Map›New Zealand›Auckland›Shakespeare Regional ParkAuckland
Shakespeare Regional Park
Auckland · Whangaparaoa
also known as Shakespear Regional Park, Shakespeare Park, Shakespear Bay, Te Haruhi Bay
Riding essentials
Season
Jul–Feb
Months riders and schools name
How windy
15-30
Character: mixed
Room to launch
Medium by one account and generous by another; either way there is room to lay lines out, and all three beaches have parking behind them.
access rules on record, below
Water
flat/chop/small waves
23 °C in summerThe park has several beaches and sheltered bays at the tip of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula
Hazards
13
Reported by riders
Level
Beginner to advanced
With a caveat: see Your level
Crowds
medium crowds · busy Dec Jan
Schools
2
named at this spot
From the airport
60 min
International Airport (AKL)
When it fills in
The wind that matters is the frontal southerly, and it arrives with the weather system rather than filling at a set hour, holding through the day once it is in. Summer thermal days are the exception and build through the afternoon. No local timing record was found.
Nearbystraight-line distance
Backup spotsWhere riders go when the wind doesn't work here.
- Army Bayno page yet
- Manly Beachno page yet
- Tindalls Beachno page yet
- Orewano page yet
- Point Chevalierno page yet
The spot
Wind and season
Water and tide
Launch and access
The wind
Direction
Direction to shore
SE through S, SSW and SW all work at Shakespear Bay and Te Haruhi Bay, with SW the direction that comes up most. The wider Whangaparaoa Peninsula has bays open to almost every direction.
Dominant direction
S to SW
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
The quiver, in words
The 15-30 kt band works out at about 12 m at the bottom end for a 75-85 kg rider, 9-10 m around 20 kt, and 7-8 m when a winter southerly sits at the top of the range. Indicative sizing derived from the wind range; no local size table is published.
Character
Typical strength
15-30
Forecast
Live forecast
Month by month
- Jan, riders' month56
- Feb, riders' month44
- Mar55
- Apr70
- May69
- Jun65
- Jul, riders' month68
- Aug, riders' month50
- Sep, riders' month72
- Oct, riders' month77
- Nov, riders' month58
- Dec, riders' month55
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec.
- 56%Jan23°
- 44%Feb23°
- 55%Mar21°
- 70%Apr19°
- 69%May17°
- 65%Jun16°
- 68%Jul14°
- 50%Aug14°
- 72%Sep15°
- 77%Oct17°
- 58%Nov19°
- 55%Dec21°
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · water °C below · season highlighted
Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal.
Every figure, month by monthWindy days · Force 4+ · 12 kn or more · Knots · Wind from · Peaks at · Air · Water · Readings
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | Wind from | Peaks at | Air | Water | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56% | 82% | 71% | 15.9 kt | ENE | 12:00 | 20.3 °C | 23 °C | 62 |
| Feb | 44% | 65% | 60% | 14.8 kt | NNE | 16:00 | 20.2 °C | 22.7 °C | 57 |
| Mar | 55% | 74% | 65% | 14.1 kt | SSW | 14:00 | 18.5 °C | 21.2 °C | 62 |
| Apr | 70% | 78% | 77% | 16.9 kt | SW | 13:00 | 17.5 °C | 19.4 °C | 60 |
| May | 69% | 81% | 73% | 17 kt | SSW | 13:00 | 15.1 °C | 17.2 °C | 62 |
| Jun | 65% | 85% | 83% | 16.1 kt | SW | 13:00 | 13.6 °C | 15.6 °C | 60 |
| Jul | 68% | 79% | 73% | 16.7 kt | WSW | 14:00 | 12.6 °C | 14.1 °C | 62 |
| Aug | 50% | 65% | 58% | 14.2 kt | SW | 14:00 | 12.1 °C | 13.5 °C | 62 |
| Sep | 72% | 83% | 78% | 16.3 kt | SW | 15:00 | 13.5 °C | 15.2 °C | 60 |
| Oct | 77% | 95% | 84% | 16.6 kt | SW | 14:00 | 14.8 °C | 16.6 °C | 62 |
| Nov | 58% | 85% | 68% | 14.7 kt | SW | 14:00 | 16.5 °C | 18.7 °C | 60 |
| Dec | 55% | 74% | 68% | 14.7 kt | N | 15:00 | 18.8 °C | 21.2 °C | 62 |
How this is modelledmodelled · 2023-2024
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. 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.
High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024
The water
Type
flat/chop/small waves
Standing depth
Te Haruhi Bay swims well and goes shallow at low tide, so the walk out gets long as the water drops. Okoromai Bay is the one to watch: a narrow, steep beach with a wide mud flat in front of it that dries at low water, and it carries a sudden-drop warning, meaning the shallow shelf ends abruptly rather than tapering.Ride and swim there near high tide. No measured depth profile is published for either bay.
Tides
Smaller waves and flat water occur at mid to low tide, with wave riding closer to high tide but not dead high tide; Okoromai Bay is very tidal and suitable for swimming only at high tide.
Temperature
23 °C summer · 15 °C winter
Modelled monthly average: 14–23 °C
Wetsuit
Auckland kite lessons commonly rent wetsuits; no precise seasonal wetsuit recommendation for this spot is published.
Conditions
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
2 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: Medium by one account and generous by another; either way there is room to lay lines out, and all three beaches have parking behind them.
Somewhere else
7 spots nearby
Rescue
Launch
Riders usually meet at the end of the Te Haruhi Bay car park before the campground gate. Launch areas are good, with BBQs and toilets; all three beaches have adjacent parking, toilets and drinking fountains.
Rules & access
1 min read
National rules
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
- Ride Okoromai Bay around high tide; it is very tidal and empties out.
- For flat water, go closer to low tide, but not dead low tide.
- For small waves, go closer to high tide, but not dead high tide.
- Camp at Te Haruhi Bay if you want more than a day of it; parking, toilets and BBQs are right at the beach.
- Give beach users room, especially in December and January, because Auckland teaching beaches stay open partly on rider conduct.
- Check the sanctuary access hours and the pet rules before you drive through the gate.
- Nobody is watching the water here. Ride with someone and agree where you will land before you go out.
- Keep off the upper beach at Te Haruhi between August and January; dotterels nest on the sand there.
Getting there
Airport
Auckland International Airport (AKL)
Route
Drive north from Auckland to the end of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula; public transport can reach Army Bay.
Transfer
60 min
Cost level
medium
Staying
Te Haruhi Bay campground is inside the park. Campervan stays and the YMCA Shakespear Lodge are the other options nearby.
No-wind days
Walks, birdwatching, beaches, BBQs, camping and the Shakespear Open Sanctuary.
FAQ
Is Shakespeare Regional Park suitable for beginners?
Yes, it is described as suitable for all abilities, with flat water and small waves depending on tide and wind angle.
What is the wind like at Shakespeare Regional Park?
Southerly through SW wind is recommended, typically 15-30 knots, with July and August named as the best months.
What about tides at Shakespeare Regional Park?
Flat water is best near low tide and small waves closer to high tide, though dead low or dead high tide should be avoided.
Are there rules or restricted zones?
As of 2026, pets are prohibited inside the Shakespear Open Sanctuary fence, and standard Maritime NZ 5-knot limits apply near shore, structures and swimmers.
The bigger pictureEverything about Auckland
Last updated: August 2026