Monday 13 April 2026
The surf will be nice and clean (just a very light cross-offshore breeze)… 4-5 feet (1.2-1.5m) at dawn, reducing to 3 feet by dusk. Swimming, kayaking and paddle-boarding conditions will be great on all coasts. Tides will be low at 10:30am and then 7.2m high at 4:45pm.
Tuesday and Wednesday
Clean 2-3 foot (0.6-0.9m) surf for almost the entire time. Only increasing to 4-5 feet (1.2-1.5m) on Wednesday evening, when it might also turn a little choppier. And the smooth-water activities should be good through most of this time too, on all coasts but especially the north and west. Tides will be low around midday and high around dawn and dinnertime (increasing incrementally from 7.6m on Tuesday morning to 8.4m by Wednesday evening).
Thursday and Friday
Clean and solid surf… 6-8 feet (1.8-2.4m) on Thursday and 5-6 feet (1.5-1.8m) on Friday. Tides will be low at lunchtime and high at breakfast and dinnertime (increasing incrementally from 8.9m on Tuesday morning to 9.4m by Wednesday evening). Still great for smooth-water activities too, but the waves and currents will be a bit hard to manage on the west coast, so all other coasts will be better in this respect.
The Weekend
Yet more smooth water and clean surf… 4 feet on Saturday and 2-3 feet (0.6-0.9m) on Sunday. Big tides, with 9.6m highs around breakfast time and dusk both days.
Beach etiquette
The sea and the beach belong to the earth (and the fish.)
Everyone has a right to use it. Nobody is more entitled than anyone else. Do so respectfully of all those around you.
Respect the environment. Take your litter home. Park considerately. Drive cautiously. Be aware of others (especially residents) in how you use the area.
All beaches have clear guidance at their entrances about safety and conditions on the beach and in the water. Be sure to read these.
Most beaches have zoned areas indicating where different usages and watersports are allowed.
Do not swim in the surf zones. Do not surf in the swim zones.
Vazon Bay is the beginner's beach. It has an area specifically reserved for novice surfers (north of the central steps; behind the restaurant). It's where the surf school is.
The reef at Vazon is mostly for experienced surfers. Most other breaks in Guernsey are unsuitable for novices.
Surf etiquette
All surfers should learn and follow these simple rules to maximise everyone's enjoyment of the water together!
- Right of way: nearest the break has right of way
- Don't drop in: if someone's on the wave, wait for another
- Paddle sensibly: paddle out through the foam out of the way of others on waves
- Hold on to your board (aka: don't ditch): your board is your lifeline but also a massive liability; hold on to it at all costs and for the safety of yourself and of others around you
- Don't snake (aka: don't steal position) - wait your turn!
- Avoid packed lineups: if a take-off is already crowded, don't make it worse. Find a different take-off
- Share the waves: there's plenty to go round
- Be humble and kind: if you make a mistake, apologise. Be gracious if you're the recipient of that.
- Novices: respect the experienced surfers around you. They can help you get better.
- Old guys: be tolerant of novices. Share your wisdom. You were a beginner once.
Did you know?
There is a 50-year old legal requirement to have third party insurance to go longboarding in Guernsey!
A longboard is defined as 'a board used for the purpose of riding the surf measuring more than five feet in length along a horizontal plane between the two most distant extremities of the board'!
No mention of paddleboards, kitesurfing, windsurfing or kayaks though!