Ambleside Park provides a fun shuttle-free opportunity to ride waves upstream and a near effortless return paddle. The waves are in a defined channel so you may paddle to either side to calmer water. The best time to paddle is with a west or northwest wind two hours either side of max ebb.

Paddling Ambleside is never the same twice. The wave area may vary from 100 meters to a few kilometers. The waves may be one-meter tall to over-head monsters. It is rarely smooth so you will gain experience with cross-chop and unpredictable wave patterns. This is a shipping channel so stay alert for pleasure craft and large freighters. Check out the video of Wilson Reavley and Ana Swetish paddling Ambleside on a moderate day.

Entrance to Ambleside Park is by 13th and Marine in West Vancouver. Take the 15th street exit off the highway. When the current is ebbing with NW wind and wave action, the waves stand up where they collide with the strongest current. Same as the Gorge. From shore you can see the tide rip. It's like a strip of rough water. Its always different, but usually 500 - 1000 yards offshore.

The water in between shore and the tide rip is usually calm or rolling. Lots of easy water to play around in. Waves are rolling upstream against the current, like the Gorge. So you paddle out to the rip and bite off as much as you can chew. Surf upstream, float back downstream for another run. See map below.

• AyeTides. For iPhone, iTouch and Ipad.
• Ambleside Hollyburn Sailing Club this webcam is just west of Ambleside Park