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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 0.4 m low tide falls first thing. Daylight cuts the collecting window to under 45 minutes, so don't plan a long session.
Safe window: 6:04am – 6:07am
Leave the beach by 6:07am — 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 0.4 m low tide falls first thing. Daylight cuts the collecting window to under 45 minutes, so don't plan a long session.
19° · mostly clear · Low tide: 5:07am (0.4 m), 5:26pm (0.6 m) · Wind up to 28 km/h · Waves 0.9 m
Safe window: 6:06am – 6:44am
Leave the beach by 6:44am — 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 0.4 m low tide falls first thing. Daylight cuts the collecting window to under 45 minutes, so don't plan a long session.
20° · overcast · Low tide: 5:44am (0.4 m), 6:03pm (0.6 m) · Wind up to 25 km/h · Waves 0.9 m
Safe window: 6:07am – 7:21am
Leave the beach by 7:21am — 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 0.6 m low tide falls first thing.
21° · overcast · Low tide: 6:21am (0.6 m), 6:41pm (0.7 m) · Wind up to 25 km/h · Waves 0.7 m
Safe window: 6:09am – 7:58am
Leave the beach by 7:58am — 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.
22° · overcast · Low tide: 6:58am (0.7 m), 7:19pm (0.8 m) · Wind up to 26 km/h · Waves 0.7 m
Safe window: 6:10am – 8:37am
Leave the beach by 8:37am — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: Low tide falls first thing, though it is not an especially big one. No recent storms, so expect a picked-over beach.
19° · overcast · Low tide: 7:37am (0.9 m), 8:00pm (1.0 m) · Wind up to 25 km/h · Waves 0.8 m
Safe window: 6:19am – 9:19am
Leave the beach by 9:19am — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: Low tide falls first thing, though it is not an especially big one. No recent storms, so expect a picked-over beach.
19° · overcast · Low tide: 8:19am (1.1 m), 8:45pm (1.1 m) · Wind up to 35 km/h · Waves 1.5 m
Safe window: 7:42pm – 7:49pm
Leave the beach by 7:49pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: Low tide falls towards evening, though it is not an especially big one. Daylight cuts the collecting window to under 45 minutes, so don't plan a long session. No recent storms, so expect a picked-over beach.
17° · overcast · Low tide: 9:08am (1.3 m), 9:42pm (1.3 m) · Wind up to 32 km/h · Waves 1.4 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