Continent
Australia
Country
Australia
Next Big City
Adelaide
Next Town
Aldinga
 
Type:
Ocean
Rider Ability:
Beginner, Intermediate, Expert
Features:
Shower, Toilet, Food, Parking

Water

Type:
Chop, Small wave, Medium wave
Hazards:
Swimmers
Quality:
Crystal clear
Best Tide:
Low tide

Beach break of various forms with different conditions. Mostly wind swell which can be considerable with fronts and some days almost too heavy for casual kiting. Most days produces a medium swell which is ridable for experienced kiters. Seems to be better overall with low tide but still okay with medium tide.

Beach

Type:
Sand
Size:
Big
Hazards:
Bystanders, Cars
Beach Users:
No information

Good wide long and hard beach which you can drive on with a 2 wheel drive late spring to early autumn with lower tides, check conditions as they change. This beach is covered with cars and people on hot summer days and best avoided. The sand is hard and good for rigging, watch out for cars as they will drive over your gear and of course keep clear of them when kiting. At mid tide there are come rocks strewn about the place to be aware of that or you will assume it is all perfect beach. Low tide is better for the beach as there is more space.

Weather

Spring:
Normal
Summer:
Shorts, Shorty
Fall:
Normal
Winter:
Normal, Thick

Winter cold from 6-18°C with 10-12°C in the water. Spring starts to warm up and wetties are optional late spring to summer but most wear them all year round.

Wind

Best Months:
September, October, November
Wind Type:
Frontal
Best Direction:
SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW
Main Direction:
SE, SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW

Best time of the year is late winter and early spring when fronts are coming through, kite behind the fronts or strong wind patterns with NW to SW direction. You can get lucky in spring and early summer with strong NW to SW patterns. Summer sea breezes traditionally don't come in very strong or last very long so it is risky waiting here for wind. There is more housing development on larger scales so gradually all the roads, concrete and sheet roofing will probably lead to more sea breeze. Some days you can get a sea breeze and when you do it is very nice kiting, be careful as at about 4 pm it can swing from SW onshore to SE offshore without notice. Never try to kite here on a SSE or SE wind it has a pattern from over the hill which is gusty and very unpredictable blowing offshore and in various directions.



How to get there

Transport
Car
Access
Short walk

From Adelaide get onto South Road which is the main arterial road in the city and go south, you will see signs to Aldinga. Get onto Aldinga Beach Road and drive west to the esplanade, turn south and head to the first ramp which goes onto the beach. You will see and old Deli and a shade structure, go onto the beach if safe, use the northern end not the south.

Extra information

Rules
None

Aldinga Beach offers a great deal to kitesurfers and is in my opinion one of the most fun areas. It needs a SW or NW for best kiting and has flat sand for easy rigging and launching. However it does have hazards, namely the attempt to kite in N or S winds and even worse in NE or SE winds which are offshore and hazardous. Also it is readily used by other beach goers and cars, both of which kitesurfers must keep away from. People and children swim in the shallows and this is NOT the place to be kiting. North end of the beach is where boats launch from so be aware of this however this is the better spot as it keeps you away from families. Get out on the water and stay out until you are finished. Do not try to learn where there are other people, if they move into your safety zone then you will have to move. Don't stuff around on the beach if there is not enough wind, either wait for wind or pack up. Don't leave your lines out on the beach for long as someone will drive over them and worse hook them up and drive off with your kite attached. Some days there are just too many people and this is normally the height of summer when is is marginal and unlikely to provide good lasting wind, find another beach there are better on these days.

Nightlife

Adelaide has nightlife if you need it. This is one of the local vineyard winery areas so control yourselves. Fish and chip shops, deli, and the like are all about.