The Port Stephens peninsula is a water haven for Kiteboarding. An avid kiteboarder can find a location for virtually any wind direction within a few kilometres. We are big fans of Fingal Bay. Its our pick for both silky flat water and wave riding. We get our pick of different locations through the bay that take advantage of different wind directions. Birubi Point through to Stockton offers an abundance of room when the wind direction is right for kiteboarding and with public access to the sand – a 4wd can be the perfect way to get down to the water and setup for your session.

Depending on natural ability and other sports you may have tried, we are confident you will be up and riding on the water in two to three lessons.

Most people thing you need a lot of upper body strength to kiteboard. In reality, when kiting, you wear a waist harness and the majority of power from the kite is offset by your body weight. You are using your arms to steer the kite and maintain tension in the lines and that’s it.

If anything kiteboarding will condition your muscle groups. You will notice a stronger core and back and arms over time. There will be a period in the early phase to dial in the technique to ride up-wind. In this time, you will find yourself riding into shore and walking back along the sand to your starting point.

To kiteboard independently, you are going to need some essential items that include a waist harness with safety leash, a kite with bar and lines, a pump and a kiteboard or surfboard, (you would always begin on a twin tip where you learn to ride in both your natural stance and switch stance). In the Summer warm conditions, no more than boardshorts are needed – a rashvest makes sense for added sun protection. To ride through the winter months, a wetsuit becomes essential to manage the wind and colder water temperatures.

Kiteboarding is the gift that keeps giving. Similar to surfing, once you have the equipment, whole days of entertainment are completely free. To begin, it makes sense to start off with a used kite and board. Because of its growing popularity, used gear is getting cheaper. We recommend using gear no earlier than 2012 because there have been significant refinements in both the kites and safety mechanisms. You should be able to get started with a complete setup for around $1500 with used gear. If you look after your gear, it will last a long time. We recommend buying a new waist or seat harness from the start.