MapNetherlandsWijk aan ZeePetten (Pettemer Zeewering)Wijk aan Zee

Petten (Pettemer Zeewering)

North Holland · Kop van Noord-Holland · Petten

also known as Petten, Petten aan Zee, Petten-Zuid

Part of Wijk aan Zee →

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

wavesnot for beginnerslow crowds

On this page

The spot
Wind
Forecast
Month by month
Water
Level
The scene
Launch
Schools
Tips
Getting there
Photos
FAQ

Riding essentials

Season

Mar–Nov

Months riders and schools name

How windy

20-30 knots

Character: synoptic

Room to launch

huge

access rules on record, below

Water

waves

17.6 °C in summerOpen North Sea sand with shorebreak and small to medium waves

Hazards

Reported by riders

Level

Intermediate to advanced

With a caveat: see Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

Crowds

low crowds · busy Jun Jul Aug

Schools

named at this spot

From the airport

53 min

Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)

On the clock

16:00

Frontal days blow around the clock and the tide, not the hour, decides when to go. Summer is different: modelled hourly means climb from about 7.5 knots at dawn to 10 knots by 16:00 as the sea breeze adds to whatever gradient there is, so a light morning can still turn into an afternoon session. Indicative model figures, no measured local onset time.

The mark is the clock time the record names, laid on a 24-hour day. The fade after it is not an end time, and not a promise of wind.

Nearbystraight-line distance

Backup spotsWhere riders go when the wind doesn't work here.

Camperduinno page yet
Callantsoogno page yet
Groote Keetenno page yet
Bergen aan Zeeno page yet

The spot

Petten, the beach along the Pettemer Zeewering at the south end of the village, is a North Sea spot on the Noord-Holland coast whose main selling point is that the rest of the Dutch wave crowd is somewhere else. It is open all year, with safe wind from NW, W and SW, deep water and a sandy launch with room to lay out several kites.

Riding conditions

The riding is open sea: waves and shorebreak, and current strong enough that walking back up the sand is part of a normal session. At low water the first bank about 100-150 m out is only 30 cm to 1 m deep, which is the detail nobody mentions until somebody lands a jump on it.

Wave riding

Wave riders work the second bank around 350 m offshore on a rising tide, where the shape is better. Independent riders should treat this as intermediate to advanced; the beach is learnable with a school, but the current does not care how confident you feel.

Seasonal conditions and alternatives

Summer still gives wind, and it gives you bathers on every warm day. When holding upwind turns into a grind, run a downwinder to or from Camperduin or Callantsoog.

The wind

Direction

cross-onNW/W/SW

Direction to shore

cross-on

Kite sizes

4567891011121314151617

metres · typical quiver highlighted

The quiver, in words

Indicative, no local measurement. A 75-85 kg rider is on 9-12 m for a 15-20 knot spring or summer day, 7-9 m in a 22-28 knot autumn SW, and 5-7 m when a front puts it over 30. Wave riders here tend to go a size down from their flat-water kite because the current does the rest.

Character

synoptic

When it fills in: see above ↑

Typical strength

Autumn and winter depressions are the strong days, 20-30 knots and more; spring runs 15-25; summer sea breeze is usually 12-18. Indicative modelled hourly data for the point, 2021-2025: daytime hours reach 12 knots or more on 40-48% of hours from October to February and 23-30% from May to September, with the median daily maximum near 13 knots. Grid figures rather than a measured station, and an open beach reads higher than the model.

Cleanest in an unobstructed westerly off the North Sea. SW to NW is the standard Noord-Holland flow, autumn and spring depressions bring the strongest SW days, and summer runs lighter with sea breezes. NW, W and SW are the listed safe directions.

Open all year under the 2017 Schagen zoning decision. Strongest wind is October to February; March-May and September-November are the usual compromise between wind and daylight. Summer works but runs lighter and puts bathers on the beach. East is offshore here and not a direction to go out in.

Forecast

Live forecast

Windguru Windfinder Windy

Month by month

Jan80
Feb84
Mar, riders' month66
Apr, riders' month73
May, riders' month53
Jun, riders' month59
Jul, riders' month68
Aug, riders' month49
Sep, riders' month48
Oct, riders' month73
Nov, riders' month71
Dec72

per cent of the month at force 4 or more

Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov.

17 ktJan7°
17 ktFeb7°
13 ktMar8°
15 ktApr10°
12 ktMay13°
12 ktJun17°
13 ktJul19°
12 ktAug20°
12 ktSep19°
14 ktOct16°
16 ktNov12°
16 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	80%	16.9 kt	WSW	5.7 °C	6.5 °C
Feb	84%	17.2 kt	WSW	6.8 °C	6.8 °C
Mar	66%	13.4 kt	SW	7.2 °C	7.6 °C
Apr	73%	14.5 kt	SW	8.9 °C	9.7 °C
May	53%	11.9 kt	NNE	13.2 °C	13.4 °C
Jun	59%	11.8 kt	SW	16.1 °C	16.9 °C
Jul	68%	13.2 kt	WSW	17.5 °C	19.2 °C
Aug	49%	12 kt	SW	18.5 °C	20 °C
Sep	48%	11.9 kt	S	16.5 °C	19.4 °C
Oct	73%	14.2 kt	SSW	13.4 °C	15.7 °C
Nov	71%	15.6 kt	SW	8.7 °C	11.6 °C
Dec	72%	15.8 kt	SW	6.2 °C	8.1 °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

waves

Standing depth

Mostly a deep North Sea beach. At low water the first bank about 100-150 m out drops to roughly 30 cm to 1 m, which gives a shallow strip that beginners are put on with a school and that everyone else should stay off when jumping. High water covers it, and the groynes with it.

Tides

Tide drives both the quality and the hazards. Low water leaves the first banks exposed or barely covered, wave riders find the best shape on the second bank about 350 m offshore on a rising tide, and foilers have to watch that first bank as the water drops.

Temperature

17.6 °C summer · 6.5 °C winter

Modelled monthly average: 7–20 °C

Wetsuit

Summer water peaks at roughly 16–20 °C, and a fully sealed 3/2 mm covers it around mid-August. Outside summer you want a full suit; winter water averages about 5–6.5 °C, and how much hood, gloves and boots local riders actually use is unconfirmed.

Currents

Current is the main complaint at Petten, flagged again and again. Walking back upwind along the sand is normal, and a planned downwinder to or from Camperduin or Callantsoog is the usual way around it.

Conditions

Open North Sea sand with shorebreak and small to medium waves. The first sandbank sits about 100-150 m offshore and drops to 30 cm to 1 m deep at low water; a second bank about 350 m out often holds the better waves on a rising tide.

Sand nourishment widened and reinforced the beach after the coastal works, but the official classification is still deep water with waves rather than a flat-water lagoon. Foilers can ride close to shore at high water and should keep off the first bank when it drops.

Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

not for beginners here

Labelled 'Gevorderd' (advanced), for the current and the beach breakers. Beginners are advised against riding independently here, though supervised instruction makes it learnable. Ride it on your own as an intermediate or better, unless a local school confirms a supervised beginner zone on the day.

The scene

What riders come here for

wave ridingfreeridefoilingescaping crowdsdownwinders

Quieter than the better-known Noord-Holland and South Holland beaches, with a local feel. On warm summer days the bathers arrive and kiters have to work around the swimmer zones.

Launch and rules

three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you

With a school or a boat

3 schools name this spot

See who they are

On your own

Room to launch: huge

Read the access rules

Somewhere else

5 spots nearby

All 5 spots within 40 km are under Nearby

Rescue

VHF channel 16

Rescue — full text1 min read

Rescue and safety

No kite-specific rescue, but this is one of the better-covered stretches of Dutch coast: the KNRM lifeboat station at Petten is on call 24 hours a day with an NH 1816 and an Arie Visser class boat, crewed by volunteers and free to the person being rescued.

Alert it through 112, the coastguard on 0900-0111, or VHF channel 16. A municipal lifeguard post covers the beach in the bathing season, with patrol months and hours unconfirmed. There is also a named local spot manager for Petten, on 06-41547686 or petten@kitesurfvereniging.nl.

Launch

Sandy launch in the Petten/Petten-Zuid activities and surf zone by the Pettemer Zeewering. There is a lot of sand, but a sunny summer day fills it with swimmers and beachgoers and the safe space shrinks fast.

Hazards riders report 18 reported

Wind

shallow sandbanks ~100-150m offshore
First shallow sandbank about 100-150 m offshore, 30 cm to 1 m deep at low water; hazardous for high jumps and foils.
Offshore/easterly winds are not listed as safe for the official Pettemer Zeewering spot.
First sandbank about 100-150 m offshore, 30 cm to 1 m deep at low water: no place to land a jump, and a foil-breaker.
East wind is offshore here and not a safe direction.

Crowds and zones

Busy summer swimmer/beachgoer areas can reduce safe launch and riding space.
Summer swimmer and beachgoer zones cut the space you need to launch safely.

Bottom

Groynes along this stretch can be covered and invisible around high water.

Waves and currents

strong currents and shorebreak
tide-dependent conditions
Strong current and tidal drift; upwind walking is common.
Strong shorebreak/beach breakers on an open North Sea beach.
Second sandbank around 350 m offshore; wave riders use it but it increases distance from shore.
Wave breakers/groynes/stones are reported; their exact location relative to the official Petten-Zuid zone needs local confirmation.
Strong tidal current and drift; walking back up the beach is part of a normal session.
Shorebreak and beach breakers on an open North Sea beach.
Second sandbank around 350 m offshore; better waves, but a long way out with the current running.
The spot changes completely with the tide; look at the water before you rig.

Rules & access

1 min read

Kiting zones

2026: kiting is allowed year-round but only south of Palendorp, with locals sometimes riding by the beach pavilion in small groups under tolerance and keeping clear of swimmers in the summer crowds.

2017: Schagen's official beach designation reserves the Petten-Noord strip, 52.774947 N/4.661102 E to 52.777533 N/4.662562 E, exclusively for wave-, wind- and kitesurfing, and lists Petten-Zuid as a designated beach/activity section without matching GPS coordinates. The same beach policy sets the bathing season as 1 April to 1 October and allows surfing everywhere outside it, since there are few swimmers. No separate permit requirement is published.

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

Read the spot page and the beach signs before you ride: the local rule is to kite south of Palendorp and stay off the swimmer areas on busy summer days.
Do not boost over the first bank at low tide; it can be only about 30 cm to 1 m deep around 100-150 m offshore.
For waves, take the rising tide and the second bank around 350 m out, where the nicest ones stand up.
Foilers: stay near shore only on higher water, and keep the first bank in mind as the tide drops.
If you are grinding to hold upwind, plan a downwinder to or from Camperduin or Callantsoog, with the direction checked and an exit picked before you go.
On a sunny summer day, rig only where the sand is actually clear, because beachgoers take exactly the space that makes launching safe.

Getting there

Airport

Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)

Route

By car it is about 62.8 km from Schiphol, roughly 53 minutes: north from Alkmaar on the N9, then follow the signs to Petten. Without a car, train plus the 151 bus takes about 2 h 12 min from Schiphol.Beach parking is free at the strandslagen, including Strandslag Abbestee north of the village, which is the school's access; the kite zone local riders use is at the other end, south of Palendorp, so pick the entrance to match where you intend to ride.

Transfer

53 min

Staying

Beds are in and around Petten, including Camping De Watersnip with the AllYouCanSurf camp options, plus village and beach stays. A 2026 Schagen page notes new duinvilla accommodation at Het Nieuwe Strand Petten; rider-relevant pricing is unconfirmed.

No-wind days

Beach walks, Palendorp Petten, the Uitkijkduin lookout, the dunes and Pettemer Forest, cycling, miniature golf by Pettemer Forest, surf, SUP, yoga and fitness sessions run by the local school and campsite, and day trips around Alkmaar and the Kop van Noord-Holland.

Photos

FAQ

Is Petten suitable for beginners?

Independent beginners are not well matched here: local guidance labels the spot advanced and warns of strong current and shorebreak, though some schools teach in a supervised area.

What is the wind like at Petten?

Wind is synoptic and safest from NW, W and SW; spring and autumn depressions bring the strongest wind, while summer is lighter with more swimmers.

What are the sandbanks and current like?

A shallow first sandbank sits about 100-150 m offshore and a second bank around 350 m out, with strong tidal current that makes upwind walking common; downwinders to Camperduin or Callantsoog are a local workaround.

Are there rules or zones at Petten?

As of 2026, NKV allows kiting year-round only south of Palendorp, and the bathing season (1 April-1 October) restricts surfing to areas with few swimmers.

Are there kite schools at Petten?

Yes, Petten Kitesurfschool and AllYouCanSurf Petten both offer lessons at the spot.

The bigger pictureEverything about Wijk aan Zee

Last updated: August 2026