Home to the largest sandy beach in South Devon, Bigbury has an even bigger reputation in UK windsurfing. Bigbury Massacre, South Coast’s Jaws, Bigbury Takes no Prisoners, whatever the sensational headline this South Coast hot spot has always had a fearful and deserved reputation as being a scary place to sail and many International sailors have scurried down the deep Devon lanes to be surprised how brutal Bigbury can be, usually dragged along by ex-local sailor Timo Mullen or popping down to visit local lens-man Alex Williams. Its bite lies in a rivermouth in the centre of the bay. Here any sniff of swell is maxed into a mast macerating break that challenges the hardiest of windsurfing heroes. Bigbury also has a calmer easier side too it’s not always mast high and life threatening. This south coast wave magnet often kicks up fun free ride conditions too, just be warned it can soon turn challenging as you drift down the beach towards the river mouth and over to Bantham, where you’ll be surrounded by surfers too.
Long gone are the days of calling the local windsurfing shop for a “Do you know if anyone’s out at the beach sailing?”question. Bigbury has some reliable info. readily available online. Magicseaweed.com, the surf forecast website headquartered nearby, has 3 HD cams on the beach (but not generally in the sailing area) and there’s an active Facebook group ‘Windsurf Plymouth’, where a lot of the local sailors will post their sailing intentions so you’ll never need to sail alone. Reactive Watersports also put up a Facebook weekend forecast so you know the best spots to sail and the optimum tides. Of course Windguru and Big Salty cover Bigbury too, but all that said you can’t beat a bit of local knowledge and who better to turn to than Reactive Watersports owner, Dave Ewer. Read on for Dave’s account of a classic day at his local and a guru’s guide to mastering the waves at one of England’s finest windsurfing beaches.
“ Any sniff of swell is maxed into a mast macerating break that challenges the hardiest of windsurfing heros ’’ JC
