All-terrain spot
Wave rating: 3/5
Flat water rating: 5/5
One of Cornwall’s most famous and beloved kitesurfing locations. The Bluff yields superb wind against tide flat water conditions on the later half of a dropping tide, rolling slopey kickers for boosting off of the rest of the time and typical Cornish beach break waves at low tide. Personally, I don’t like riding here that much because a) I never ride a twin tip so don’t seek flat water and b) everytime I’ve been wave riding there, it’s been a bit of a closeout with no much shape to it, and it gets crowded with windsurfers.
Waveriding at The Bluff on a westerly.
Quite a few people sail here when it’s blowing from the South or South West, but I feel there are too many holes in the wind for it to be a lot of fun then. Produces much smaller waves than you’d find down the beach at Gwithian due to the northerly aspect and shelter from St. Ives’ peninsula, so it can be a good option for when everywhere else is too big to be of much use / fun / safe.
Even at high tide, there is a sandy bank to rig up on.
The Bluff is tenuously open to kiters who are members of the KKC. Check the KKC webby for rules and regs before riding here please.
Just to the north of The Bluff, it's a real all-terrain haven
Launching
At low tide, so much space. At high tide there’s a soft sandy bank to rig up on.
Winds
North West is onshore and ideal for the flat water rivermouth. West is cross shore and gusty.
Restrictions
Go to KKC for full details of club membership etc… required to ride here. In short, keep 100m away from boats, and don’t ride inside the harbour area itself.
A sea chart of The Bluff, showing channels where boats will come in and out (once every hundred thousand years or so)
