Surfing Inishowen

ruanaidh

I'm heading up to Buncrana this weekend and I'm going to bring my board and wetsuit. There's around a 6ft swell hitting the NW this weekend. As I don't know the beaches around Inishowen, does anyone know what beaches could work best for this type of swell?

LoganV

Yo, I'm doing the same thing myself this weekend and I was wondering how you got on? I'm thinking Pollan Bay cause I've heard it's a spot but I've also heard there're dodgy rips there. I'm not massively experienced so I don't want anything too hectic.

ruanaidh

I've had about half dozen surf sessions in Inishowen since last June and I've found Pollan Bay to be very hit and miss. There's no shelter there whatsoever there from the wind and you need it to be offshore for it to hold up. It does get lots of swell and it does have a dodgy rip. To help prevent getting caught in it, there's a green freight container perched on a sandbank between the golf course and the beach. Try not to go past it when out in the water. The rip seems to be more active beyond it. That's what I noticed the last time I was out there. Chat the locals too, before ya head out.

When the swell is too big for Pollan, check out Tullagh Bay outside Clonmany. It can be decent too, especially on a N/NW swell. A wee bit of a rip there too, but nothing like Pollan Bay.

LoganV

I can see know what you mean about it being hit and miss. The first day I was there was reasonable, bigish but choppy and all over the place. The second day I checked Tullagh out but there were feck all waves, It's a nice little spot though and I can see how it would be nice on its day. After that I went back to Pollsn and took an absolute caning. The rips weren't a problem cause I knew about them.