Nearby Manzanita 35 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
There is no daily fill-in to wait for. The south wind arrives with a frontal system in the October-to-May storm season and can blow at any hour, so the timing of a session comes off the forecast and off the tide table rather than off a clock. Derived from the spot's storm-wind character; no local onset has been recorded.
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
synoptic
fills in: There is no daily fill-in to wait for. The south wind arrives with a frontal system in the October-to-May storm season and can blow at any hour, so the timing of a session comes off the forecast and off the tide table rather than off a clock. Derived from the spot's storm-wind character; no local onset has been recorded.
Typical strength
5-30 kt is the usual range at this bay, which behaves as a light-to-moderate south-wind spot rather than a strong-wind venue. Kite sizes have not been documented locally, only the windsurf sails people rig here, roughly 3.7-5.0 m.
Thermal or synoptic
storm
The quiver, in words
No kite sizes have been published for this bay. What follows converts the windsurf sails people rig here, 3.7 to 5.0 m, and is indicative only: for a 75-85 kg rider, roughly 12 m at the 15-18 kt end, 9-10 m through the low twenties, and 7-8 m when it is blowing near 30.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan, riders' month67
- Feb, riders' month54
- Mar, riders' month45
- Apr, riders' month50
- May, riders' month48
- Jun44
- Jul39
- Aug23
- Sep30
- Oct, riders' month31
- Nov, riders' month54
- Dec, riders' month62
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec.
- 14Jan10°
- 12Feb10°
- 12Mar10°
- 12Apr10°
- 11May12°
- 11Jun11°
- 10Jul12°
- 9Aug13°
- 9Sep13°
- 10Oct13°
- 13Nov12°
- 15Dec10°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67% | 14.1 kt | SSW | 7.2°C | 10.3°C |
| Feb | 54% | 12.2 kt | SSW | 6.6°C | 10.1°C |
| Mar | 45% | 11.5 kt | S | 7°C | 9.6°C |
| Apr | 50% | 11.7 kt | SSW | 8.1°C | 10.3°C |
| May | 48% | 10.9 kt | NNW | 11.1°C | 11.6°C |
| Jun | 44% | 10.8 kt | NNW | 12.9°C | 11.1°C |
| Jul | 39% | 10.2 kt | NNW | 14.9°C | 11.7°C |
| Aug | 23% | 9.2 kt | NNW | 15.7°C | 12.9°C |
| Sep | 30% | 9.4 kt | N | 14.3°C | 13.4°C |
| Oct | 31% | 9.8 kt | S | 12.1°C | 12.9°C |
| Nov | 54% | 12.7 kt | E | 8.2°C | 11.7°C |
| Dec | 62% | 14.5 kt | S | 7.8°C | 10.4°C |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
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. 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
bay
Standing depth
Most of the bay is waist deep except in the channels, when there is enough tide in it.
Tides
Strongly tide dependent. It needs a minimum 5.5 ft high tide to be sailable, and it is beginner friendly only at high tide.
Temperature
14°C summer · 10°C winter
Wetsuit
Cold Oregon Coast water, a full suit year-round. The thickness local riders actually use is unconfirmed.
Currents
Tidal current is the central hazard. It starts moving about an hour after high tide, and the ebb drains north out of the single entrance at the top of the bay, the same direction the south wind pushes. The deeper channels carry the strongest flow and they run through ground that looks shallow from the surface.Losing gear on an outgoing tide near the entrance is how people end up offshore here.
Your level
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
No school names this spot
Nobody has been recorded teaching or running a boat here.
On your own
Room to launch: tide-dependent bay launch with broad shallows, channels and exposed flats
Somewhere else
Manzanita, 35 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Launch by the portable toilets at the parking area midway down the bay, on the east shore. Netarts Bay Landing, the main public access to the bay, has restrooms, picnic tables, a boat ramp and day-use moorage.Coming in, either drop north into the bay from Cape Lookout or leave the 101 toward Oceanside and follow the signs for Netarts Bay.
Space
tide-dependent bay launch with broad shallows, channels and exposed flats
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Plan the session around a high tide of at least 5.5 ft.
- Stay off the outgoing tide unless you are solid on self-rescue and know the current.
- Watch for the channels even where the bay around them looks shallow.
- Give clammers, crabbers and the shellfish beds a wide berth.
- Come dressed for cold water and storm-season weather; this is not a summer bay.
- The entrance sits downwind of the launch on a south wind. Leave far more room to it than feels necessary.
- Multi-fin or shallow-water fin setups earn their keep here; you will ride over the flats.
Getting there
Airport
Portland International Airport (PDX) for scheduled commercial flights; Tillamook Municipal Airport is a local general-aviation airport.
Route
Drive to Netarts on the north Oregon Coast via Tillamook and Netarts Bay Drive; car access is the practical option for kite and foil gear.
Cost level
medium
Staying
Stay in Netarts, Oceanside, Tillamook or Cape Lookout State Park area lodging/camping.
No-wind days
clamming · crabbing · Cape Lookout State Park · Oceanside beaches · Tillamook Creamery · coastal hiking
Photos
FAQ
Is Netarts Bay suitable for beginners?
It is listed as beginner level, but only at high tide; the outgoing tide and channels require timing and self-rescue judgment.
When is the best time to kite?
October through May is the season, tied to Oregon Coast storm and south-wind systems.
What is the wind like?
The bay works on south wind, though there are conflicting reports of non-gusty NW wind also being rideable.
What are the hazards?
Hazards include strong tidal current starting an hour after high tide, shallow flats and channels, shellfish areas, and cold water.
Last updated: August 2026