Swansea Bay Windsurfing Guide
General info
Windsurfing ratings
Swansea Bay Gallery
Swansea Bay is a suprisingly versatile location offering a great option for beginner to intermediate windsurfers and kitesurfers. When a massive swell pumps in from the Atlantic it can also offer a fun port tack down the line wave riding option in a SW wind at high tide believe it or not. Generally unless you enjoy taking mud samples you'll want to hit it at mid to high tide. The sea bed is predominantly sand, then rock, then mud. If you see the later, you probably stayed out too long!
There are plenty of launching locations around the bay offering differing freestyle conditions. In a south easterly, the Verdi's restaurant slip way near Mumbles Head allows for some epic freestyle with good shuv-it ramps and jumping on the way out and in. In a south westerly or north easterly, you can either launch opposite the University or opposite the guest houses.
Features
If the wind is north east and the tide is right, Swansea Bay can prove to be a good location. The only other place to go in this direction would be Oxwich Bay. For all beginners and intermediates, this is also a great place to learn during high tide. The shallow water will clean up most swell and make it manageable.
Considerations
As should be the case in most bays near towns, avoid drinking the water. Also avoid getting caught out at low tide by checking the tide times. Check the tide times on the Bigsalty Mumbles tide times page, and stick it on your watchlist.