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Today at Compton Bay, Isle of Wight
FairBig tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
Why: A big 0.7 m low tide falls first thing.
Safe window: 5:58am – 8:58am
Leave the beach by 8:58am — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
Why: A big 0.7 m low tide falls first thing.
20° · overcast · 4mm rain · Low tide: 7:58am (0.7 m), 8:24pm (0.9 m) · Wind up to 34 km/h · Waves 1.3 m
Safe window: 6:49am – 9:49am
Leave the beach by 9:49am — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: A recent south-westerly blow should have brought fresh cliff material onto the beach. An early-autumn blow like this restocks beaches after the quiet summer. Low tide falls first thing, though it is not an especially big one.
21° · mostly clear · Low tide: 8:49am (0.9 m), 9:21pm (1.0 m) · Wind up to 28 km/h · Waves 1.3 m
Safe window: 7:51am – 10:51am
Leave the beach by 10:51am — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: A recent south-westerly blow should have brought fresh cliff material onto the beach. An early-autumn blow like this restocks beaches after the quiet summer. Low tide falls mid-morning, though it is not an especially big one.
22° · overcast · Low tide: 9:51am (1.1 m), 10:30pm (1.1 m) · Wind up to 34 km/h · Waves 1.6 m
Safe window: 9:05am – 12:05pm
Leave the beach by 12:05pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: A recent south-westerly blow should have brought fresh cliff material onto the beach. An early-autumn blow like this restocks beaches after the quiet summer. Low tide falls at lunchtime, though it is not an especially big one.
20° · clear · Low tide: 11:05am (1.2 m), 11:48pm (1.1 m) · Wind up to 17 km/h · Waves 0.7 m
Safe window: 10:25am – 1:25pm
Leave the beach by 1:25pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: Low tide falls at lunchtime, though it is not an especially big one.
22° · clear · Low tide: 12:25pm (1.2 m) · Wind up to 29 km/h · Waves 0.7 m
Safe window: 11:37am – 2:37pm
Leave the beach by 2:37pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: Low tide falls at lunchtime, though it is not an especially big one. No recent storms, so expect a picked-over beach.
21° · mostly clear · Low tide: 1:03am (1.0 m), 1:37pm (1.1 m), 8:15pm (2.0 m) · Wind up to 31 km/h · Waves 0.7 m
No safe daylight window
Why: Rough seas with big waves forecast — stay off the beach today.
19° · overcast · 4mm rain · Low tide: 2:08am (0.8 m), 2:37pm (0.9 m) · Wind up to 48 km/h · Waves 2.5 m
From Hanover Point westward, search the dark shingle and clay-washed gravel at low tide — dinosaur bone rolls in the beach gravel looking like heavy black pebbles. The three-toed footprint casts on the foreshore at low water are the free show.
Dinosaur bone is black to dark brown with a spongy, bubbly texture — often mistaken for a worn pebble until you feel how heavy it is. Ammonites usually show as a curved ridge poking out of grey rock. Free identification: Dinosaur Isle at Sandown identifies finds in person and runs guided fossil walks.
This coast is a protected site (SSSI). What does that mean?
Allowed: Loose fossils from the beach may be kept for personal collections.
Never allowed: No digging into the cliffs (SSSI), and dinosaur footprint casts must be left in place for everyone to see.
Important finds: Report significant finds to Dinosaur Isle, Sandown.
Rules can change — check locally before you collect.
Detailed location guide at UK Fossils →
National Trust car park at Hanover Point.
Seasonal food van at the car park; toilets at Compton Farm end in season.
Steps down to the beach; dinosaur footprint casts show near Hanover Point at low tide.
Soft crumbling cliffs slump after rain — keep off them. The bay narrows at high water: check the tide before walking far in either direction.
Fossil Forecast