The Oregon Coast is an absolutely stunning example of what happens when mountains meet the sea. With immense headlands jutting out into the waves, and many long sandy beaches between, you are sure to find a place you will love to ride up here! The spots are organized somewhat from north to south but are all pretty geographically close together and equidistant from Portland.
Fort Stevens Lot D:
Intermediate+
South, East, North.
Depends on launch and wind.
Lot D is actually a pretty friendly spot to kite, but there are a lot of potential environmental hazards which pushed me to list it as Intermediate instead of Beginner friendly. As you can see above Lot D sits on the eastern side of the peninsula, which exposes it to multiple wind directions and some great flat water. Because it is a thin spit of land and varies with the tide where you launch can make a big difference in how the environment plays with your session. Something to be very aware of is that on an outbound tide that large body of water will be flowing north and into the Columbia River, which will be flowing directly out to sea very quickly and into some substantially turbulent waters with not so small surf. The name of the game here is awareness of the wind direction and conditions to have a great session. If in doubt, you can usually head over to the western side of Fort Stevens and ride there, but when the waves are firing this provides a nice and relatively safe option for kiting which doesn’t come with the foamy twenty foot surf.
I have ridden on the north side of the peninsula by the jetty and found some solid surf rolls itself in there, but on the right swell you can still catch some waves around that northern most point where it bends around. Wind waves will stack by where you can park, and the flat water around that small jut of land heading east is superb. I am not a huge flat-water fan but I can definitely see the allure. Beware oh ye the changing tides, as they can expose all kinds of obstacles. Those trees are also kite eaters so best to give them some distance, because they won’t be showing any mercy.
Fort Stevens, The Wreck of the Peter Iredale:
Beginner/Intermediate+
Western Side of the Compass
Cross/Onshore
The Wreck of the Peter Iredale is a spot just south of Lot B at Fort Stevens which makes it an excellent place to end your down winders on a northerly or start them on a southerly. It is a sand parking lot which the Fort maintains rather well and then a short walk down to the beach from there. The difference between the other Lots and the Wreck is that there aren’t really any trees in the parking lot so no wind shadow, but that really doesn’t matter in the scheme of things. The shore break at the wreck can be somewhat punishing in big surf and definitely in onshore wind with larger waves. If you aren’t a fan I recommend checking out one of the other spots at Fort Stevens or even heading south more.
As always, and I say it because I really cannot stress this enough on the Oregon and Washington coasts, pay attention to the weather, the water, and your surroundings. Waves can be brutal if you are a newer kiter and drop your kite so look out for each other and keep and eye on sets as the waves pick up because they can really jack up at this spot and catch you off guard. Manzanita has a far more forgiving spot in larger surf than the Wreck and it is close enough that you can usually just head there and be safer if you are worried.
Fort Stevens Lot B:
Beginner/Intermediate+
Pretty much the entire west side of the compass from North to South.
Cross/Onshore
Fort Stevens OR sits on the southern edge of the Columbia river mouth and is about as north as Oregon gets. There are a few spots at Fort Stevens that I will break down, but the first is Lot B (obviously wrote this before I actually put these in, but you get what you pay for) which is the second northern most parking lot aside from the Watch Tower, which is pretty awesome in its’ own right so check it out if you have the time. Lot B is a short walk from the beach and has ample parking for your car or sprinter or spaceship whatever. The beach is absolutely massive and stretches for miles to the south so don’t worry about an open place to set up. Be mindful of other folks using the beach and check the surf report when you head out by using those two handy balls in your head. Even Magic Seaweed struggles accurately forecasting the size of the waves and things can escalate quickly which takes this place from beginner friendly to beginner devouring in no time at all.
If you launch at Lot B you have a couple options. You can play around in the surf, which can be really fun and a great place to introduce newer kiters to the ocean on those calm summer days, or do a downwinder to the Wreck of the Peter Iredale (vice versa as well depending on wind). The Wreck of the Peter is a shipwreck which is a local point of interest and an Instagram influencers dream on a grey day where they want to show how #deep they are. You can ride from Lot B to the wreck and hop out there, where there is another parking lot and a potty, or feel free to just ride up by Lot B which can be awesome, or even ride from the wreck to Lot B. The possibilities are endless! Either way keep an eye on the wind direction, waves, and tides. There is a Coast Guard station nearby but I find you can mostly avoid that by paying attention to your surroundings and if they wind is changing to be offshore etc.
Manzanita:
Beginner+
West Side of the Compass
Cross/Onshore
Manzanita is a truly beautiful spot in the summer and can have some really pumping waves in the winter months. With miles of gorgeous sand beaches stretching to the south you can find a spot to launch even on a northerly wind and get out there to have some fun. Manzanita has a more gentle slope into the surf than the spots at Fort Stevens, and it is fairly common to see lessons being taught there during our more tame summer months. For me it was the place I first really carved up some waves and so it will always have a special place in my heart. Once you get into town just head north along the beach and look for parking along the road. You can wash gear and use the bathrooms to the south where the road bends back into town if you want, but I prefer to launch well north of the beach goers in order to be considerate.
When the tide goes out small parts of the sand bottom will be just beneath the surface in the shallows so if you are ripping on a strapless or twin-tip keep an eye out for that and maybe stay a little deeper so you don’t snag fins. Otherwise this is a very friendly spot with all the typical cautions I give about the coast up here. Keep an eye on the waves and the weather and you will have an absolute blast, maybe even get some long ride in where you can practice your snap turns and huck some mad airs.
Siletz Bay:
Intermediate+
South, West
Cross/Onshore
Siletz bay can be a nice refuge when the waves are pumping and the wind and tides line up. A beginner could probably ride here safely if they are with some more experienced friends, but on an outgoing tide that bay mouth is no joke and need to be respected, especially in high surf. To get to the beach just park in the lot near the restaurant and walk out to the sand, which will give you plenty of room to rig and launch.
The bay mouth itself offers a decent sized area with relatively flat water in which you can gradually work into surf, but waves can stack up quickly depending on swell direction. Inside the bay the water is flat and the wind stays clean, but it can get fluky due to the geographical features of the area and I have been eating at the restaurant there and seen it shut down pretty rapidly so again be cautious and as riding any bay on the coast up here know the tides and have exit points and strategies. That said on the right wind (due west to south) it can be really fun to play around in there then come back out to the surf. Keep an eye out for fisherman and kids on the beach. You’re likely to attract a few spectators so be nice and keep our good reputation going.
Netarts Bay:
Intermediate/Advanced+
West, South
Onshore/Cross
Netarts Bay is the awesome yet meaner brother of Siletz bay. Situated to the north of Siletz, Netarts Bay has a wide mouth which has the opening tucked into a large headland. Plug Happy Camp Hideaway into your GPS and it will take you to a small, south-facing, dirt parking lot with a tiny spit of sand and a ton of line grabbing rocks and logs. I self-launched off of a log one trip there, but you have a few options depending on the wind direction. Across the water you’ll be able to see the sandy point, and to the west waves forcing their way east despite the water heading out to sea. Some of the best waves I have ridden up here have been right to the north of the point across the water from the launch, where shallow water forces a point break with an open northern edge to upwind and hit them again.
The tide at Netarts is even more severe than at Siletz and it absolutely must be respected. Local fisherman can tell you stories of a few unlucky souls who had boat motors stall and were swept out into the raging sea in a matter of minutes. During the winter storms will roll through here in all their gusty glory, but it actually is the calm appearance this spot can sometimes have which almost made me put it to Advanced. The launch is sketchy but can be overcome, but the water movement is incredible. There is also a very unrelenting updraft that takes over near those houses to the east on very windy days and it can definitely put a less experienced rider in a world of trouble. Keep an eye on the weather and the tide, select some reference points so you always know where you are, and you should be fine. If you are unsure then there are other places to go. A tip I have given people in the past is when the tide changes directions you will see a thin white line of foam about ten meters off shore near where you launched, but even that can be unreliable.
Yaquina Bay South Jetty:
Beginner+
Western Side of the Compass
Cross/Onshore
Yaquina Bay is a beautiful place and the spot at the South Jetty had a ton to offer. To get there just plus South Beach State Park into your GPS and away you go! The parking lot has a wash station and bathrooms, and is a short walk from where you can launch your kite through some lovely trees that give way to a soft sandy beach with surprisingly little debris. The beach is huge so just set your stuff up and you’ll be good to go in no time, even on a cross shore the expanse of sand provides plenty of room.
The spot itself is very beginner friendly even in the winter months with the storms. The beach slopes gently into the sea keeping the waves manageable even on days where they are firing, and the jetty to the north provides a small swell shadow which furthers this and provides even more safe space to ride when the waves are large, but when they are not, oh boy. The swell shapes up nicely with the slope of the beach and can get hollow and clean even on super windy days. I had some long rides here and the tidal differences were not as pronounced at places like The Wreck where it can jack up the shore break. All in all another great spot if you are looking to get into some wave riding, or boost huge on winter storms.