So where is offshore??

[Ellie]

Hiya,
I'm off for a surfing/camping weekend (despite the lack of swell!!) to Filey Bay. Never been before so trying to do a bit of research. From maps of the bay it seems to be facing roughly ENE, so I assumed that offshore winds would be WSW.
But everything I've read says NW winds are offshore....



If it helps, we're staying on a campsite towards the southern end of the beach, where it says Reighton Sands

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=510000&Y=475000&width=700&height=400&gride=&gridn=&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=&zm=0&scale=100000&up.x=287&up.y=9

Help!! Am I being a blondie??!

[IdRatherBeSurfing]

offshore winds are goooooood!!!!!! basically if the wind is blowing towards the sea from the land, it holds the waves up and makes then cleaner so its less of a whitewash slop.

the others will tell you more than me cos thats about then end of my knowledge on wind!!

[drowningbitbybit]

You're gonna struggle

Not much in the way of swell on the north east coast, and there's going to be a STRONG cross-offshore wind.... which would be okay if there was some proper groundswell but when the swell is that small it'll just blow it flat. And make paddling to catch a wave very hard work!

[Ellie]

Thanks for your help guys - realise the conditions aren't going to be there this weekend, but what do reckon the ideal wind direction would be?

Grrr! Sounds like my windy Scarborough trip the other week. Hey ho, still a nice weekend away.

Can't decide whether to take the boards or not though...hmmm

[drowningbitbybit]

what do reckon the ideal wind direction would be?

The best scenario is a 'proper' groundswell from the northeast, and a gentle offshore (ie from the west or northwest) breeze, as opposed to gale.

Sadly, thats not exactly what you've got....

[iomarti]

Always take boards!! ....you could do some more hoping for that perfect little wave that'll break just here, any minute now....!!

[Ellie]

You're right, I would be kicking myself if we got there and the gale had mysteriously vanished into the North Sea and it was 2 foot and clean!!

Thanks drowningbbb - I guess my geography was a little 'off' when I was thinking SW winds were going to be offshore....more likely a crazy cross-shore along the beach!!

[drowningbitbybit]

I guess my geography was a little 'off' when I was thinking SW winds were going to be offshore....more likely a crazy cross-shore along the beach!!

Not that I know the area, but if it were south westerlies - I'd pop round to the other side of that headland on the map

[GowerCharger]

never been there but from looking at the map it looks like a big NE groundswell would get you some decent waves wrapping round with that point holding off the shorter period crap. that would explin why NW would be offshore for a NNE swell.
Not that i know anything about the north east of englend, but there looks like theres a few spots facing different directions nearby so you should be able to find a wavce if theres swell.

[dougirwin13]

Looks to me like NW through SW is offshore there... Preferably W

-doug

[surferdude_scarborough]

im pretty sure filey works in a NW wind but it needs a decent sized swell to get round filey brigg.

[mar1eylove]

offshore wind is great if swell is around 4 ft (waist-chest high) or bigger. anything smaller the offshore winds push the wave down and wont allow the weaker waves to come up and break. if swell is pretty small(knee-thigh) then onshore winds are your best bet

[Broosta]

offshore wind is great if swell is around 4 ft (waist-chest high) or bigger. anything smaller the offshore winds push the wave down and wont allow the weaker waves to come up and break. if swell is pretty small(knee-thigh) then onshore winds are your best bet

I would have said waist-chest high was more like 2ft, and if somebody told me it was 4ft and offshore I'd get really excited about it and be expecting solid overhead waves with barrel potential when I got to the beach !