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CAMBER SANDS: CLASSIC CAMBER

On a day with little wind or waves promised on much of England’s south coast, Timo Mullen dragged JC all the way to Camber Sands in the southeast, to prove his theory that it delivers reliable wave sailing conditions when it’s below average elsewhere.

Words: Timo Mullen // Photos: John Carter

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TIMO MULLEN 

Camber Sands is a spot I will only really go to when it is not windy or wavey at home in Poole or for much of the south coast. Generally, I only go in the summertime. That is when Camber seems to work the best from April through to October. What makes Camber so great is that any southwesterly or west-southwest wind funnels the whole way up the English Channel. There is also an unexplained local wind effect whereby if it is sunny and southwesterly, the wind really accelerates there too. There is also a huge fetch all the way up the channel at Camber, so it picks up a wind swell quickly. It also has very shallow sandbanks, so there is always swell if it is windy.

You will always get head-high waves pretty much as long as it’s blowing 25 knots. It is onshore sailing, so don’t be expecting side-shore down the line conditions, but it does provide very good cross-onshore wave sailing. It is a bit like a starboard tack Pozo, but a bit easier to sail as it is a beach break. The waves seem like they break forever, and so you can easily score four or five jumps on the way out.  

THE SAILING 

I would always take out a slightly bigger sail than the conditions dictate at Camber, so if it looks like 4.2m weather, I will take a 4.5m or 4.7m and a board that is slightly bigger. That is what you should be doing for onshore sailing anyway. Particularly at Camber, the bigger gear helps you navigate out from the inside where there is a lot of whitewater. I normally use a quad or the same board I would use at Gwithian or in side-shore. When you get out the back to the bigger ramps, having a bigger board really helps. Generally you will sail Jury’s Gap at the eastern end of the beach at low tide. You can sail there from mid tide through to low tide. It does not matter if the tide is coming in or going out. As the tide gets higher, then I normally sail at the Dunes, which is the big main beach car park at Camber Sands. That works in the same wind direction, southwest, and has the same effect. Wind swell hits the sandbars at both spots and they are equally as good as each other. I think I prefer the Dunes as you can rig up on the grass and there are less or no kites there. The waves are sometimes a little bit better at that end of the bay for wave riding. Kites are not allowed at the Dunes, whereas at Jury’s gap there are a lot of kiters. I think it could be one of the most popular kitesurfing spots in the UK.  

MISSION 

If I saw a forecast for Camber Sands for 20-25 knots from the southwest, with clear blue sky and small swell, that could easily be 4m or 4.2m conditions. At home it would most likely be 15 knots, with no waves and I would be lucky if I was even windsurf foiling. If I drive the three hours to Camber, I will be wave sailing fully stacked on small gear. It is a long drive though. I guess only people stupid enough like me would do it for a few hours session. From Brighton it is still quite a mission as the road is quite slow to Camber along the coast. But the wind will be so much stronger and there are normally waves, so that is what motivates me for the drive. From Poole, you are on the motorway for 90% of the drive, so that part is not too bad. It takes time but with cruise control I am there in three hours. I can leave home at 8 a.m., be there for 11, sail for three hours and be home for 5 p.m., work permitting! I am normally exhausted after sailing at Camber as on one run you could easily do five jumps on a really good day. I am normally done and dusted after two or three hours there. No pain, no gain!  

On this mission I used my Severne Nano 87-litre and 4.5m Blade, which is my normal setup at Camber. I do like to have that little extra volume of the 87-litre board rather than using my 80-litre. Before this session I had not really wave sailed for three or four weeks. In summer on the south coast we get light wind periods without swell, so Camber is perfect for getting your wave sailing fix. There was not much wind anywhere before this day and we heard on the way home the south coast was pretty light winds and flat and most south coast sailors would have been lucky if they were on a 5.6m, whereas I was lit up on a 4.5m. It was not the most epic day I have sailed there, but it was a classic, consistent Camber session that delivered the goods.  

RAMPS 

At Camber it is mostly about jumping. It is a really solid jumping spot! I have taken a couple of friends there and they have learned to push loop in a day because there are so many ramps. The waves are quite forgiving and they never really get much above head high when I have been there. There are a few parts of the sand that create a bowly sucky wave, but on the whole the waves are quite soft. It is great for learning jumps. The moves you will see are big back loops because it is so windy, as well as plenty of forwards and push loops. I don’t normally go to Camber when it is firing at home as there is no need.  

HAZARDS 

When you sail at Jury’s, the number one hazard is all the kiters. There are a few kite schools up that end of the bay, meaning there can be a few beginners learning to kite in 30 knots of wind there, so you have to take care. You just have to be aware, keep out of their way and sail a bit upwind of the main area of kites. There is also an old shipwreck downwind that can be a bit hidden by the waves as the tide pushes up. It is quite obvious at low tide, but as the tide comes in the waves break on the wreck and it is very easy to miss it. At high tide be careful of the groynes at Jury’s and also make sure you pay your ticket for parking at the Dunes. At Jury’s the parking is free.  

RYE WATERSPORTS 

Just as you pull into Camber there is a lovely flat water lake where Rye Watersports is based which proves perfect conditions for learning and blasting. Rye Watersports were established back in 1986 and is a family run centre. It is the perfect place to learn all watersports and is only a one-hour drive from London. The centre does windsurfing and wing foil lessons as well as rentals and also offers SUP, kayak, sailing and sailing, so it could be an option to drop off friends or family for some fun while you score your fix of wave sailing at the main beach!