Overview

Kitesurf

A great spot for wingfoiling. Works depending on tides and wind direction. The current just outside the bay is quite strong. In general with an upcoming tide it is nearly twice as strong as when the tide is going down. The upcoming tide the water flows from the atlantic into the north sea so is from soutwest to north east, a down going tide is from north sea back to the atlantic. The upcoming tide starts 1,5 before high water and continues roughly 2.5 hours as the north sea still keeps on rising. It switches to a current going from the north east out of the channel to the south west 3 hours after high and continues to 2 hours before high.

As a rule of thumb. Go out on a southwesterly round low tide. Go out on a north easterly round high tide. The wind directions that work are southwest and north east but be sure there is enough east or west.

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Spot forecast for St Margarets Bay

Sunrise 07:26 · Sunset 17:51

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< 7 kn7–12 kn13–20 kn21–30 kn31–40 kn41+ kn Gusts Your minimum: 7 kn

Forecasts provided by Open-Meteo

Swell and waves

Swell and tides over 8 days. Premium members see the swell and tides over 8 days. Without a subscription: 5 days.

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Wave height: < 0.5 m 0.5–1 m 1–2 m 2–3 m ≥ 3 m

Swell data by Open-Meteo Marine

Tides

Heights above lowest astronomical tide, in the spot's local time. Computed 2.8 km from the spot.

Tuesday 20 October Low tide 00:07 · 3 m High tide 06:00 · 5.3 m Low tide 13:14 · 2.9 m High tide 20:36 · 5.2 m
Wednesday 21 October Low tide 02:28 · 3 m High tide 08:58 · 5.5 m Low tide 15:18 · 2.7 m High tide 21:32 · 5.6 m
Thursday 22 October Low tide 03:48 · 2.7 m High tide 09:49 · 5.8 m Low tide 16:17 · 2.2 m High tide 22:18 · 6 m
Friday 23 October Low tide 04:42 · 2.2 m High tide 10:31 · 6.2 m Low tide 17:06 · 1.8 m High tide 22:57 · 6.4 m
Saturday 24 October Low tide 05:29 · 1.8 m High tide 11:05 · 6.5 m Low tide 17:50 · 1.4 m High tide 23:28 · 6.7 m

St Margarets Bay: when to go?

Rideable days and hours computed for a minimum wind of 7 knots · log in to set your own (foil, twin-tip…)

Season · peak

265h

in July · 26.5 rideable days

The season runs from April to August, peaking in July: 25 rideable days a month and 265 hours of usable wind, at 18 °C. The low point is November, at 14 days.

Rideable days per month

Wind strength when it is rideable

7-12 knots · 59%13-20 knots · 38%21-30 knots · 3%31+ knots · under 1%

When the spot works, wind sits mostly between 7 and 12 knots — 59% of rideable hours. Big-kite territory. The coldest month is January, at 7 °C. The wettest month is February, with 156 mm.

Monthly averages: St Margarets Bay

Monthly averages — St Margarets Bay — averaged over 2 years of records — Weather data by Open-Meteo.com — How it is calculated
Month	Rideable days	Usable wind	Temperature	Rain
January	18.5	150 h	7 °C	100 mm
February	20.0	180 h	9 °C	156 mm
March	20.0	190 h	11 °C	58 mm
April	23.5	244 h	13 °C	75 mm
May	24.0	225 h	16 °C	53 mm
June	25.0	316 h	19 °C	29 mm
July	26.5	265 h	21 °C	100 mm
August	26.5	309 h	21 °C	25 mm
September	21.0	223 h	18 °C	124 mm
October	17.0	125 h	15 °C	93 mm
November	14.0	106 h	11 °C	99 mm
December	20.5	163 h	9 °C	68 mm

Photo gallery of St Margarets Bay

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Technical details of St Margarets Bay spot

The spot works with winds from NE, ENE, E, SSW, SW, WSW.

Rideable Not rideable

Spot opening date · Required level

Spot opening date: Open all year round
its always open.
Required level: Advanced

Wind specificities

The wind in the bay is 5 knots less then outside. You will be surprised how it is shaded inside and once you are 100 - 300 meters out you will encounter what I call the wall of wind.

Hazards

Be careful for the current as it is very strong. Underpowered especially with North easterly and current going from south west to north east (up the channel) is so strong that it takes you up to kingsdown. The other way round is more tricky as you are taken to the harbour of dover but the current is not as strong going down the channel.

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Deal Pier8.5 kmsource channelcoast

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Additional stations

Folkestone16.9 km

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source channelcoast
GW2016 HYTHE UK19.2 km

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source madis - NOAA

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Webcams near St Margarets Bay

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Nearby spots

All spots: England

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St Margarets Bay kitesurf spot