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West Dennis Overview
West Dennis Beach is one of the lesser known gems of windsurfing on Cape Cod. With its open fetch to the south, wind swell builds to around head high on a strong blow. In addition, there is a sand bar offshore near the rock pile that allows for breaking waves, and huge jumps. At low tide the water on the inside is smoother than Kalmus Beach but also is when the sandbar is breaking the best.
Windsurfing is allowed anywhere along the beach in the off season but is limited to Chair 8 and to the west during the season, except when the piper plovers (https://www.nps.gov/caco/learn/nature/the-piping-plover.htm) are hatching (see below). It is important that you avoid the swimming area and any boat traffic coming out of Bass River. The wooden boardwalk to the beach at chair 11 was built by the West Dennis Beach Windsurfing Association which helps direct foot traffic off of the dunes and away from the piping plovers. Rigging is allowed on the beach and in the parking lot but do avoid the dune grass. In the summer and early fall, consider a weed fin; otherwise, eel grass slowly accumulates on your skeg until you spin-out.
In recent years, as kiting has become more popular, the kiters stay upwind, launching from the far West end of the beach by the jetty. The water is shallow here and well suited to kiting. The windsurfers typically launch at chair 8, or maybe chair 11 if it is open. A few years ago, the rest rooms were renovated at chair 8, with nice fresh water (cold) showers added.
When the plovers are hatching, some combination of federal, state, and local authorities close off large sections of the beach, and often the parking lot, somewhere near chair 8, resulting in very limited parking near the windsurfing access. On busy days this is a problem, and can be very frustrating. Check town website for status: https://www.town.dennis.ma.us/home/news/piping-plover-updates, or call Dustin Pineau,Beach and Recreation Director (508) 760-6162
Similar winds to Kalmus Beach but less congestion. Best Bump and Jump beach on the south shore.
Best place to sail on a SE wind. Awesome on SW, SSW, and S winds as well.
Excellent beginner conditions at low tide. $20/$25 gate fee (weedays/weekends) when lifeguards are on duty. Restrooms and snack bar available during summer months. Whatever you want: waves, swells, flat water.
Second windiest beach in the Northeast.
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Maps & Directions
Take Route 6 to x8 (Union Street). Take right at end of off ramp and follow Union Street till end at intersection of Route 28. Take left onto Route 28 and cross over the Bass River Bridge. Take right at Ken's Auto Body onto School Street and follow until road bends to the left. Take right onto Lighthouse Road and follow to end. Chair 8, chair 11, and the jetty are located way down on the right.
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Sensor Notes
The sensor is atop a house next to the Lighthouse Inn at the east end of the beach. With its southerly orientation this meter is perfect for gauging winds out of the E through SW.
Northerly (NW, N, NE) winds at West Dennis Beach come across the land (rather than a small bay) so speeds are much lower and gustier than those reported at Kalmus. As you sail away from the shore into clearer air -- not that we recommend this -- windspeeds will increase to those reported at Kalmus. For those rare southeasterly blows, West Dennis has a better fetch than Kalmus.
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