Borkum – Nordstrand

Borkum · Germany · Germany

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The north beach of Borkum, the westernmost East Frisian island, out on the sand between the seal bank and Café Sturmeck. A huge sand plain lies between the dunes and the sea, and the waves break on sandbars at its edge. The waves here are clearly stronger than on the island's west beach, and with an offshore wind they can even barrel.

Level
Intermediate
Break
Beach break, sand
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Quiet
Season
autumn, winter, spring
Boards
A shortboard or fish on good days after a storm; a longboard or mid-length on small ones.

When it works

✓ The day after a storm, when a north-west to north swell is still running and the wind has turned south-east, from mid to high tide on the rising water.

When it doesn't

✕ Low tide, when the sea is far out across the sand plain, strong onshore wind, and flat summer spells.

Watch out for

  • rips
  • currents

Best months

January, February, March, April, September, October, November, December

Local tips

Walk north-west across the sand from the promenade; the best peaks are between the fence of the seal sandbank and Café Sturmeck. Keep out of the fenced seal area and never walk on the sandbank. The current along the beach is strong in stormy seas and can carry you a long way in minutes. Water is about 4–6 °C in winter: a 5/4 or 6/5 wetsuit with boots, gloves and a hood.

Getting there

Ferry from Emden (about two hours, or one hour by fast catamaran) or from Eemshaven in the Netherlands; the island train runs from the harbour to the town. Walk or cycle along the promenade to the north beach.

Travel notes

How often it works
The German North Sea gets mostly wind swell with short periods. Autumn, winter and spring storms bring waves often; summer can be flat for weeks. The north beach keeps working for a day or more after a storm, when the wind turns offshore.
Crowd and vibe
Usually empty; only a few island surfers and visitors.
Camping and vans
Insel-Camping Borkum is about 2 km south-east of the break. Nearest campsite about 2 km away.
Facilities
Café Sturmeck and the Nordbad, with toilets and showers in summer; a windsurf school with rental works at the Nordbad. Shops and cafés in Borkum town.
Water quality
The EU bathing-water site Nordstrand Borkum was rated excellent in 2023, 2024 and 2025 in the European Environment Agency data.

Ideal conditions

Swell
WNW–NNE best, W–ENE works
Size
1.2–2.2 m offshore swell; starts at 0.7 m, holds to 3 m
Period
5 s minimum, best from 8 s
Wind
Offshore ESE–SSW; handles onshore up to 15 km/h
Tide
mid, high best, avoid low, on the rising tide
Faces
NNW (340°)

Live cam

No cam at this spot yet: the forecast and the guide are on the map.

Nearby spots

All spots in Germany · All spots

Sources