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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 0.6 m low tide falls mid-afternoon.
Safe window: 2:17pm – 5:04pm
Leave the beach by 5:04pm — 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 mid-afternoon.
9° · drizzle · 7mm rain · Low tide: 3:56am (0.7 m), 4:17pm (0.6 m) · Wind up to 21 km/h · Waves 1.3 m
Safe window: 2:51pm – 5:03pm
Leave the beach by 5:03pm — 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 mid-afternoon.
10° · overcast · 6mm rain · Low tide: 4:31am (0.8 m), 4:51pm (0.7 m) · Wind up to 21 km/h · Waves 1.1 m
Safe window: 3:27pm – 5:01pm
Leave the beach by 5:01pm — 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 towards evening.
9° · mostly clear · Low tide: 5:06am (0.9 m), 5:27pm (0.7 m) · Wind up to 28 km/h · Waves 1.0 m
Safe window: 4:04pm – 5:00pm
Leave the beach by 5:00pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: Low tide falls towards evening, though it is not an especially big one. No recent storms, so expect a picked-over beach.
7° · clear · Low tide: 5:42am (1.0 m), 6:04pm (0.8 m) · Wind up to 25 km/h · Waves 0.7 m
Safe window: 4:46pm – 4:59pm
Leave the beach by 4:59pm — 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.
10° · overcast · Low tide: 6:22am (1.1 m), 6:46pm (0.9 m) · Wind up to 21 km/h · Waves 0.7 m
Safe window: 6:45am – 8:06am
Leave the beach by 8:06am — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: Low tide falls first thing, though it is not an especially big one.
13° · overcast · 5mm rain · Low tide: 7:06am (1.2 m), 7:33pm (1.0 m) · Wind up to 29 km/h · Waves 0.6 m
Safe window: 6:47am – 8:59am
Leave the beach by 8:59am — 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.
13° · overcast · 8mm rain · Low tide: 7:59am (1.3 m), 8:28pm (1.1 m) · Wind up to 31 km/h · Waves 1.1 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