The biggest beach on Ashbridges Bay.

Great waves, Best in ENE-E

Beach:

Easy launch, & landing for Intermediate riders, but waves does have currents and rocks to consider.  

Launch, and move directly out to the water. 

Best winds and less people in spring and fall.

The Beach becomes very busy with beach goers and swimmers in July and August and may be unsuitable even to launch and land kites, including walking up the beach. 

Water:

The water can be very cold in Spring and Fall. Be sure to wear an appropriate Wetsuit Steamer or Dry suit if needed.

Waves form a trench and sandbar with deeper water at the shore line.  

Move out 5 or 10 meters past this, where it gets shallow again, for the easiest launch.

Kiting Level:

Although this is a beautiful large beach to learn with a trainer kite on land. There is more than meets the eye. This is not a good location for beginners on the water even with a Certified Instructor. When the Wind is good, the waves build and chop increase and make it unsafe to learn in.

The waves along with the current also makes thing more difficult. As well in an E-ENE wind, you can easily get blow downwind into a large rock break wall or into swimmers downwind. These factors can quickly overwhelm a beginning rider.

You should know how to do a deep-water self rescue (without touching the bottom).

Things to think about:

1 The wind is side on in ENE-E and more onshore as you end up downwind as the angle of the beach changes.

2 Waves build as the wind builds and make it difficult to get your board on and can spin you around and possibly power up your kite disorienting and or send it in a loop then pulling onto the beach with power.

3 Beginners always end up downwind in the shallow area where kids play in the water. The waves are the largest near the rocks.

4 The current can to pull you out towards the rocks.

5 If you go beyond the rocks and can't get back. There is no landing zone, only rock and rebar.

6 If you have trouble relaunching your kite or have equipment failure, you can drift into the rocks.

7 SE rarely if ever blows more than 6-8knots and directly onshore practically impossible to kite in.

8 S partially comes over the trees to the SW rock area causing turbulence. SW even more and these directions are better for Cherry Beach.

9 Many days can be have very turbulent winds. A local kiter may be able to let you know. You can always ask. Kiters want to keep the beach safer for everyone.

10 The Lifeguards just want to keep everyone safe and would like to keep kiters and swimmers a good distance apart, as well they need a good visual of the beachfront without kites blocking their view. Swimmers, especially kids are harder to keep track of than kiters.

Help keep our local beaches safer and open to future Kiteboarding access for you and others.

Please don't fly your big water kite on the beach.

NOTE: If you are not wearing Canadian Coast Guard Approved PFD, You may be stopped and given a ticket by the Harbor Police.