Overview
Scarborough - South Bay is the resort side of town, a long curved stretch of sand that arcs from the harbour round to the Spa at the southern end. It sits well sheltered, so it can be one of the few places that stays clean when huge northerly storms blow everywhere else out. Much of the bay is poor for surfing, flat and short on sandbars, but things get interesting down at the Spa end, where patches of flat reef and the local currents conspire to build better banks. Overall it rates below average, mostly close-outs and fat waves, with the more rideable ones stacking up at the southern end.
When It Works
This is a sand-bottomed beachbreak with both lefts and rights. It draws swell from north through east-northeast to southeast (N-ENE-SE), with southeast (SE) the best match. On north swells it runs slow and beginner-friendly, while a rare southeast swell can turn it hollow and fast. It works from 0.3 m / 1 ft to 1.8 m / 6 ft. Winter is the season, with the biggest swells and storms rolling through from December to February.
Wind and Tide
Look for a west (W) offshore wind to clean it up. The bank favours high tide, with a rising tide generally the better call.
Local Tips
The gentle end of the scale suits beginners and improving intermediates, and it takes a wide range of boards, from shortboards and fish to funboards and longboards. Expect a moderately busy lineup when it works, and since it can be one of the few spots breaking along the coast, it does pull a crowd. The atmosphere tends to be somewhat reserved.
Access
Parking leans on paid and roadside spaces, and Scarborough runs a voucher system for on-street parking. Seafront spots near the Spa are limited, so getting parked can be tricky. There are restrooms and a surf shop close by.
