Southerndown Surf Forecast and Surf Reports

Q, VoG from UNITED KINGDOM writes:

Southerndown is a fairly consistent beach break with some low lying reef to the right of the car park. There is a rip around the point to the far left. Surf can be great when it is 3ft to overhead and winds are from the NNW to ESE, given some shelter from the backing cliffs. The tide needs to be on the push and is usually best from mid-tide upwards BUT watch out for a sketchy exit at high tide when the waves can thump into the steep storm bank. This is less of a problem on neap tides but springs are a different matter. Wave shape is strongly dependent on sand movements that vary through the year and dramatically affect the beach profile. Sometimes the waves can back off frustratingly then half an hour later as the tide moves they can steepen and even become quite hollow on occasion.

The wave is nearly always 1-2ft smaller than the indicator beach at Llangennith (Gower) due to the swell dragging on the sea bed in the shallow Bristol Channel. This is more noticeable for long period swells (>11s). The beach can often get crowded particularly in summer and autumn but winter days are much quieter when surf is often at its best.

2010-03-04