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De Cocksdorp
North Holland · Texel
also known as Vuurtoren, Texel Lighthouse
Riding essentials
Season
no season named
Months riders and schools name
How windy
14 knots
Character: synoptic
Room to launch
large
access rules on record, below
Water
mixed
18.2 °C in summerThe North Sea side gives waves in south-west to north wind
Hazards
8
Reported by riders
Level
Advanced only
With a caveat: see Your level
Crowds
medium crowds · busy Jul Aug
Schools
1
named at this spot
From the airport
Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
no transfer time published
When it fills in
No daily clock. The wind here is frontal rather than thermal, so it can be up at first light, die by lunch, or build through the night. Plan the session on the tide window and the forecast, not on an hour of the day.
Nearbystraight-line distance
Backup spotsWhere riders go when the wind doesn't work here.
- Texel Dijkmanshuizenno page yet
- Texel Paal 9no page yet
- Vlieland Noordzeeno page yet
The spot
Wind and water options
Tidal current and seasons
The wind
Direction
Direction to shore
North Sea side works from south-west to north; eastern wind directions are used on the Wadden Sea side.
Dominant direction
Westerly and north-westerly systems are typical for Texel and this stretch of North Sea. No precise dominant-direction distribution exists for Vuurtoren.
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
The quiver, in words
9-12 m in summer and 8-10 m off-season for the Texel area, not measured at Vuurtoren itself.
Character
synoptic
Average strength
14
Typical strength
Around 14 knots on the year with gusts near 20, mostly west-south-west, from a twenty-year island record; nothing is measured at the launch itself. The mainland station across the water sits a little lower at 12 knots. Summer is the light half of the year, autumn and winter carry the strong days, and the north-wind swell sessions come with them.
Forecast
Live forecast
Month by month
- Jan95
- Feb95
- Mar94
- Apr96
- May91
- Jun87
- Jul91
- Aug92
- Sep90
- Oct97
- Nov97
- Dec97
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
- 24 ktJan7°
- 23 ktFeb7°
- 19 ktMar8°
- 20 ktApr10°
- 16 ktMay13°
- 16 ktJun17°
- 18 ktJul19°
- 16 ktAug20°
- 18 ktSep19°
- 20 ktOct16°
- 24 ktNov12°
- 23 ktDec8°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
Modelled from weather reanalysis on a 10–25 km grid (2022-2024), not a ground station: reliable for trade and synoptic winds, understates thermal sea breezes and valley winds.
Every figure, month by monthForce 4+ · Knots · Wind from · Air · Water
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | Wind from | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 95% | 23.9 kt | WSW | 6.5 °C | 6.8 °C |
| Feb | 95% | 23.2 kt | WSW | 6.9 °C | 6.9 °C |
| Mar | 94% | 18.8 kt | SW | 7 °C | 7.5 °C |
| Apr | 96% | 20.2 kt | ENE | 8.7 °C | 9.6 °C |
| May | 91% | 16.4 kt | NNE | 12.3 °C | 13.3 °C |
| Jun | 87% | 16.1 kt | SW | 15.1 °C | 16.5 °C |
| Jul | 91% | 18 kt | WSW | 17.2 °C | 19.1 °C |
| Aug | 92% | 16.4 kt | SW | 18.5 °C | 19.9 °C |
| Sep | 90% | 17.9 kt | S | 17.2 °C | 19.2 °C |
| Oct | 97% | 20.2 kt | S | 14.2 °C | 15.6 °C |
| Nov | 97% | 23.5 kt | SW | 10.1 °C | 11.7 °C |
| Dec | 97% | 23 kt | WSW | 7.2 °C | 8.2 °C |
How this is modelledmodelled · 2022-2024
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
ERA5 reanalysis grid point (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical weather API — ECMWF ERA5/ERA5-Land reanalysis, not a ground station · 2022-2024
The water
Type
mixed
Standing depth
No standing area at Vuurtoren. The North Sea side is open wave water and the Wadden side is flat but current-prone.
Tides
Strongly tide- and current-affected where the North Sea meets the Wadden Sea. Understand the tide before you launch, and ask locals on a first visit.
Temperature
18.2 °C summer · 5.7 °C winter
Modelled monthly average: 7–20 °C
Wetsuit
Mid-August water typically needs a 4/3mm or 3/2mm suit with 3mm boots; winter requires a thick cold-water suit with boots, gloves and hood.
Currents
Treacherous and sometimes very strong tidal current, strong enough that riding upwind stops being possible.
Conditions
Your level
not for beginners herenot for intermediates here
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
1 school names this spot
On your own
Room to launch: large
Somewhere else
3 spots nearby
Rescue
VHF 16
Rescue — full text1 min read
Lifeguard coverage
Launch
Large sand beach between beach posts 28.2 and 32.0 near the lighthouse, access from Vuurtorenweg, parking by the beach entrance. More parking sits on the Wadden Sea side past the campsite and near Strandpaviljoen Noordkaap.
Rules & access
1 min read
Regulated areas
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Schools that ride here
Rider tips
- Paal 28 to the west is windier and more advanced; Paal 33 to the east is steadier and quieter, better if you are intermediate to advanced.
- Check the tide and current forecast before you rig, and on a first visit ask a local rider which phase is safe.
- Ask Kitesurfschool Texel where the legal launch boundary sits before you use the Wadden or north-east side.
- Drop down to De Koog/Paal 17 or Dijkmanshuizen when the current or the surf at Vuurtoren is beyond your level.
- Bring full cold-water neoprene outside summer: boots, gloves and hood.
- The kitesurf association's Texel spot warden takes questions on 06-10470087 or Texel@kitesurfvereniging.nl. That is the number for the Wadden-side boundary and for the April-September window at Dijkmanshuizen.
- In weeks 28 to 35 the lifeguard post at Paal 28 is staffed 10:00 to 18:00. Launch north of the flags rather than through the swimming area.
Getting there
Airport
Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
Route
Drive to Den Helder and take the TESO ferry to Texel, about 20 minutes on the water, then north through the island to De Cocksdorp and Vuurtorenweg. It is roughly 125 km from Schiphol. Without a car the chain is train to Den Helder, ferry, then the island bus, and that runs to about four and a half hours.
Cost level
medium
Staying
Holiday parks, campsites and village rooms around De Cocksdorp and across Texel. No kite-specific lodging at the launch.
No-wind days
The Texel lighthouse, the Ecomare seal and sea-aquarium centre, cycling, and the walk out to De Slufter and the De Cocksdorp beach.
Photos
FAQ
Is De Cocksdorp Vuurtoren suitable for beginners?
No, it is rated for well-advanced riders because of strong tidal current around the point that can make riding back upwind impossible.
What is the wind like?
The North Sea side works from south-west through north wind, while the Wadden Sea side is used with eastern winds; 9-12 m kites suit summer and 8-10 m the off-season.
When is the best time to go?
The spot is rideable year-round, with lessons and rental generally running April to October and winter bringing better north-wind and swell wave conditions.
What hazards should riders know?
Strong, tricky tidal current is the defining hazard, with a real risk of being pulled around the northern tip of the island, so first-time visitors are told to check tide and current with locals before launching.
The bigger pictureEverything about Texel
Last updated: August 2026