote:
'Once the tide comes in, its possible to windsurf or kitesurf for about or 2 either side of high tide. There aren't too many hazards here as the tidal currents are minimal, the waves lack too much power and there are no rocks. There are a few groynes that will be submerged at high tide though, so make sure you know their wherabouts before sailing, and don't sail on an incoming tide that is larger than 12m as the beach disappears completely. Also, don't be tempted to stay out for more than 2 1/2 hours at the most after high tide as you'll have to drag your kit through the stickiest, smelliest mud you've ever seen!'


That said, it was my local beach for 24 years but I generally went to N. Devon or the south coast more often than not, simply because getting the timing right for the tides at WSM was always difficult.

Al.