High tide spot with small clean chop, occasional wake from ferry makes for some nice little waves. Knee to waist deep for a large are and a safe spot to kite, just stay out of channel. No currents in bay area.
Long sandy spit, Riddel Rd accesses the bay which in turn is the northern side of the Gendowie sand spit. A small launching area by the small car park at the end of Riddel Rd, or you can walk along the spit where you can launch from anywhere. Beware fast incoming tide in the car park launch area. Fast launching is recommended as water can come in and wash away kite/lines etc. You can also launch in the Riddel Rd reserve.
Hot water in sunny summers days, definitely no wetsuit needed. 3/2 wetsuit during winter is enough. Air temp of 21-3°C2 during summer, 10-20°C during winter. Water can get very warm in summer, over 30°C.
- January - February - March - April - May - December
Wind Type:
- Thermal Winds - Frontal Winds
Best Direction:
- N - NNE - NE
Main Direction:
- NNE
Any winds from the N, NE will work great here. Easterlies and SE may also work but may be a bit gusty. N thermals in summer are light and steady, about 10-15 knots. Isobaric and frontal northerlies are stronger 15 knots up to over 50 knots. Frontal winds happen year round, N thermals in summer and early Autumn. Season is mostly during summer and autumn as the NNE winds are most common then. But occasional N direction winds come during winter and spring too and strong winds work great here.
Head to Riddel RD, you will need a map but it not far from St Heliers look for the suburb of Glendowie. At the end of Riddel Rd (West Tamaki Point) you will find a reserve (Tahuna Torea Nature Reserve), turn left and there will be a small car park on the right overlooking a bay, if it's good there will be a few guys kiting in the bay.
No rules, just common sense but it's generally very uncrowded here in regards to beach goers (technically speaking it's not really a beach). It's one of the more popular spots to kite in the East Auckland Area with 10 guys out on a good day.
Auckland city is about 10kms away, Glendowie and Glen Innes are nearest suburbs. Mission Bay is also nearby. An upmarket suburb that usually doesn't sleep.
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