Constantine Bay known locally as Connies is a large, open sandy beach located on the north coast of Cornwall. Constantine’s close proximity to Padstow and St Merryn makes it a popular spot with tourists from all over the UK.
The beach is littered with rocky outcrops that expose themselves at low tide when Constantine opens up to include Booby’s Bay, a small sandy bay at the far north of the beach.
Thinking of heading here for a surf? Don’t miss our guide to surfing across Cornwall to find some other great surf spots nearby.
So how does this beach look when the swells running? Let’s find out inside our guide to surfing Constantine Bay packed with local surf advice.
Can you surf at Constantine Bay?
Yes, the beach is very exposed to any swells pouring in from the Atlantic. Ideal conditions for surfing Constantine Bay are swell from the west and offshore winds from an easterly direction.
Local and travelling surfers will all head to Constantine Bay when small to moderate ground swells and offshore winds hit which are perfect for the exposed beach break.
If you don’t have your own surfboard or wetsuit there’s a surf shack located in the small car park just by the entrance to the beach or you can pop into Constantine Bay Surf Store at the top of the hill.
What’s the surf like at Constantine Bay?
Constantine Bay is one of the best west-facing beach breaks Cornwall has to offer. Unlike lots of the other surf spots littering the coast, Connies offers great waves through all stages of the tide.
The guys at the surf shop keep you up to date with video surf reports from right on the sand. How fun does it look in the video below!
Whether you’re a short boarder looking for some sections to hit or a cruise on your longboard, Constantine has great waves for everyone.
Constantine
Surfing Constantine Bay requires you to adapt quickly as the tide moves across the many different setups the beach has to offer.
At high tide the beach gets pushed back to the sand and the dunes behind, typically the waves here break quite close to the shore making your paddle out quick, and if you time it right, easy.
There are short punchy wedges available up ad down the beach with a quality right-hander at the far north end of the beach that normally draws the biggest crowd.
As the tide drops out to low Connies opens right up with a large rocky patch at the south of the beach and rocks at the north that leads to Boobys Bay.
The reef at the south of the beach can produce high-quality barreling lefts with a good ground swell and favourable winds and doesn’t get as crowded as you might think.
The centre of the bay has ranging peaks that usually wedge into short punchy walls. It can very grippy here so you need to bring your paddling A game to stay in position for the set waves.
Boobys Bay
When the ocean drops back to around mid tide Boobys Bay at the north starts to show some sand. A fast, super fun right-hander starts to break and roll through into the rocky cove.
Boobys is popular with local surfers and the skill level here is relatively high s be aware of other surfers around you and always respect the locals.
Surf spots around Constantine Bay
If you’re just learning to surf and want some mellow waves that are perfect for foamies or mini meals consider heading up the coast to Polzeath. The large headland at Pentire Point provides shelter from light onshore winds and some of the swell so it’s a perfect spot for beginners.
Check out our guide to surfing in Polzeath to find out more about this user-friendly beach break.
Learning to surf at Constantine Bay
If you want to book your surf lesson or rent a surfboard and wetsuit look no further than Constantine Bay Surf School.
Operating since 2006, they offer group and private lessons with qualified, experienced surf coaches.
Can you surf Constantine Bay at high tide?
Yes, Constantine Bay has great waves at high tide with a swell in the 2-5ft range and offshore winds from an easterly direction. The waves break relatively close to the shore much like the beach breaks in the south of France, like Hossegor.
Is it dangerous surfing at Constantine Bay?
Surfing at Constantine is relatively safe as long as you’re an experienced surfer. If you’re learning to surf here I strongly recommend utilising a surf school and some professional advice.