Surfing in Lyme Regis and the surrounding area has grown over the past winter season. With huge storms and constant monster swells in west facing spots Lyme has been recognised by more surfers now as a legit location to visit when a winter swell approaches. Not a huge amount of people actually know Lyme’s surfing side though which is a shame. The more famous Atlantic facing spots have been either blown over or dangerously big over some parts of the winter, which left us surfers at a stand still until a gap in the extreme winds let us get in the water. Then spots like Lyme Regis came up with a good swell that some people had ignored before. The shelter provided by the cliffs and the Cobb combined by the angle Lyme faces meant that we had a good swell coming in that wasn’t to big and wasn’t to small. This was great for us locals as we could just wait for the right tide then head down and paddle out. It was also great for the surfers from surrounding areas as it meant their normal hour or so trek to Newquay, Croyde or St Ives could be swapped for a trip to a much smaller and well formed wave in Lyme Regis.
It was also a great booster for us local lads as we spend most of the winter thinking of what to do or where to go. But this allowed us to just go down and improve our surfing skills and learn about our local break and how the reefs can form a different swell to the others. We also met some surfers and people we hadn’t met before we started surfing Lyme which we wouldn’t have if we had chosen to go to another place. The atmosphere is chilled out and friendly when it comes to surfing and general water sports in Lyme. People have the time to talk and the space to share and don’t get protective of waves and are happy to share ( we call a party wave ) and happy to be joined in a group waiting for a wave. The surfers, sup riders, windsurfers and kite surfers comes to around 30 so there is not a problem about space in the water. A sport that Lyme is great for is stand up paddle boarding which has grown rapidly over the past couple of years creating a huge number of people riding the boards on waves, cruising the coast or generally messing about on lakes and slow rivers around the country. The area of Lyme and Charmouth is great for stand up paddle boarding as the waves can pick up lots and be a great laugh but still be able to get out fine.This is good for the riders as an equivalent wave in most other places would be near impossible for most riders to get out. When the storm St Jude passed through some huge waves were created with a peak of around 10 ft for 48 hours or so. These waves were loved by surfers and sup riders alike who got on well together and shared the waves, the biggest wave was surfed by a local sup rider. We had some decent sessions at the start of the year but then the waves started to get bigger and cleaner in mid December which were normally in the range of 2-6 ft in lines across Lyme’s pebble beach. This is a map of the main surf spots in Lyme Regis and Charmouth. Please expand to create a better image.
The conditions this winter had to be a certain way to produce good waves. The conditions were massive southerlies or south westerlies to wreck the shore and create huge mushy sets for a few hours, then the tide needs to drop and the wind needs to be very south westerlies to create the clean big waves we had a few times. The amount of surfers we have had in Lyme has increased over the year with only a few visiting to surfers in the tens visiting in early and mid February. The locals had lots of good sessions after work and school which people forget can be fun to as on certain days the tide will be dropping in the evening. The back of Lucy’s ledge in Lyme became one of my favoured places to surf in late September – late October as the reef was making a really good wave there. The wave got up to around 6 ft in one session and considering the reef was only waist deep at the time it was really fun. The back right of broad ledge was producing some big waves that just break on the reef so you can paddle out without getting battered. A spot that is only for advanced surfers and body boarders as the wave is a huge slab that comes out of no where and gives you a ride for a few seconds then will smash you straight into the Cobb wall. The local surfers who are the “old school group” use this spot when the swell gets good. Windsurfing was very popular this winter with the local and visiting wind surfers using the big waves created by the low pressure systems of February and were able to pull of some impressive tricks. The end of the winter was producing some ideal conditions for kite surfing with strong constant winds and small to medium waves for them to mess around on. It did get a tad crowded on occasion but surfers respected them and gave them space and they respected us by not taking their kites and boards to close to us. I interviewed some friends of mine who are a part of the surfing and water sports community in Lyme Regis. Jake Patrick What do you think about the people and groups who surf Lyme and local areas? “There are two groups here, the old school group who can be a little locals only and want Lyme as a secret spot and then there’s the new school group that’s compiled windsurfers, kite surfers, paddle boarders and surfers. who are more open as they do more sports.” Do you think the scene has changed in the past two years ? “I think recently the surf scene has had a re-boot now you guys have started getting more involved and some guys finding their dads boards and a wetsuit around which is kinda how surfing starts getting big in most places.” Is it worth coming to Lyme? “Yes if its massive storms from the south west but if its a regular day everywhere else has the same amount of swell in the surrounding area. Its a real difficulty with the tides knowing when to go out if your not there so you have to work out when to go in advance”. Do you think its a sheltered spot? “The big south westerlies mess up the rest of the coast so when its big and stormy its definitely worth coming” Matt Caton Your a Local guy but do you mix with the other groups? “I’ve never really met the older locals because they surf the Cobb and I’m not experienced enough and a spot they want to protect” Do you think what’s being happening lately will carry on? “As long as were here I think it will carry on”. Some of the locals have good views about surfing in the area and is clear that locals know about dangers in the water and the conditions their spots get good. Also that we have our heads screwed on and open to share. So if your in the Lyme Regis area pay us a visit. By will ure