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Works on both the flood and the ebb. Five knots at springs, three knots at neaps. Under the bridge the tides changes ten minutes before Holyhead but in the outer race they change about half an hour earlier both ways. In the outer race the flood flow direction is south to north and the ebb, north to south. It is exposed from the south, west and north.
Under the bridge: This can provide an easier or at least shorter route up against the tide but doesn’t offer much play potential as it is in a confined space.
Around the island: This rarely forms surfable waves but can provide fast-flowing bumpy water.
Outer race: This only forms when the conditions are right, generally around mid tide of a bigger tide and with some wind and or swell against it. Because of the prevailing conditions it more commonly forms on the ebb and more rarely on the flood. The race forms over the ‘Ten Fathom Spur’ (20 metres) which extends west from South Stack. The surfable waves start a few hundred metres out from South Stack and stretch out to sea in a wide race that is only a few surfable waves deep. The smallest waves are closer to land and they get bigger the further out you go. On the ebb as soon as you drop off the front few waves start to ferry glide in behind South Stack as if you miss the eddy here it is a long paddle. This race is a dangerous place to have anything go wrong as there are no eddies and the flow pushes you out to sea, particularly on the ebb. In certain conditions it can form heavy dumping waves and it can sometimes be difficult to tell how big they are until you are very close.
Eddies: On the flood there is a huge eddy in Gogarth bay. On the ebb there is an eddy on the south west side of South Stack (Photo 2: Looking east at South Stack, peak flood spring tide, southerly force 4, 3 foot southerly swell.) (Photo 3: Looking west at South Stack outer race at the same time.)
Text and pictures reproduced by kind permission of the author and copyright holder, Phil Clegg of Sea Kayaking Anglesey.
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