Mount Maunganui - Tay Street
Wind Directions (wind range) - NW (cross-shore from the left), through to SE (cross shore from the right)
Wind Conditions - NW can be patchy at times due to the wind coming around Mount Maunganui. In winds from NNW-SE, on any given day it could be average to epic at Tay Street. Generally it depends on the time of year, e.g. Generally N is the sea-breeze direction, these winds are usually very light (8-12knots), however sometimes the sea-breeze can blow through stronger depending on the weather system. Winter winds from the Northerly quarter often come with rain. SE winds are generally stronger during the morning, and can drop off by lunchtime.
Surface Conditions - Tay Street is a great spot for riding in waves, from small onshore slop to large down the line walls, depending on the swell size, wind direction and tide heights. Tay Street is also a great spot for freestyle with lots of wave kickers.
The sea bed is a sandy bottom along the whole coast from Mount Maunagnui all the way to Maketu. Tay Street has an ARTIFICIAL SURFING REEF approx 200m out from the high tide mark. The position of the reef is indicated by buoys. The reef has a predictable solid breaking point, and in the right tide and swell producing some great waves. In low tides and swell conditions it can suck dry.
In strong side to side-onshore wind and swell conditions there can be a strong current running along the beach. This current is generally more inshore.
Tides - Works on any tide. Wave conditions do get better in some tides, does depend on swell size and tide height.
Launching and Landing - At this spot there is grassy area at the top of the sand dunes next to the road that can be used for setting up, launching and landing. CAUTION: We recommend that you launch and land on the beach, and if possible always get someone else to help you with launching and landing. This will save yourself a lot of potential risk and hassle, as the wind is accelerated up the Tay street bank and launching/landing the can be hazardous.
Other Info and General Safety Tips - This can be a great location for learning, for first land lessons and water lessons when there are no waves. You often see the Assault Kiteboarding Centre School operating from this location, or somewhere along Marine Parade. Please be courteous to those new comers to the sport, and give them plenty of space for their and your own safety.
Tay Street is a very popular location in the summer, and in good weather all throughout the year. NZ Surf School operates from Tay Street and it is also used for many local and national surf events. If a surf contest is on PLEASE DO NOT USE TAY STREET as a kiting location. Even when there are no comps on, the beach and water can get very busy with surfers, swimmers and beach users, so please be considerate and stay well away from anyone in the water. If it looks too busy PLEASE DO NOT USE TAY STREET as a kiting location. You can kite anywhere along the coast from Tay Street to Maketu (if conditions suit), with many isolated locations along the way. We recommend heading towards Papamoa as there is generally less people there. Remember, we all want to keep our spots in the Bay open for Kiteboarding.
In light winds down-winders to or from any location along the coast can be awesome fun.
Tay Street is a great location for spectators to watch from the beach or from an elevated position on the top of the dunes. There is parking all along Marine Parade. There are also toilets and changing rooms to the left of Tay Street.
This information kindly supplied by Assault Kiteboarding Center.