Downwinds | West bay Run

West bay Run

A great short downwind along Chesil Beach on the Jurassic coast when the easterly blows. Start at Abbotsbury beach and finish at West Bay. Chesil Beach (also known as Chesil Bank) in Dorset, England is one of three major shingle beach structures in Britain. Its name is derived from the Old English ceosel or cisel, meaning "gravel" or "shingle". It runs for a length of 29 kilometres from West Bay to the Isle of Portland and in places is up to 15 metres high and 200 metres wide.


  • West Bay, 1-11 Esplanade, Bridport, England DT6 4EN, United Kingdom

    Distance in KM
    13
    Estimated Time to complete
    70 mins
  • Wind Direction
    ESE
    East
    Best months
    Mar
    Apr
    May
    Jun
    Jul
  • Average Rating
    5.0

    No of Followers:
    1
  • Created
    over 4 years ago
    Last updated
    about 4 years ago
    Kindly shared by:
    louis2again louis2again





  • Parking in Beach Car park - can grab a coffee at Cherries

    Need to carry over the dune and always lots of fisherman about. Be careful of shore break when launching. Paddle about a 1 Km out before turning right to catch the runs!


    These 2 Youtube videos gives you a good idea of the route





    Exit points all along the way although some are far away from anywhere, best ones are West Bexington, Burton Bradstock and Freshwater.







    Finish is on West bay Beach just after the harbour entrance as conditions will be milder than the main beach in from of the harbour entrance, if shore break at West Bay is too big can always paddle into the harbour for a safer exit.

    West Bay Harbour



    Rise is a great restaurant for après paddle food or coffee.

    Great coffee!



    Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) stations are the bases for the RNLI's fleet of search and rescue lifeboats that cover the coastal waters around the entire British Isles, as well as major inland waterways. The service was established in 1824 and is operated largely by volunteers. Its headquarters are at Poole, Dorset and it is a registered charity in both the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

    24-hour search and rescue service operates from 238 lifeboat stations around the UK and Ireland.

    On this downwind the closest station is Lyme Regis Lifeboat Station


    Use RYA Safetrx app for those big days -

    Things to watch out for
    Tides are not huge, shore break along coastline can be tricky when launching and finishing.

    Exit points all along the way although some are far away from anywhere, best ones are West Bexington, Burton Bradstock and Freshwater.
    Burton to Freshwater, West Bay harbour wall in the distance.


    There is a NCI watch at Burton Bradstock.
    NCI Burton Bradstock
    Operational capability
    This station has Declared Facility Status. This station reports to JRCC Fareham. Current weather and sea conditions are available by telephone during watch hours
    • Defibrillator Available: No
    • Station Telephone: 01308 89777
    • Visual Watch: Yes
    • Radar Watch: No
    • NAVTEX: No
    • AIS Watch: Yes
    • DSC Watch: Yes
    • Radio: Listening watch on channels: 16
    • Radio: Channels in use (call direct not via ch 16): 65
    • Radio: Channel 00: Listening watch and ready to transmit as authorised by Coastguard
    • Station Call Sign: Lyme Bay NCI
    • Visual Horizon: 8.15 nautical miles



    Have fun and please stay safe!
    Some Basic Safety Guidelines

    - It is very difficult to spot someone in the water especially in strong wind conditions, so please make sure you can be seen - use bright colour clothing. Wear a brightly coloured PFD Wear a brightly coloured rash vest ( luminous green or orange is best)

    - Use a buddy system - doing a downwind with someone else is always safer than on your own.

    - Have a VHF Radio, mobile/cell phone in a waterproof bag ( test that you can use this in all conditions)

    - Know who to call for help and be sure that your family know who to call. Be sure that someone knows where you are and when you should return. And that they will call for help if this time is exceeded.

    - Other useful tips - Use a leash from the craft to your body. Have a signal flare (hand held are best) or pencil flares. Carry a reflector / mirror. Have a whistle that works when wet. Have your name and landline number on your craft. Leave a card with your name and phone number (mobile/cell and landline) on your vehicle dashboard.


    Best conditions is if the easterly has been blowing for a few days beforehand, winds of about 25-30 km are best. E, ESE


    1 review

    5
    benwloudon

    Great locatio
    Reviewed about 4 years ago
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