[Coast] Half Moon Bay

[OliverG]

Welcome to bayareakiteboarding.com
San Francisco Bay Area kiteboarding safety, access, information, reviews, forums, and classifieds.

Half Moon Bay



For more info visit the California State Parks website.

Half Moon Bay is beach break with a moderate breeze. Wind fills in nicely in winter storms making this a nice place to take a break during rain storms. Some kiters enjoy the harbor and some prefer to sail the waves.

Excellent when clear and breezy. Fun on winter storms. In the winter south winds, you may want to ride the harbor. On the summer northwests, ride the south end of the beach.

[nanopower]

Going to check out HMB for first time this week. Would love more info on where best to launch and any other tips for first timer at this location.

Also, do kiters ever kite in harbor?

Thanks

[le noun]

Just quoting from above:
"Excellent when clear and breezy. Fun on winter storms. In the winter south winds, you may want to ride the harbor. On the summer northwests, ride the south end of the beach."

[Kyle]

HMB harbor is a great flat-water spot during winter frontal systems. Wind is side-off shore, so kiters must be competent staying up wind. Failure to keep the kite up, or stay up wind, can land you in the marina or wrapped around a moored sailboat:) Otherwise, it's an awesome spot when you need a fix during the winter months!

[behindThePeak]

If you're going to kite Half Moon Bay: the best location is Dunes Beach or Venice Beach.

These are the least populated sections with the largest beaches and better waves.

On NW windy days you'll see kites in the north end of the bay by Miramar. These are usually a small group of very knowledgeable and experienced locals who know the area well, expertly handle their equipment, and are careful around other beach-goers. If you don't fit that profile: skip that spot. There are better areas to kite.

HMB has miles of beach. The north end of the bay has the smallest beaches and the most people. When you see a local kiting there, it's likely they chose it merely because that launch happens to be closest to their home. If you're visiting you may as well launch somewhere better for you and safer for everyone else. When NW winds blow here they're equally good across the bay. In fact, the wider beaches to the south don't have the sketchy wind eddies you find near the cliffs. The surf is better too, because of the way Pillar Point shadows swell the waves get gradually better the more south you go. HMB waves take shape from shifting sand bars and they have a tendency to form up more often and with better quality at the river mouths by Dunes and Venice.

Through most of the year, Venice beach access is blocked by a shallow creek that impedes anyone who isn't planning to get wet. You'll have ample room on the beach, no one in your way, and sandbars from the creek.

Wherever you choose to kite, please, please, please: stay clear of beach-goers. HMB is not like the bay. The wave element of the ocean increases the danger of kiting to bystanders dramatically. it makes it harder to control your kite and yourself. it also makes a downed kite very dangerous. dropping 100 meters of loose line in a turbulent ocean near a group of kids is reckless and irresponsible. HMB is not like Wadell or other remote beaches. You'll need to share the space. People live here. Kids play here. Kite with respect:

- don't kite immediately up-wind of people playing in waves. it's such a big beach. it's easy to find room if you want to.
- don't self-launch or self-land up-wind of anyone. this is not an easy place to SL in the first place. take the time to walk to a safe place.