Camber Sands

The winds

Where you can kitesurf at Camber Sands

The beach runs east from the mouth of the River Rother, below Rye, towards the Kent border, where the shingle of Dungeness begins. The western half, in front of the village, is backed by the only sand dunes in East Sussex and fills with swimmers and families from spring to autumn. Kites are not allowed at that end.

Kitesurfing happens in the council's water sports zone at the eastern end, in front of Broomhill car park (some guides call it Jury's Gap). Parking there is free and the zone starts at the car park. A licensed school works from the car park and has its own teaching area, which independent riders must keep out of. The zone boundaries are on council signs at the beach entrances.

The school's guidance describes the zone as running east from a black-and-white kite flag near the car park to the red flags at the edge of Ministry of Defence land, less than a kilometre away. Past those flags are the Lydd ranges, where the army trains with live fire and the danger area extends out to sea.

Which wind directions work

At the kite zone the beach faces a little west of south. The prevailing south-westerly arrives cross-onshore from the right and is the usual wind for lessons and freeriding. A southerly blows straight onshore; a south-easterly comes in from the left and is less common.

North and east winds blow off the land here, and the council advises against water sports in them. In a north-easterly or an easterly, Greatstone, about fifteen minutes' drive away on the eastern side of Dungeness, faces into the wind and stays shallow for hundreds of metres. A north-westerly is offshore at both beaches; the council's advice is to use neither.

Summer brings a sea breeze: Romney Marsh heats up in the sun and pulls in onshore wind through the afternoon. The local school and other spot guides say the beach often blows well above the forecast on these days. The strongest and most frequent winds come with the winter lows, between October and March.

The tide rule: three hours either side of high water

At high water the sea reaches the sea defence wall at the back of the beach and covers the wooden groynes. There is no room to launch or land, and the council warns of shore break and strong currents. Its rule is no kitesurfing for three hours either side of high tide. Some local guidance says two and a half hours; plan around the council's three. That leaves about six hours around each low water, about 50 minutes later each day. The Rye Harbour tide tables cover this beach.

Low water brings different hazards. The beach is so flat that the sea can be a long walk out, and it comes back quickly. The council warns that people get cut off on sandbars by the rising tide, and that soft sand and mud show at low water.

Two old shipwrecks lie at the eastern end, inside the kite area, and parts of them break the surface as the tide goes out. Find them from the beach before you rig, and keep clear while any part is showing.

Kite zone rules and the army range

Rother District Council's code for the kite zone requires third-party insurance and says never to ride alone. Launch at least 50 metres from objects and people, ideally at the water's edge: pump the kite on the sand, then carry it down before you attach the lines. A helmet is advised and a working leash is expected. Report a lost kite or board to the coastguard.

Red flags by day or red lamps at night on the Lydd ranges mean live firing, and nobody should go in the water in front of them. The council says the firing times are posted on the lookout tower by the flags. The Ministry of Defence also publishes them each month on GOV.UK and warns that they can change at short notice.

Set up away from kite buggies and landboarders. A kite that gets loose during launch can reach the road behind the car park, which is another reason to launch at the water's edge.

Water temperature, wetsuits and getting there

The sea averages about 8 °C in February and reaches 17 to 18 °C in August. That means a 5/4 with boots, gloves and a hood in winter, a 4/3 in spring and autumn, and a 3/2 on warm summer days.

Camber is about 125 km by road from central London, roughly two hours via the M20 and Ashford in light traffic. By train, change at Ashford for Rye, five miles away. Buses and taxis run from Rye station, and a cycle path follows the road to Camber.

Reading the live wind at Camber Sands

Check the direction first: north or east in the reading means Camber is offshore. Then compare the strength with the forecast, because on a sunny afternoon the sea breeze can lift the beach above the model's number. After that, look at the gap between average and gust. A small gap usually means a steady wind off the sea; a big one usually means a front is still passing or the wind is coming over the land.

The widget above shows the latest readings from the stations around the spot. Read them alongside the tide table, because a good wind within three hours of high water still means waiting on the beach.

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