83
DIGGIN’ THE
TRENCH
UK freestyle with 2XS’s Sandy Clunas
WORDS: SANDY CLUNAS
PICS: SIMON BASSETT AND 2XS
THE SOUTH COAST OF THE UK IS MAINLY KNOWN FOR
ITS STEEP, SHINGLE, GROIN MARKED BEACHES
OFFERING CROSS ONSHORE WAVE-SAILING
CONDITIONS. CHAMPIONED IN SPOTS LIKE
SHOREHAM, WORTHING. The Witterings and Hayling
Island there’s a wealth of lump and jump options
available. However the exception to the rule is West
Wittering with its long sandy stretch of beach curving
round into Chichester Harbour.
It offers its own type of wave sailing conditions at high tide but at low
tide a few lagoons show up offering 2XS, the centre based there, the
perfect conditions to teach kitesurfing, windsurfing and SUP. One lagoon
in particular is a favourite amongst those windsurfers who love speed or
freestyle: The Trench.
Around two hours either side of low tide the Trench appears. A sandbar
slowly rises from the ocean to create a stretch of super flat water. In a
W or WSW direction the wind flies over the bank allowing you to reach up
and down to your heart’s content. As it is a literal trench it does stay
fairly deep in the middle, I’ve often stepped off expecting to be in knee
deep water only to be dunked up to my neck. Certainly an unwelcome
surprise – especially in the winter months! Be warned though, there are a
couple of spots that do get shallow quickly so it’s always worth stepping
off earlier rather than later – a dunk is better than a catapult and
possibly losing a fin!
uk
WIND
SURFING