IJmuiden

In north to north-westerly wind, head south of the harbour to IJmuiden. If a northerly storm sticks around for more than a day, the long North Sea fetch boosts the swell to king size. But just like Wijk, the water stays smooth between the waves unless it blows above Force 7. With just a moderate current, wave newcomers have a fighting chance behind the harbour-wall. There's also a watersports zone in summer, when the swimming area extends south in front of the beach-huts. From cafés to paid parking, Ijmuiden is more commercial than Wijk, although it does offer showers at the beach and a campsite nearby.