7 Spots To Kitesurf In Karratha And Dampier

The kitesurfing beaches in and around Karratha and Dampier region are:

• Hampton Harbour, Dampier
• Hearson’s Cove, Burrup Peninsula
• Settlers Beach, Cossack
• Point Sampson Beach, Point Sampson
• 40 Mile Beach, Gnoorea
• Dampier Archipelago
• Montebello Islands

If you find yourself in Karratha for either work or just travelling through, take your kites and not matter the time of year you will be able to find a beach to have a kite at. I used to live and work in Karratha and it is still one of my favourite areas that I kitesurfed.

Map Of Kitesurfing Beaches In Karratha And Damier Region

Hampton Harbour, Dampier

During the summer months, the wind direction is usually westerly. Hampton Harbour is the closest beach to Karratha and Dampier that can be kited in a westerly.

Its key features are:

• Hampton Oval is the best place to setup, launch and land your kite.
• There are rocks everywhere, wear booties if you don’t want to risk cutting your feet walking into the water and walking back to the beach (I never bothered though).
• If you aren’t yet able to keep yourself up wind, you should re-consider kiting here without supervision. You might get yourself into trouble with all of the rocks surrounding the harbour.
• Once I did see a shark swimming in the harbour, I was told it was the friendly resident hammer head shark though…..

Hearson’s Cover, Burrup Peninsula

This beach is suitable for easterly winds only. In winter the easterly winds regularly blew over 20 knots and I regularly used my 9m kite, the only drawback was the good kiting wind would only blow during the middle of the day (starting around 10-11 am and going to 2 – 3 hours). So you needed to be able to get off for extended lunch breaks to take advantage of it.

Its key features are:

• Shallow water at low tide.
• Near the southern end of the beach there are some rocks which are just hidden at high tide and exposed at low tide.
• Good beach for beginners to learn at.

Settlers Beach, Cossack

I never kited here as much as I would have liked to, it is a 35-minute drive from Karratha so I could only get here on my Sundays or any unexpected RDOs.

Key features:

• At low tide sand bars are exposed which is a hazard but also creates some interesting flat water.
• At mid to low tide there is a large amount of beach to setup.

Point Sampson Beach, Point Sampson

Point Sampson is a quaint little town which is quite nice to visit if you are new in the area. Kiteable for most of the year with any wind from the north to the east.

40 Mile Beach, Gnoorea

This is a very remote beach so take that into consideration before you kite here, there are other beaches that work good in a westerly to northerly wind that is closer to town and other people.

Dampier Archipelago

There are many islands that can be kited in the Dampier Archipelago. The islands that I’ve heard of people kitesurf at include:

• Malus Isnald
• The channel between West Lewis Island and East Lewis Island.

Obviously though you will need a boat or jet ski to get to these islands. If you are still learning how to stay upwind stick to the mainland until you become a confident and competent kitesurfer.

If you ever want to go surfing I’ve been told that when all of the conditions work together there is good surf at Angel Island.

Montebello Islands

Over 100 kilometres off the Dampier coast is a group of islands called the Montebello Islands.

There is a charter boat that does multi-experience boat tours there (fishing, surfing and snorkelling).

I have never been here myself but looking at the islands it would be a great place to have a kitesurfing holiday. There would be waves and flat water spots to ktiesurf, and any number of beaches to handle any wind direction. Blue Lightning Charters can take you there, feed you and give you a great experence.

This wouldn’t be the place for beginner kitesurfers to learn, best you learn to kitesurf before you consider going on a charter.

Karratha Average Wind And Wind Direction Observations

During the summer months (October to February) the wind usually blows from an S/SW direction.

During the winter months (May to August) the wind usually blows from an easterly direction.

Dampier Average Wind And Wind Direction Observations

Where To Learn Kitesurfing In Karratha & Damier

There are many beginner-friendly beaches that with an instructor will be easy for a beginner to get up and have a go at kitesurfing. Contact the guys at Karratha Kite to book some lessons.