Pre-Work Windsurf at Ynyslas

by Alan Cole · Wednesday, May 27th, 2026

You’ve got to love Ynyslas, and its pre-work windsurf opportunities, thanks to its crazy katabatic wind that we call Ivor!

This time of year it can really do its thing, funnelling cold air from the mountains down through the valley and blasting the estuary with storm-force winds. This morning was a case in point.

The air temperature at sea level was close to 20ºC, even at 3 am when I first got up. The wind had already started to fill in with a general NE breeze, which soon became accelerated by cooler air sinking from the mountains. That was then funnelled down the valley to hit our house and wake me up properly. By 4 am, the weather station in our back garden was measuring a solid 30 knots, and it would have been even stronger out on the estuary itself.

I got up, packed my windsurfing kit into the car, and headed down to the estuary. I was on the water by 5:15 am, with gusts hitting 45 knots. High tide was around 6 am, so the timing was perfect for an early morning session. The tides are fairly small at the moment, though, so the sandbanks in the middle of the estuary never fully disappear beneath the water.

Perfect pre-work windsurf conditions at Ynyslas

Michele was setting up his kite, and another kiter soon arrived, so before long there were three of us out there as the sun rose above the hills.

The wind continued to increase and the water became choppier and choppier. Soon, my completely flattened 4.5 m sail was becoming quite a handful. A 4.0, or even a 3.5, would have been plenty. I hung on for an hour of blasting, chop-hopping, and general grin-inducing fun.

I didn’t want to overdo it, though, so as I started to tire and make silly mistakes, I decided it was time to pack up. Even that was quick, as there was no bulky winter wetsuit to wrestle with, I was in my summer suit as the water is nice an warm already this year. I was back home eating breakfast by 6:45 am and at my desk for 7 am.

Not a bad way to start a work day — not only have I squeezed in a top-notch windsurf session, but I’ll have done a couple of hours of work before most people even start at 9 am.

The wind is still howling out there, and it doesn’t seem to be showing any sign of stopping, so I might just have to go again at 5 pm to catch the evening high tide.