Kite spot on water · New Zealand

Shakespear Bay,

Name: Shakespear Bay,
Address: NZ

Riders have kited it in S–SW. Best in SW.

Show on the map-36.6150, 174.8241

Works in: S–SW
Best: SW
Watch out: WSW–SSE
Nearest airport: AKLAuckland International Airport, 44 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

bestworksdoes 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: Ideal for practicing powered freestyle tricks and unhooked maneuvers.
Watch out WSW–SSE: Outside S to SW directions, there is a risk of being blown offshore in gusty wind or riding into a wind shadow.

Watch out for

Risk of being blown offshore in gusts or hitting wind shadow in winds other than S to SW.community map

Parking

Car park “Shakespear Woolshed Car Park” about 400 m from the spot, free.OpenStreetMap

Conditions

Rideable year-round, warm water in summer, main wind season is in winter (June to August, wetsuit required).community map
At low to mid tide, flat water along the entire bay and small lagoon; at high tide, chop and small surf.community map

In riders' own words

„you can't ride in anything other than a south to southwesterly“
„This spot absolutely rocks when the winds are pumping from the southwest.“
„you can't ride in anything other than a south to southwesterly without fear of being blown offshore in gusty winds or kiting into a wind shadow.“
„superb conditions, perfect for practising powered freestyle tricks.“
„OpenStreetMap way/864486871“
„OpenStreetMap way/1019806508“
„fear of being blown offshore in gusty winds or kiting into a wind shadow.“
„At low to mid tide, you can ride some awesome, flat-water sections, which run the full length of the bay... High tide brings with it choppier conditions“
„The sea temperature is warm in the summer months, but the peak kite season here is during the winter months of June to August“

Photos from the area

Te Haruhi Bay · 688 m from the spot
russellstreet, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Te Haruhi Bay - 4292514530 · 688 m from the spot
russellstreet, CC BY-SA 2.0, 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.

11.4Jan5.9

10.9Feb5.6

11.3Mar5.8

11.4Apr5.9

12.7May6.5

13.5Jun6.9

13.4Jul6.9

12.9Aug6.6

13.0Sep6.7

13.4Oct6.9

12.6Nov6.5

12.3Dec6.3

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

Values by month

January	11.4 knots · 5.9 m/s
February	10.9 knots · 5.6 m/s
March	11.3 knots · 5.8 m/s
April	11.4 knots · 5.9 m/s
May	12.7 knots · 6.5 m/s
June	13.5 knots · 6.9 m/s
July	13.4 knots · 6.9 m/s
August	12.9 knots · 6.6 m/s
September	13.0 knots · 6.7 m/s
October	13.4 knots · 6.9 m/s
November	12.6 knots · 6.5 m/s
December	12.3 knots · 6.3 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.