Kite Area guide
Shearwater Esplanade, Gold Coast
Shearwater Esplanade at Runaway Bay is the Gold Coast's flat-water spot, and the tide decides whether it is any good.
When to kite
Best months: January, February, March, April, October, November, December.
About this Kite Area
Shearwater Esplanade at Runaway Bay, half an hour north of Surfers Paradise, offers some of the finest flat-water riding on the Gold Coast. Northerly, easterly or southerly wind all work.
Tide governs it entirely. The spot is at its best at dead high or dead low; mid-tide turns choppy, and tidal currents can run strongly and occasionally against you. At low tide it is suitable for beginners, though some flat-water experience helps.
Launching is from the grassy areas near Shearwater or Anglers Esplanade, walking down to the sand to rig. Public facilities are about two hundred metres away at Runaway Bay Shopping Centre.