Leaver dea as slaef - "Better dead than a slave" is a Frisian motto that can be read on flags, houses and even on a stone on the Red Cliff south of the Stavoren surf spot. Where people surf today, the Frisians fought for their independence for a long time in the Middle Ages and ultimately won the battle of Warns, near Stavoren, in 1345. Something the Frisians are still proud of today. The anniversary of the Battle of Warns on the Red Cliff is celebrated every year. The Frisians on the Ijsselmeer can also be proud of other things, such as their surf spots in the north-east of the inland area.
Some of the beaches of the former "Zuiderzee" still have a little South Sea flair today, at least when the weather is right. Similar to the South Seas, the Ijsselmeer is also a rather calm area in this region and the lack of reefs is made up for by sufficient sandbanks.
The shallow standing areas and excellent infrastructure make the east side of the IJsselmeer a perfect beginner and intermediate spot and a hotspot for the Dutch and West German scene. It is therefore all the more surprising that you can still find relatively empty and less frequented stretches of beach for surfing not far from well-known surfing strongholds such as Makkum or Hindeloopen - such as Stavoren.
What many spots have in common is that they work best in south-westerly to north-westerly winds. Then the wind comes side- to sideonshore. With westerly winds, it often takes quite a bit of walking to overcome the very flat areas and then deal with the short, steep Ijsselmeer wave. If the wind blows from the east, there are a whole range of inland waterways as alternatives.
General information:
Wind, weather & neoprene recommendations:For good windsurfing conditions in Holland, you need an area of low pressure moving eastwards from the Atlantic. Especially in spring and autumn, the probability of catching a low is therefore higher than in summer. In summer, stable easterly winds can occur, which means offshore winds for the eastern side of the IJsselmeer. If only light winds from westerly directions but sunshine are forecast, there are regular thermal intensifications and you can enjoy a few knots more than actually forecast.
Air and water temperatures average 17-18 degrees in summer, so a short sleeve or 4/3 long sleeve is sufficient. If you are travelling early or late in the year, or if you catch a decent low pressure area, you should have a 5/3 long sleeve with you, as well as shoes, as there are also stones lurking in the water at some spots.
The water temperature of the IJsselmeer adapts more quickly to the air temperature than the open North Sea, for example, due to the shallow water depth. This applies both positively in spring and negatively in autumn. On the other hand, the large standing areas offer a certain level of comfort and safety, especially in cold temperatures - it is easy to get back on the water without having to swim for a long time and it is almost impossible to drift off. This means that you are never alone on the water, even on cold winter days.
Living & Camping:Wild camping is generally prohibited in Holland, with fines of up to 100 euros. This is not the only reason why it is worth heading for one of the many campsites or renting a holiday flat or holiday home. These are often available directly at the spot. We have put together a selection of campsites for you here:
Makkum
- De Hollepoarte ( www.hollepoarte.nl/de )
- Sotterum ( www.sotterum.nl )
Workum
- It Soal Aquaresort ( www.itsoal.nl/de )
- Camping Suderse ( http://suderse.nl/de/ )
Hindeloopen
- Camping Hindeloopen ( www.campinghindeloopen.nl )
- Camping Schuilenburg ( www.camping-schuilenburg.nl )
Whey
- Camping Séleantsje ( www.surfcamping.nl )
Stavoren
- Marina Stavoren (directly at the surf spot, registration at Restaurant Potvis; www.de-potvis.nl )
- Camping Sudermeer ( www.campingsudermeer.nl )
Local tipIf you've always wanted to stay in a wine barrel, you should definitely try the Hotel Vrouwe van Stavoren ( www.hotel-vrouwevanstavoren.nl ) into consideration!
Surf schools & shops:Apart from the Stavoren spot, beginners and intermediates will find well-equipped surf schools on every stretch of beach, where you can book courses and hire windsurfing equipment and SUP boards. Many schools also have a shop attached:
Makkum
- Funsport Makkum ( www.funsportmakkum.nl )
- Surf Makkum ( www.surf-makkum.com/de )
Workum
- Core 'n More Surfshop ( www.corenmore.nl )
- Soal Surf ( soalsurf.nl )
Hindeloopen:
- Gearfreak NL, on the beach at the Schuilenburg campsite ( www.gearfreak.nl )
- OK Kite & Surf School ( www.oksurf.de )
Downsides:In some places there are groynes and stones in the water (Hindeloopen), otherwise the sandbanks and shallow water are perfect for skidding and fin damage. In late autumn, the water level of the IJsselmeer is artificially lowered by 20-30 centimetres to protect the dykes from damage. The shallow areas of the spots then become even shallower. In the high season, many kiters and kitesurfing beginners flock to the spots.
Alternative programme:If there is no wind, the flat surrounding countryside with its perfect network of cycle paths is ideal for cycling tours. If you don't want to be separated from the water, you should go exploring the countless canals and canals on a SUP, and tours from one place to another are also easily possible. Leuwaarden, a little to the north-east, is an old university town with plenty of flair and numerous party options. Workum, Makkum, Hindeloopen and Stavoren, as former trading towns with direct access to the North Sea trade routes, still give an idea of the prosperity of times gone by, with picture-book houses. Here you will find many small shops as well as a wide range of restaurants and bars. We can particularly recommend the restaurant & whisky bar De Koebrug ( http://dekoebrug.nl ) in Stavoren. Almost everyone is likely to find a warming drop from the bar's extensive selection and imagine themselves in Scotland for a moment.
The best spots on the eastern Ijsselmeer
1) Makkum
This top spot was already the venue for the then very popular One Hour Slalom event. Makkum has a very different atmosphere to the other surf spots on the east side of the IJsselmeer, with hotel castles instead of dykes and sheep. A bay is formed in front of Makkum by the beach resort to the south and a headland to the north. In the centre of the bay, an accessible breakwater extends far into the water, dividing the bay into two sections. Even beyond the end of the jetty, the water remains knee-deep for another hundred metres before you can think about using longer fins - perfect for practising manoeuvres, freestyling and for intermediates. The wind window covers all westerly directions, but south-west and north-west are ideal. An easterly wind is not recommended, Molkwerum or Stavoren offer alternatives. In warm weather, you should also keep an eye on the many swimmers in Makkum!
2) Workum
If you look north from Hindeloopens harbour, you initially think of a mirage - a white sandy beach shines on the shore. If you start looking for it, you will find it in Workum. Follow the signs to the It Soal campsite and park directly in front of it in a free car park in a small wood. A bridge leads to the fine sandy beach. The ambience is definitely right, but the water depth is sometimes critically shallow. Workum is the spot where even wave or seagrass fins can make contact with the bottom on sandbanks far from the shore. So be careful! However, it offers perfect conditions for all beginners and intermediates, who can safely cover their first metres on a windsurfing board here. Thanks to the nearby campsite, surf school and toilets, the infrastructure is also flawless, although you have to pay a little attention to the kitesurfing courses that also take place in the bay.
3) Hindeloopen
"Loopen" means "to walk", and that is also the programme in Hindeloopen on the Ijsselmeer. First you have to scramble over the Westerdijk to the south of the village and then you can prepare yourself for another walk in the water. Park along the dyke if you are not staying at the Schuilenburg campsite, from where you have direct access to the water. Along the surfing area, which is located in front of the pavilion on the dyke, wooden groynes protrude a little way into the water, but even after that it remains very shallow with some very shallow sandbanks and individual stones in the water. The best wind directions here are south-west or north-west, with westerly winds you first have to walk or cross a few metres to leave the very shallow area behind you. Looking towards the Ijsselmeer, the area to the right of Camping Hindeloopen is reserved for kiters, while the shore to the left is open to surfers.
A relatively unnoticed but, in our opinion, good spot in Hindeloopen is located directly in the town: south of the harbour, near the church with the striking leaning tower, you can park for free behind the dyke, at least when the town is not completely overcrowded. Even with a westerly wind blowing sideshore, you can get into deeper water relatively quickly after a few metres without having to worry about your fins. However, you will be crossing the shipping channel of the harbour, so be sure to give way to incoming and outgoing boats! On the other hand, the scenery of the town from the water is magnificent and the town also offers more than enough options for leisure activities after surfing.
4) Whey
If you're looking for deeper water and safe heating, even with longer fins, or want to hone your chop hops or other aerial acrobatics, you'll find the perfect spot in front of the Séleantsje campsite. It is usually much emptier here than at the Hindeloopen hotspot three kilometres away and, due to the greater water depth, there are also some nice ramps for jumping in strong westerly winds. There is also a small standing area here and even in north-easterly winds, which occur regularly, especially in spring, Molkwerum is a good alternative to the offshore conditions in Makkum & Co. Keyword "offshore": South-west is also easy to ride, in the right-hand part of the bay there is the finest flat water - but a short freestyle or seaweed fin is then a must again.
5) Stavoren
Perhaps the best spot in this area and still a real insider tip on the Ijsselmeer! South of the marina and the village, you'll find free car parks sheltered from the wind, meadows for rigging and sanitary facilities. What's more, compared to the other spots, you reach deeper water relatively quickly. That's why waves build up quickly here in stronger winds, giving a waveboard a justification on an inland spot - a good bump & jump area for practising jumps and loops. Surfers with slalom ambitions will find enough fairway buoys in front of the sandbanks to find their own private training course. The spot offers an extensive standing area on the left-hand side, making it a perfect combination spot for surfers of all levels.
One last tip: Why not go on a tour along the coast with friends in westerly and thus onshore winds and visit the above-mentioned surf spots one after the other - from the water, of course!
