Kite Area guide
Rodanthe, Cape Hatteras
Rodanthe is the wave end of Hatteras: the launch for the Rodanthe–Salvo downwinder and the lefts that reform on the inside bars.
When to kite
Best months: April, May, June, July, August, September, October.
About this Kite Area
Rodanthe sits at the northern end of Hatteras Island and is best known for the downwinder that runs from here south toward Salvo. On a north-easterly wind with north-east swell, lefts peel off the outside bars and reform on the inside — anywhere from knee-high to overhead depending on the day.
It is intermediate to advanced water. The houses stand close to the beach along this stretch, Rodanthe Pier is an obstacle to plan around, and the beaches crowd through the summer. As everywhere on the ocean side here, side-shore or onshore wind is the requirement.
For flatter water, the Salvo Day Use Area just south gives endless waist-deep sound lagoon in summer south-westerlies, with a small sandy beach where launching is easier with a hand. Autumn is the season for the ocean; summer for the sound.