Ryde/Seaview
Kitesurfing / Windsurfing

With a huge expanse of sandy beach at low tide, this area on the Solent-side of the Island offers superb beginner conditions. The gently shelving beach allows for waist-deep water at half tide and sand bars and pools at low tide. Puckpool is the low tide spot where a lagoon forms at low water. The further towards Seaview you go, the rockier the beach gets.

Best wind directions: NW-E

Yaverland
Kitesurfing /Windsurfing

The competition site for White Air, Yaverland has a fairly wide, sandy beach at low water, making it an ideal place to learn kitesurfing and windsurfing. It is sideshore in the prevailing SW winds and you can drift downwind quite safely for half a mile as long as you come in before the white cliffs! At high water it would suit intermediate/expert kitesurfers only and gets very busy in the summer months with beach-goers. For windsurfers, the 4-mile open bay is ideal for coast runs on race boards. There are café and toilet facilities here and a sailing club at the end of the car park.

Best wind direction: SW-E

Ventnor
Surfing/Windsurfing

Situated on the south side, Ventnor beach can be popular for surfing. Some of the ground swells wrap around the headland and just about get in here to produce some fun waves. Although it can be ideal for surfing it is very much just an expert wavesailing venue due to the small area to launch and dumping waves. Great for watching, with cafés and a pub at the windward end all overlooking the action.

Best wind direction: SW

Freshwater Bay
Surfing

The best surf spot on its day, Freshwater needs head-high waves before the reef break works. Sheltered on three sides, it is picturesque, with high chalk cliffs extending down to the Needles. The surf breaks right across the bay for the longest rides on the island. Intermediate to expert surfers only.

Best wind direction: N

Niton
Surfing / Wavesailing

Just around the point, Niton offers expert wavesailors and surfers some of the best conditions on the Island. Ground swells wrap in here for a fast clean ride. If you get it on a SW backing to the W, the wavesailing can also be excellent. Watch out for surfers if you're windsurfing. The launch is very tricky with just a small 5 meter wide channel to get out and in from, and the tidal race that whips up the extra swell could also whip you out to sea. Suitable for intermediate/expert only.

Best wind direction: SW-W

Brighstone
Surfing/Windsurfing

A beautiful scenic spot on the west of the Island and one of the venues for the White Air Festival. Brighstone is hit directly by the swells and, although it involves a long paddle, the surf can be excellent, while wavesailing here is probably the best on the Island on its day. It's a steep walk down the cliff and there is little beach room for rigging. It is very rocky at low water and best-sailed half tide and upward.

Best wind direction: W/NW

Brook/Fields/Compton
Windsurfing / Surfing / Kitesurfing

These three beaches run together at low water and stretch over some 4 miles, and cater for all sports.

Brook

Driving west from Brighstone, you'll first reach Brook with a small National Trust car park overlooking the beach. It is best suited for kitesurfing and windsurfing and most tides (apart from low springs) are usable. During the summer months, the coastal blasting provides action all the way down to Freshwater Bay, while the winter swells create a superb wave and kite spot. The waves are slow and therefore ideal for intermediates.

Fields/Compton

As you head further west around the point, the next beach is Compton. Mainly used by surfers and with a car park and easy access, the beach faces due west and gets pretty much any swells around. It's a slow wave at high water but can be excellent at low to mid-tides especially with an offshore breeze. Wavesailing in a N wind with swell can also be good. As you move down the beach, the Fields flows into Compton. The main difference between here and other spots on the Island is the sandy bottom, which creates a faster wave for surfing. At low water, kitesurfing is well catered for, with a large expanse of sandy beach. This is a suitable spot to learn, but intermediates would prefer Brook.

Sideshore SE or NNW

Bembridge
Kitesurfing / Windsurfing

As you move around to the south side of the Island, the harbour town of Bembridge is especially popular among windsurfers. The calmer sea and gently sloping beach allows for great beginner/ intermediate conditions. For kiting you will need low tide, and watch out for the shipping. There's a café here, as well as toilets.

Best wind directions: NW-E

Colwell Bay
Windsurfing

A popular, mainly flat-water bay ideal for learning & intermediate windsurfing. Café and toilets on site. Watch you don't go out too far into the very strong Solent currents.

Best wind direction: SW-N

Thorness Bay
Windsurfing / Kitesurfing

Used by teaching establishments, this bay faces north and is ideal for learning windsurfing and kitesurfing. There's a holiday camp on site.

Best wind direction: NE-NW

Gurnard
Windsurfing

Used mainly by locals, Gurnard is a great windsurfing blasting area but there is little room to launch. Be careful, as the tides here are very strong down through the Solent to Cowes.

Best wind direction: SW-NE