Ağlayankaya (Şile)

Ağlayankaya (Şile) is a Black Sea beach-break best known for surf that peels over a sandy bottom with scattered/submerged rocks. Waves are reported as regular and can work when swell starts below about 1 m and holds up to roughly 1 m+ conditions, producing both right and left directions depending on wind/swell setup. Wave quality is generally described as good, with wave shapes consistently noted as peeling. Workability is reported for all tides, and conditions are described as exposed. The spot can become choppy depending on wind direction, and there’s specific guidance that offshore, cleaner grooming is more likely with South winds, while North/North-East wind setups can both create swell and add chop. In larger North-East storm conditions, surf may turn messy and can produce heavy closeouts. Safety is a major focus: rip currents/undertow (çeken akıntı) and strong rip activity—especially as swell increases—are repeatedly emphasized as potentially dangerous. There are also scattered rocks and submerged rock formations near the edges/near landmarks, so monitoring currents and staying aware of where water moves toward rocky areas is important. During summer, be mindful that peak beachgoer swimming activity can trigger restrictions/no-surfing zones in daytime hours when swimmers are present. Water is very cold for much of the year (winter months around ~7–10°C). Winter protection is strongly emphasized: a full winter wetsuit (often 5–6 mm) plus neoprene hood, gloves, and boots are recommended. Seasonal water and air conditions improve into late summer/early autumn, and the spot’s best overall period is described as winter and spring, with other seasonal guidance pointing to more consistent swell in autumn/early winter.