Well, Joss Bay can have its good swells, yes I did say good, but a southeasterly or westerly is required. It does have a drawback, which are crowds and nasty rocks on each side (bummer).
Joss can be good but most of the time it is not. People say that Ramsgate is Kent’s premier wave but I disagree. When Joss gets going on a solid northerly ground swell (NE, NW or just N) it really is quality, on a local wind chop though it is dire.
Funny old place Joss Bay as it catches a lot of people out. If you get it right it looks and feels excellent. I have surfed it with clean offshores and 2-3ft swell and it has been prime! But only lasted a good hour like that before swell dropped. The only trouble with Joss is that it is on the end of the swell lines and with the narrow coastline although a regular break for consistance it gets good 2 out of every 8 swells. However you will always find a wave there and in more recent times it has performed similiar to decade ago when it was really good! The best swell direction is normally north east, north or north west but can also get a good swell on a south west storm that is 1-2ft offshore and strange wave to the right of the beach! This year it received two long range swells from the east, the wind locally was south west but the wind off Scandinavia was a strong east gale this produced probably the best swells of the year on the beach and many locals now look for these conditions... This beach can always spring a surprise!
I checked the charts and the winds, all seemed fine so on my day off I travelled down from Eastbourne to Joss bay. I was getting worried, because all the way to Dover the sea was flat. Then the bay appeared right before my eyes and I was amazed.
its a beautifull place , peple are friendly , its easy to surf
and good shaped waves.
it`s never like this down our way... anyone livin in eastbourne thinkin about checkin it out , do so , you cant go wrong. 3/5
I seem to be following Wes from site to site. All this about Joss working on a south westerly is certainly news to me. I have been surfing Joss for about 12 years and live about half a mile away. I've never seen it do anything worthy of takin a board in for on a south westerly. I'll leave it up to you lot to decide! P.S. We aint tossers : )
Well Joss Bay is definitely a funny old place but I surfed it this weekend when there was no surf anywhere else in the UK and it was 2-3ft so it was all good. It basically works on large northern swells not a lot of power on the small swell and the rocks are surfable if you aint a pussy!
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