World › United Kingdom › North Yorkshire › South Bay
South Bay 38.6
#4982 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · North Yorkshire · near Scarborough
Wind is the enemy here, peaks in January, thick rubber.
Beginner friendlyBeginner
Surf score38.6 /100
Surfable days64% of the year
Clean days2% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell3% period 11 s+
Typical size0.8 m 2.5 ft median
Water10°C a 5/4 with boots and hood
Best time to surf South Bay
The best time to surf South Bay is January, April, December. It rarely works. In January the water sits around 7°C, so pack a 6/5 with boots, gloves and hood, and the typical wave is 0.8 m. The nearest airport is LBA (94 km) and the nearest town is Scarborough (2 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74% | 6% | 0.8 m | 7°C | 6/5 |
| Feb | 79% | 0% | 1.1 m | 6°C | 6/5 |
| Mar | 74% | 2% | 0.9 m | 7°C | 6/5 |
| Apr | 81% | 3% | 0.9 m | 7°C | 6/5 |
| May | 55% | 0% | 0.6 m | 10°C | 6/5 |
| Jun | 52% | 0% | 0.6 m | 12°C | 5/4 |
| Jul | 38% | 0% | 0.5 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Aug | 37% | 0% | 0.5 m | 16°C | 4/3 |
| Sep | 59% | 1% | 0.7 m | 13°C | 4/3 |
| Oct | 69% | 1% | 0.8 m | 12°C | 5/4 |
| Nov | 76% | 0% | 1.0 m | 10°C | 5/4 |
| Dec | 79% | 5% | 0.9 m | 8°C | 6/5 |
Why 38.6
Seven parts, each normalised 0 to 1 and weighted; the sum is scaled so the best spot in the world is 100.
Consistency 26%
19.0
Clean days 24%
0.4
Groundswell 12%
0.1
Season spread 10%
8.2
Wave size 8%
1.1
Water comfort 10%
0.0
Access 10%
8.8
The detail
Faces 65° with 42% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 66% of days. Mean peak period 6.4 s. Days over 3 m: 1%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 62%. Months that work: 10 of 12. Coordinates 54.279, -0.398 (OpenStreetMap).
Spots nearby
North bay🇬🇧 United Kingdom · score 39.5Cayton Bay🇬🇧 United Kingdom · score 36.9Admirals🇬🇧 United Kingdom · score 41.6Whitby Beach🇬🇧 United Kingdom · score 40.4
Compare South Bay with 5,700 other spots
Filters by month, level and water, map, side by side comparison and a trip planner.
Open the interactive profileMore spots good in JanuaryFilters by month, level and water, map, side by side comparison and a trip planner.