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Kitesurfing New Zealand north island round christmas

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vfr
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Re: Kitesurfing New Zealand north island round christmas

Postby vfr » Mon Dec 11, 2017 11:04 pm

I was so impressed by Maffhieu's map that I thought I'd get my own up:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... 176625&z=5
These are probably 90% of the places I've kited and/or windsurfed over many years (starting 1994 to be precise). I need to add a lot of comments
but I thought this might alredy be of use.
For the OP: It is true that the Auckland spots are tricky, a 10 degree change in wind direction can send you to a place that's miles away,
and wind and tide can be crucial. For instance Green Bay is absolutely magical at the right wind and tide but unbearable otherwise.
So get some local help or you could miss out completely. You don't have to worry about Auckland traffic with your dates-Auckland empties out
over Christmas and getting around is easy. At other times it can be awful.

plummet
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Re: Kitesurfing New Zealand north island round christmas

Postby plummet » Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:22 am

Auckland has one advantage. You can kite 360 deg wind angle. Other than that it's pretty average as far as the kiting is concerned.

longwhitecloud
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Re: Kitesurfing New Zealand north island round christmas

Postby longwhitecloud » Tue Dec 12, 2017 11:00 am

Why do you think Auckland is average? There would be nowhere else on earth you can kite on 2 very different oceans 50 mins drive apart.. the Pacific And the Tasman.

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Re: Kitesurfing New Zealand north island round christmas

Postby plummet » Tue Dec 12, 2017 11:16 am

longwhitecloud wrote:
Tue Dec 12, 2017 11:00 am
Why do you think Auckland is average? There would be nowhere else on earth you can kite on 2 very different oceans 50 mins drive apart.. the Pacific And the Tasman.
This is true.

There are better west coast beaches than muriwai and better estuaries and flat water locations than East coast Auckland add the Auckland traffic and crowded kite beaches like orewa and it becomes pretty average pretty fast.

My recommendation is to kite in Auckland if you are there. But if you want to hunt wind at awesome locations than look further.

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Re: Kitesurfing New Zealand north island round christmas

Postby wazzaah » Tue Dec 12, 2017 6:00 pm

Had some nice sessions at Doubtless Bay a couple of years ago, no wind in the forecasts then but like 3-4 days 20knts in a row. Ruakaka is also nice for the kids. Muriwai is good for some waveriding.

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Re: Kitesurfing New Zealand north island round christmas

Postby WouterHolland » Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:39 pm

Hi all,

Thanks for the info provided thus far to Erwin’s questions. Very helpful.

Just like him I’m going to New Zealand, but in my case to live there for 2 years with my family. My wife (a GP) will be working, and I’ll have the luxery to spent my time kiting and taking care of the kids when they’re not at school. Key question is: where to live to? Obviously, it all depends on available vacancies, but we would need some guidelines in terms of location for the agancy that helps us finding the right practice. In any case, we’relooking into cities with a hospital and around 50k population size (to assure my wife will also have a pleasant time!).

So far, I think the following places are interesting candidates:
- Tauranga (area) (enough wind?)
- Nelson
- New Plymouth
- Napier (enough wind?)
- Raglan

(Auckland area will not work: foreign GPs are not comminly placed there.)

Do you guys have any further info that could be of help in making our decicion where to aim for?

Much appreciated!

Cheers,
Wouter

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Re: Kitesurfing New Zealand north island round christmas

Postby zig zag » Tue Jan 23, 2018 12:17 am

Wellington should be on that list for many reasons.. larger population than all on that list..
it's nickname is Windy Wellington!

plus its a super cool city and has a lot to offer!

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Re: Kitesurfing New Zealand north island round christmas

Postby plummet » Tue Jan 23, 2018 10:17 am

WouterHolland wrote:
Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:39 pm
Hi all,

Thanks for the info provided thus far to Erwin’s questions. Very helpful.

Just like him I’m going to New Zealand, but in my case to live there for 2 years with my family. My wife (a GP) will be working, and I’ll have the luxery to spent my time kiting and taking care of the kids when they’re not at school. Key question is: where to live to? Obviously, it all depends on available vacancies, but we would need some guidelines in terms of location for the agancy that helps us finding the right practice. In any case, we’relooking into cities with a hospital and around 50k population size (to assure my wife will also have a pleasant time!).

So far, I think the following places are interesting candidates:
- Tauranga (area) (enough wind?)
- Nelson
- New Plymouth
- Napier (enough wind?)
- Raglan

(Auckland area will not work: foreign GPs are not comminly placed there.)

Do you guys have any further info that could be of help in making our decicion where to aim for?

Much appreciated!

Cheers,
Wouter
Prevailing wind is westerly. West coast beaches typically are windier and the surf is gnarlier. If you like waves then raglan/new plymouth.

Raglan:-Theres a reason the ozone design crew set up in Raglan. It has 300 kitable days per year Awesome waves and the estuary and "magic carpet" tidal flow allow for kiting in lighter winds than what is normally possible.

New Plymouth and the Taranaki region: Waves, waves and more waves. kitable in 300 Deg wind angle due to curving coastline. If you want a consistant wind and wave machine nothing else in nz beats it. But its gnarly particularly in winter and the further round the coast you go. Not for the faint hearted. Also not for someone who wants flat water. There's zero flat in the naki about from inbetween the sets when the surf is pumping.

Tauranga,I dont think i've ever kited in tauranga, So want call this spot. I can say that when the Tauranga guys want to ride big waves the come to Taranaki!

Nelson: light wind, sheltered from the prevailing westerly. Big kites and possibly foil boards would be the go. no surf to speak off. But it is a funky as town which would be cool to live in. I would not choose to live there for the kiting thats for sure. If you also mountain bike, ski and snowboard it might be worth a look for multiple sport options.

Napier, Shitty light wind, shitty beaches typically with onshore crud. I wouldnt choose napier as a primary kiting spot. Though foiling would be sweet as there. The beach typically goes deep fast and there a lot of 12 knot days.

I also agreee that you should put wellington and the kapiti coast on your list. Wellington is the windiest city in the world! Launch sites are marginal and when it blow it blow hard. The storm chaser would love Wellington. Dudes that want light wind need not apply.

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Re: Kitesurfing New Zealand north island round christmas

Postby WouterHolland » Tue Jan 23, 2018 10:22 pm

Thanks for the additional info. Very useful!

So, Raglan sounds really good. I like the idea to have both waves and flat water. Though I like riding waves, I’m not sure the ripples we have here in Holland qualify as waves - so having an escape to flat water might be a good idea.

Our contact helping my wife to get a position in nz told us that Raglan can get crowded with surfers and kitesurfers and that this sometimes leads to people getting on one anothers nerves. Is that right? Im actually used to kite with hundreds of kiters around me (it’s crowded here!) - so not too worried about that.

I’ve done some further digging and found a lot of extra info about the lesser important stuff (schools, sportsclubs, cost of houses etc)... ;-) looks good.

Wellington surely is an option. I’m used to kite at 20+ knots, up to 30-odd knots. In that sense, Wellington seems the place to be. From what i read, Wellington has a harser climate that eg Raglan. So, I’m a bit afraid that the rest of my family is gonna have difficulties living there. Will look into the wellington climate a bit more.

Tauranga seems to have quite a few kitebeaches. But indeed probably too litle wind. Seems like a nice place to live tough.

Again, thanks! Can’t wait to set foot on nz ground!!

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Re: Kitesurfing New Zealand north island round christmas

Postby plummet » Wed Jan 24, 2018 10:19 am

I've only kited raglan in the depths of winter when its blowing 40 bastards! at that time its not crowded at all!... But a crowd in rural nz is 20-30 kites over a 2km long beach. Raglan is a pretty small town. I doubt there is very many job opportunities their. A lot of people that live in raglan work in Hamilton and commute each day,

Wellington is both glorious and terrible at the same time as far as weather is concerned, When its good its real nice. When its bad its very bleak. Note that the temp never gets below freezing. You will typically get mid 20 deg c In super and low teens, single digits in winter.

If I was to choose based on kiting alone between raglan or wellington I would choose Raglan. Raglan is pretty much a lazy surf town. Chilled out people with not much else to do other than water sports, it would be a nice safe place to bring up a family. Wellington is the capital city, If you want restaurants, cultural and arts, shopping and the sort of big city stuff then wellington will take the win.


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