Mersea Island Beach
A Quick Overview - Generally works when the wind has NO North factor in the wind direction. The main areas are at the bottom of Seaview avenue (free carpark), 'The Mersea Windsurfers' Club Hut is here. and 300 yards to the West is a grass carpark, (£2.50 all day- it might be more now) This is mainly a windsurf launch point, kites are reccommended to launch from the east of Seaview avenue. 'The Mersea windsurfers and Kitesurfers' is a fantastic bunch of relatively ego free characters. They have some events and are always looking for spots to sail via there forum if the wind is going the wrong way.
It is a shingly, shoreline, with groynes about onehundred yards apart west of the Club Hut, Behind the beach is a plethora of beach huts, obviously in the summer months on a good day it can be very busy with other beach users.
Best Times to Go
Easterly or Southeasterly, can give you some lovely small ramps, out in the middle of the estuary, a small swell at the right angle is great for windsurfers, at high tide they kick up a little of the small sandbars.
Westerly, on a dropping tide it flattens of, perfect Kitesurf Freestyle conditions, Southwesterly, Choppy, on an incoming tide, unless its twenty five knots plus, at half tide the sandbars a mile East of Seaview create a superb lagoon for kitesurfing, super flat, opposite Waldegraves Caravan park.
Low tide is a 200 yard walk at most to the waterline, but it is a sticky horrible mud, laiden with the famous Mersea Oysters. Wear Boots, I have had to repair many kites that have come a cropper on the Mudflats.. You can walk out on the sandbar, which makes it less of a chore getting out.
For kiting be warned if it is direct southerly and high tide it is hard to get clear of the beach, and get well clear if trying aerials, as you will get carried towards the beach! As you head east there is a patch of beach a few hundred yards long, which is empty, no huts and plenty of room to land a kite, good for learners or busy summer holidays.
There are other areas to kite on Mersea, the most dangerous being the strood, only highly proficient people should ever try this, it is hard to launch, full of underwater dangers, in a North direction wind I occassionly go here, but I know where many of the underwater obstacles are - and have hurt myself finding out! It will be gusty, although lovely flat water, but I suggest a long drive to Bradwell would be better. I have gone from East Mersea point, but the tide rips, only good at high tide and a hell of a walk to the launch area from the carpark.Lastly, check your tides, on highest (spring) tides the Island gets cut off for a couple of hours, which is a maor inconvenience if you are mainland side.
There is a RNLI boat on Mersea, but with some common sense, we wont be wasting their time. There are a lot of yachts in the middle of the estuary, but they stay about a mile out, its a couple of miles or so across to Bradwell beach, good hack on a windsurfer, nervously far on a kite!
Yachts and Dinghy
The Blackwater is a fantastic stretch of water to cut your teeth on. Mersea Island is one of those places which invites children to learn the ropes in fairly safe surrounds, it has competitive and traditional sailing fleets, a couple of yacht clubs, (WMYC and Dabchicks). The annual round the island race is a great spectacle, hugely popular with all and sundry, local or far. The Mersea regatta is as traditional as it gets,as people slip of the greasy pole! Mersea Island has a magnetism for casual beach users, hardened watersport fans, wildlife enthusiasts and visitors alike.