Surf Forecast  Sandside Bay

Sandside Bay surfspot characteristics

More about Sandside Bay surfspot

Quality left reef south of harbour in Sandside Bay. Dredging, thick, hollow first section and a long, whackable inside wall. Handles strong SW-W winds.

General: With Dounreay Nuclear Power Station playing backdrop to this walling left, it is a relief to those who surf here that Sandside is not the main 'North Shore' attraction. However, when large westerly swells are accompanied by Thurso East-wrecking westerly winds, this spot's beauty really shines through as a firing port in an otherwise unsurfable storm. Take-off near the old harbor and a quality, hollow left will unwind all the way to the beach. Small crowds brave the radioactive warnings posted by the break. Tides: Needs to push in a bit so check at mid. Size: Waist high to overhead. Wind: SW but can handle a west. Swell: NW, N Bottom: Flat reef with sand. Paddling: Can be a slog when swells pick up. Spot Rating: The lefts here can be excellent - hollow, or long reeling walls. Needs a big swell to work, usually a go to in a blowy westerly storm.

Shallow reef so best for those with more experience.

Look for the nuclear reactor.

Park close to harbour.

December - February

Crowd Factor: Usually quiet. Local Vibe: Friendly.

Car park overlooks the wave. Tens of thousands of radioactive particles from old reactors contaminated the shoreline and the seabed around the now defunct Dounreay Nuclear Reprocessing Plant. Experts regard the most radioactive of the grain-of-sand-sized particles are potentially lethal if ingested. Might explain why Sandside is rarely crowded!

Signs advise kids not to dig here because of nuclear 'particles' so...

Radioactive particles have been found on the beach here!