The Tides
West Wittering gets a fair bit of tidal movement. On a low spring tide, a huge, sandy beach is exposed. On a high spring tide, the sea comes as close at it gets to the club, still with sand exposed at the top. Check the day’s tide times on the 2XS weather page
Low Tide
At low tide in most wind conditions, safe flat-water freeriding and freestyling can be enjoyed beachside of West Wittering’s sandbars. These conditions are ideal for perfecting carve gybes, waterstarts, learning freestyle moves or for just blasting around! If you’re a beginner, windsurfing and kitesurfing the lagoon is very safe and an ideal place to learn.
Mid Tide
As the sea starts to come over the sand bars, the water generally gets a little rougher. It really depends on the amount of swell and how strong the wind is but you can expect chop and some small waves.
High Tide
For the experienced windsurfer this is where it’s at! In southwest and westerly winds, good swells can arrive to provide exciting conditions particularly on the ‘Winner’ sandbar. Some of the best waves can be found just before or after high tide to the east of the windsurf club. As the tide recedes the waves reduce and move off the groynes, making it suitable for less experienced windsurfers to launch in onshore (southerly) conditions. West Wittering does not have a shore break so launching here is safer than many other locations. Kitesurfing is not allowed once the tide reaches the groynes. This is generally 2 hours either side of high tide.
Surfing and SUP
West Wittering generally gets more waves than a lot of other spots on the South Coast. The coastline faces South West so is more in the path of incoming swells than south facing spots. Beginner waves are quite often delivered on high tides, making West Wittering an ideal location for those wanting to learn to surf and SUP.
For the more advanced surfer or SUPer, on long period swells with offshore winds, the sandbars can deliver massive long rides around high tide (on the biggest swells, there are waves right through from low to high). Caution is important though as there are strong currents in and out of the harbour mouth on the bigger tides.
Wind
Southerly – onshore, good at mid and low tide.
South Westerly – side onshore and at high tide Wittering rips in these conditions! Low tide = flat water in the lagoon at Low tide good waves at low tide on the outer bar.
Westerly – nearly side shore good for wave riding if there is any swell, good at mid tide not ideal in the lagoon at low tide.
North Westerly side off conditions great for wave sailors’ gusty winds generally novices and intermediates watch out.
North Easterly – directly offshore, experienced windsurfers can sail from East Head to Sandy Point on an incoming tide, otherwise low tide in the lagoon is the only other option in this wind direction.
South Easterly – port tack, sideshore, often really good at Wittering’s, it is best to sail it on an incoming tide as after high tide the current and wind are running together and you cannot keep upwind.
Rescue
We take water safety seriously, we will help advise you on weather conditions, tides and currents and even check your equipment if you would like us to. If you book a course, we can help you learn new techniques which will help you to look after yourself on the water.
From 1st March to 31st October, a full time Safety Officer/Club Manager is on hand seven days a week to cater for rescue and safety, to advise on wind and tide conditions, and even to help tune your latest rig.
If you are stuck, our jet-ski and quad bike rescue service provide an excellent, speedy rescue service at any state of tide.
Rescue service operates between 9.30am and 5.30pm every day from 1st March to 31st October.
Like most windsurfing venues, conditions at West Wittering can vary daily depending upon wind direction, state of the tide and so on. If you are in any way unsure, we can advise on what sail size to use and when the conditions are best suited to your sailing ability and experience.
