Gearhart, Oregon (USA)

There is wind 6 days a week. If you can't find it on Gearhart then head to Manzanita before noon, it always blows in Manzanita. Just need N to NW winds, which are extremely dependable all summer. When cool water is combined with warm inland air you get a beautiful thermal. This effect is evident from March until October on one of the best beaches in the world to kiteboard. Starts at around 2 pm (thermal). Speed ranges from 15 to 30 mph daily. Blows until around 7 pm, but it is kiteable until dark. Main kite used is a 12 sqm kite. Smaller kites for Manzanita as it usually blows 10mph stronger than the rest of the coast.

The water is cold but you really don't feel it. A 4 or 5 mm wetsuit is fine. No booties unless you have timid feet. Most of the time you are dying to get out of our suits by a sessions end.

Waves range from flat calm to overhead all summer long. The conditions are continually changing and creating a new playground daily. Predominant swells are from the North/Northwest and a clean 6 foot swell is not uncommon in the middle of summer. This is not chop, these are real waves with real potential. Surfing is best in the winter when the big swells hit the infamous breaks in this area. But you must love big waves to surf the winter here.