For anyone who has thought about hitting the waves at North Beach, near the roundabout, I tried yesterday and nah..
Thought i spice up windsurfing with a new spot yesterday, never seen anyone sail North beach before and with no surfers out and waist high waves thought I'd give it a go.
Headed down the south beach steps to make it feel adventurous climbing over the rocks with gear to access beach. Then walked gear over the reef, swam gear through bombies into clearish water. No to hard but later discovered i was lucky..
Out back found head high swell, first pass at waves, kept upwind on wave then bottom turned and wave disappeared.
Repeated this several times on waves up to shoulder high and wave disappeared after turning to bottom turn. mmm rethink needed.
Returned to beach (very easy surprisingly) for a bit of wave studying. Noted, where i had sailed, waves were peaking and flattening quickly, but at the north end they were holding longer.
Head out again after 2 failed attempts and gear returning to beach with out me due to combination of reef, bombies and sets.
1st attempt at north end waves, not much better. Repeated but tricky to time as got to come in from south to attack. No chance of picking swell and riding it up wave then turning to ride. Have to hold station upwind then start riding direct downwind to hit wave.
Got a decent ride but ran it to long and on to reef.
Failed to get out again after several attempts with board running back to beach. So abandoned adventure.
Result.. few bruises and scraps, few gouges to board, no fin damage and 1 decent ride and an understanding why no one sails there.
Maybe a return when on higher tides..
From Mettams I saw a guy sailing down at Tom's.
Another local occasionally sails down there, said its good but you have to watch the rocks.