The forecast for the south west is rubbish this weekend but Scarborough is looking pretty damn good. I’ve never been up that way before so what do I need to know? North or south bay? Should I avoid high or low tide? Any rips to watch out for? Any insider info gratefully received.

I’ll bring my mankini if you bring a traffic cone.

Deal.

There’s also Cayton bay just south of Scarborough.

Not a surfer myself but whenever I visited relatives there the surfing was in the north bay. Plenty of parking on the roadside as well.
As tallpaul says there’s Cayton bay as well which used to have a surf shop, may still be there.

North Sea is really really cold. Way colder than Wales and South West. Locals were pretty friendly.

North Bay is bigger than South, South Bay doesn’t always work. When it does all the locals come out of the woodwork. North Bay is a good longboarder wave.

North Bay is restricted at high tide due to the sea defences, reckon on 2 hours either side of high tide being too dodgy to go in.

Don’t leave the key anywhere obvious,

Cayton Bay also works well and has showers.

High tide is 12.13pm on Sunday so 2 hours either side blocks out a good chunk of the day.

Cayton bay. It’s ace. Three main breaks from memory.

Been years since I last surfed there but always had a good session of there were waves.

Yep, brilliant place. Just rock up and park on the road.

Its **** freezing ATM, Saltburn was cold yesterday and the preceding week. Hoodie, boots, gloves and you’ll be fine.

Scarbs North Bay has the inner break by the cliff.. just watch out for boulders if it’s HT.

Always make the effort to come to the East Coast. It’s a surfing mecca and it’s quiet too.

Granted the water looks Brown, but the quality of the breaks is just brilliant.

If it’s shit there, come up to Sandsend (Whitby) or further to Saltburn…

If I was staying up here I’d come over there too 👍

I’ll pack my 5/3 and 6/4 hooded suits and head north east then. Sounds like there should be something worth a go.

Haven’t surfed for years but when I did, at Cayton I distinively remember the waves being fairly on the heavy side, oh and me not being able to tie my shoelaces afterwards, it was that cold!

I lived in Scarborough for a couple of years, but as that was over 20 years ago, things may have changed. Here’s what I remember:

It’s so, so, so cold. Winter water temp up there is about 6 degrees. Cornwall south coast is about 12 at the minute. I was proper redders in a 5/4 yesterday. That’s a summer suit in Yorkshire.

The almost constant south westerly wind that prevails in the south west Blows through to the north east, meaning its almost always offshore. Lots of flat periods though.

How are you on left-hand point breaks? The north east is littered with them. Loads of chunky reefs too. If you’re regular and can’t surf backhand, Yorkshire isn’t for you. It’s not my place to tell you where any of them are though.

Cayton bay is probably your most obvious spot for mid to high tide, which’ll be morning and lunchtime this weekend. Bunkers was okay at high. I recall some cracking sessions at Cayton Point. I’ve no idea if you have to pay for parking and stuff nowadays.

They cook chips in beef fat up there. The sun also rises out of the sea. Weird.

I am goofy and equally average at both lefts and rights. Looks like a trip to Cayton is on the cards.

I always stashed a flask on the beach to get a hot drink.max we lasted was about 21/2 hours

I’ll pack my 5/3 and 6/4 hooded suits and head north east then. Sounds like there should be something worth a go.

You won’t need the 5/3……..

I used to have 8mm boots!

A poly rather than lycra base layer helps massively too.

They cook chips in beef fat up there. The sun also rises out of the sea. Weird.

For the fish and chips alone you should be heading for Saltburn. Added bonus at high tide you can jump off the pier rather than having to paddle out (I’ve never been brave enough mind you).

All over the east coast the swell has a short period owing to the smaller fetch, 4ft in Cornwall you could paddle backwards and still catch it. 4ft on the East Coast and you’re paddling like a lunatic as the wave has less energy. Bear that in mind when looking at the forecast.

msw has a reasonable guide to the best known spots – scroll round the map and click on spots for a stormrider synopsis: https://magicseaweed.com/Scarborough-North-Bay-Surf-Guide/1129/

Tides are really small this weekend meaning that mid tide spots (north bay and cayton) will work longer, North bay doesn’t work through high. South bay is a shite longboard wave. Cayton has a choice of waves (point, inside point, pumphouse, bunkers, even an outside reef I surfed once) and would probably be the call.

We’re getting towards 6 mil territory now but I was in an old hooded xcel five mil last week which was okay. Take both so you’ve a dry one.

Despite a rare for me bad back and oncoming cold, I am frothing at the mouth over the forecast.

(I used to surf these spots a lot but rarely go that for south these days,)

I always managed in a 543 wetsuit with thermal rash vest. Changing in the car park after was the real misery.

Hood, gloves, boots, also essential.

would now use earplugs

It wasn’t that cold. Wore my 6/4 with no vest and was proper toasty. Even my feet which usually suffer were fine in 5mm boots. I’ll definitely be heading that way again.

Don’t tell your friends… 😉

Brilliant.

Bunkers was okay

Isn’t he the aggressive dude in Point Break, smacks Jonny in the chops?

^^^
warchild.

^^^
Surf thread Godwin

Next time I think I’ll drive up on Friday night after work and sleep in the van. Seemed to be plenty of people parked on the road. That would save me a 6am departure.

One December, just before Christmas, there was glassy and clean surf at the town beach in Scarborough. It can be really good. However, I definitely agree with

Don’t leave the key anywhere obvious

as when we got out, the car was not where we’d left it!

i watched someone recently get changed at my local break, and put the keys to his car on the front wheel. it was a 69 plate audi A4. i was quite tempted to move it and leave a note on the dash…