Surfing

Although Hayling Island is not renowned for it's North Shore style breaks, it has been known to produce a few days (usually we are told, "You should have been here yesterday") of quite good surf.

Surfing is usually limited to the winter months on Hayling, relying on the swells that run up the English Channel. The only sure way to catch any swell is to keep going down for a look as it is quite easy to miss the best of it and occasionally you will get a nice surprise whilst not really expecting to find anything.

There are two areas of the seafront that produce the goods.

West Beach
In front of the golf course and along a bit is a long stretch that catches the swell as it rounds the tip of the West Winner, producing right-handers when the swell is right. Just in front of the groynes, is another section, primarily right-handers again, that can involve careful timing the shore dump can get up and over six foot easily, with a nasty rip that takes you right onto the groynes if you get it wrong.

Sandy Point
There are several sections at this end of the Island that catch more of the swell than West. They consist of 'The Box', a small section of primarily shore break, but does form well and just in the harbour mouth, a section that breaks over the shore defence rocks. The tides can produce nasty currents here that can sap the strength.