CS2027 dates

Kite spot on water · New Zealand

Eastborne

Riders have kited it in N, NE–S, SW.

Show on the map-41.2937, 174.8931
Works in
N, NE–S, SW
Watch out
NE, W, NW
Nearest airport
WLGWellington International Airport, 8 km

Forecast and webcams

Before you go

Forecasts often disagree. When Windguru, ALADIN and Windy agree, it is worth going.

Tips for this spot

  • Offshore wind carries you away from land. Do not ride it without a rescue boat.
  • When a storm is coming, get out of the water and land the kite at once. Gusts before a storm are violent and a kite overhead is the highest point around.
  • New spot: ask locals about shallows, currents and where people launch.

On site

Wind and riding area

NNNENEENEEESESESSESSSWSWWSWWWNWNWNNWNESW

worksdoes not work / gustyno reports

Direction the wind blows from. Based on riders' experience, not a forecast.

Pparking

From riders

What you need to know

Who it suits
Low Intermediate - the only sideshore spot in Wellington, suitable for riders who are up and riding but struggling to stay upwind. Suitable for beginners in S/SW.
Size of the area
Reasonable beach space; on S or SW you can do a downwinder for several hundred meters.
Watch out NE, W, NW
Wind can be gusty in NE, NW, and W; it tends to be very gusty near the shore downwind of the launch.

Watch out for

  • The beach drops off quite steeply into deep water just a few meters from shore; behind the jetty, the nearshore water is in a wind shadow and requires swimming back.community map
  • In N wind, downwind takes you straight into the harbour entrance to Cook Strait (a problem if you cannot relaunch).community map
  • Watch out for power lines near the beach.community map

Where to launch

  • Nice grassy launch area; the best launch spot is the wider, mostly pebble beach in front of the Rugby Club.community map

Parking

  • Car park about 300 m from the spot, free.OpenStreetMap

Getting there

  • Follow the main road into Eastbourne, turn right onto Miro St, then take the first left and first right onto Heketara St, which leads to the beach.community map

Conditions

  • Rolling swell rather than chop, mostly pebble beach, steep drop-off into deep water. Sideshore on N and S winds.community map

Riders' tips

  • Good alternative to Seatoun when the wind is too westerly and blocked by the Miramar peninsula, or when there is no wind further north. Ride upwind into cleaner wind.community map

Facilities

  • Pub and Rugby Club.community map
In riders' own words
  • „Wind Direction NE through to S“
  • „Wind Direction NE through to S but can be gusty in NE, NW and W.“
  • „Level Low Intermediate“
  • „Ther's reasonable room on this beach“
  • „The best place to launch in Eastbourne is in front of the Rugby Club.“
  • „OpenStreetMap node/3981204452“
  • „OpenStreetMap way/30064190“
  • „Stay on the main road to Eastbourne the turn right onto Miro St. Take the next left then the next right into Heketara St which leads to the beach.“
  • „Ther's reasonable room on this beach but beware of powercables.“
  • „The Northerly winds can be a bit daunting at first as you're looking downwind at the harbour exit to Cook Strait“
  • „Once past the jetty though the water close to shore is sheltered and will probably require a swim to get back to the beach.“
  • „The word: More rolling waves than chop, nice grass launch area and a pub to boot.“
  • „More rolling waves than chop, nice grass launch area and a pub to boot.“
  • „This can be a better option than Seatoun when the wind is west enough for the Miramar headland to affect the wind.“

Photos from the area

Rona Bay Wharf 01
Rona Bay Wharf 01 · 573 m from the spot
Tom Ackroyd, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Rona Bay Wharf 02
Rona Bay Wharf 02 · 592 m from the spot
Tom Ackroyd, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Fishing off Rona Bay Wharf
Fishing off Rona Bay Wharf · 617 m from the spot
Tom Ackroyd, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Wind by month

When it blows

Average wind speed 10 m above ground from NASA POWER (MERRA-2, 2001–2025). The model works on a grid of roughly 50 km; on hills and by the water the wind is often stronger and gustier.

windiest monthsaverage wind in knots, NASA POWER; below the month in m/s

Values by month
January13.3 knots · 6.8 m/s
February12.7 knots · 6.5 m/s
March12.4 knots · 6.4 m/s
April12.2 knots · 6.3 m/s
May13.0 knots · 6.7 m/s
June13.4 knots · 6.9 m/s
July13.5 knots · 6.9 m/s
August13.1 knots · 6.7 m/s
September14.4 knots · 7.4 m/s
October14.2 knots · 7.3 m/s
November14.0 knots · 7.2 m/s
December13.4 knots · 6.9 m/s

Nearby

More spots within 60 km

Been there?

Add what you know

Parking changed, a new ban, a new obstacle in the water? Tell us, we will check it and update the page.

Sources: Community map “Kitesurfing spots in NZ” (Google My Maps). Wind NASA POWER, airports OurAirports, photos Wikimedia Commons (author and licence with each photo). As of 17 October 2026. These are riders' reports; local rules change, so look around before you ride and follow local signs.

A week on the water

Kite safari in the Red Sea

8 days on a yacht from Hurghada to the islands of the northern Red Sea. Next departure 7-14 November 2026, the 2027 dates are coming soon.

See the safari

The safari is organised by Mohamed of Paradise Kitesurf Red Sea. I've known him for years and we work together.