Teal Bay

Just off the M6 motorway, this vast bay on Lancashire’s Fylde Coast offers a choice of launches for various tidal states. The locals tend to gather near 'The Battery’ pub to the south of Morecambe Pier, which works best between mid and high tide (although launching gets a bit cramped on springs). Low tide is also sailable, but it can be a long walk to the water. Depending on the wind direction, conditions vary between flat-water and bump-&-jump – very occasionally with nice waves breaking off the rock groyne. If the tide's too high to launch comfortably, try 'Teal Bay' up at Hest Bank to the north of town. At low water you can blast safely in a flat-water lagoon at the Lifeboat Station just north of the pier, despite somewhat gusty wind. The nearby speedstrip isn't without its drawbacks either, as it’s very difficult to judge water depth behind the sandbank.