OK. It was blowing NE all bank holiday weekend. A difficult direction in NW England, as Mr Two Fish was saying.

So if you went out during the weekend, where did you go and was it any good ?

If a few people reply, then we'll know for next time.

On Sunday I went to Lligwy Bay on the East coast of Anglesea for the 1st time (There is a review on this site)
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=53.360672,-4.261708&spn=0.011064,0.026951&t=h&z=16
I stopped of for a look at Penmaenmawr
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=53.268447,-3.924694&spn=0.044351,0.107803&t=h&z=14
and Benlech on the way
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=53.324517,-4.228191&spn=0.044293,0.107803&t=h&z=14
I had thought of Leasowe, but according to www.theyr.net the wind strengthened the further West you went...
F3-4 at Leasowe to F6 at Lligwy.
On the beach edge at Penmaenmawr the wind seemed to be lighter than at Manchester.
There was some very small waves near the shore but nothing useable.
On the beach edge at Benlech the wind was stronger and the waves were still small.
On the beach edge Lligwy the wind was definitely stronger and the waves bigger.
The beach faces much more NE than I realised, so it was very on shore. The wind needs to be N to NNE really.
Standing at the top of the dunes by the car park it felt like 4.7m weather.
The tide was out so I walked 300m to the waters edge where it felt like 5.3m.
I took out 88L & 5.3.
5.3 would have been OK but is was so onshore that to get out a small way against the foamy white stuff to try and ride in was difficult.
Later I changed to 103L & 6m which worked much better in getting upwind a bit.
I managed to get a few backside rides on waves typically 2-3ft faces. The biggest of the day were 4ft.
Nice bay, very safe, lots and lots of kitesurfers. Only one other windsurfer. Difficult sailing but enjoyable.

On the way back, from the road I noticed that the south end of Red Wharf Bay looked very white and foamy.
From that distance I couldn't tell if it was just a big shallow sand bank causing it or if the waves were "proper".
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=53.313647,-4.165707&spn=0.088609,0.215607&z=13

Useful post SJ. Thanks. I'd written off Lligwy as too onshore and too kitey, but it is a cracking spot (and yes, I've been caught out before by the wind being stronger on the dunes than on the water).

I actually spent three days at Rhossi. Not one's first thought as somewhere that would be good in a NE. However in 'backwards' wind it actually made a brilliant offshore flat water blasting spot. Great for working on gybes and it would probably have been fine for free_style_ too. (from a safety aspect, I should probably point out the obvious; that ability to waterstart and stay upwind are a basic requirement in these conditions).

Anyone try anywhere else? Did anyone try Llanddona, which was another spot which looked a good NE candidate?

was at Rhossy all weekend was AWSOME for free_style_!! landed my 1st Flaka! went to llgwy for a look but far too many teabaggers and too onshore (satuday) however on Monday went over to Llandforfechon which was wkd fun big big ramps to hit V wind altho did become a pain to launch and land when the tide came in!

fun fun fun

i tried prestatyn, on sunday 4.7 weather was ok, sideshore but the rip running acorss the beach was a bugger,

got caught on a groin and i took a bit of a bashing managed to save equipment but my foot is ripped to shreds and my friend nick who gave a saving hand, leg was ripped to shreds


never again

looking at ben profitts web page he seemed to have better luck at prestatyn

http://www.thewetdream.co.uk/index.php?show=232

I sailed Pwllhelli/ aberech beach fri, sat, sun, mon. Its horse shoe shaped so there was always a cross shore section. Port tack bump n jump type stuff. Good fun - if a little uppy/downy wind. Had great fun. Got big blisters. Had to give up when my boom snapped. I carried on sailing with a 1 sided boom for about 20 mins (great clew 1st practice!) until I could no longer feel my arms, then headed home.

Bloody long journey though, surrounded by Chelsea tractors & the Cheshire jetset. (2.5 hours from Manc).

P.S - got myself a lovely new carbon boom from ebay on Monday. I hope it wasn't one of you that I was bidding against!!!