Saturday 22 November 2025
The surf will gradually increase from about 1 foot at dawn to 2-3 feet (0.6-0.9m) by dusk. All of it clean, but difficult to manage with the strength of the wind. Good for windsurfing and kitesurfing though. High tide wil be 8.7m at 7:20am. Low tide will be at 1:40pm.
Sunday 23 November 2025
The surf will gradually increase from about 3 feet at dawn to about 5 feet by dusk, but it will all be very messy. Good for windsurfing and kitesurfing out west though. And good for swimming sheltered eastern spots like Fermain. High tide wil be 8.6m at 7:50am. Low tide will be at 2:10pm.
Monday and Tuesday
Monday’s surf will be messy throughout, gradually decreasing from about 6 feet at dawn to 4 feet by dusk. Then Tuesday’s surf will reduce from 3 feet to just 1-2 feet (0.3-0.6m), but it will be increasingly clean. Tides will be high around breakfast time (8.3m on Monday and 8m on Tuesday). Low tides will be in the mid-afternoons.
Wednesday to Friday
Despite the improving trend of Tuesday, we will descend back into an unsettled regime through the rest of the week… Wedneday looking like a relatively gentle SSW’ly wind with ever thickening cloud, followed by stronger winds and rain through Wednesday night and then frequent showers on Thursday. Friday then looks likely to be very wet indeed, as a flabby low pressure pressure system sits directly overhead. The details at this end of the forecast are all a bit uncertain and changeable, but I think we can be pretty sure that it’s going to be wet. Daily max temps likely around 13°C
Wind detail is uncertain, but it currently looks as though most of it will be semi-clean with Wedneday and Friday possibly being very clean. Some decent groundswell likely from quite a deep low pressure system in the North Atlantic, but it’s uncertain whether we are talking about something that’s medium-small or medium-large. High tides will be in the mid to late mornings. Low tides will be in the mid to late afternoons.
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!