Hatteras in November - Best Location?

[jfeehan]

My kids say they want to windsurf over Thanksgiving, and I was thinking of Hatteras.

I know it can be cold.., but they can deal with that. They are college-age and are probably low intermediate - pretty good beach start.., harness.., beginning footstraps.., they stay upwind pretty well, no waterstarts yet.

I was only there once before.., in October, and there was not much wind. I see from the iwindsurf archives that fall is not as good as spring, but still it seems on average to be better than a lot of places.

My question is about location on Hatteras. We will be sailing in the sound, not the ocean. According to the wind archives, the most common direction for sailable wind in November is NE - that would make a lot of launches side-off.

When i was there, I stayed in Rodanthe, and don't remember it being a problem, but there wasn't much wind. The house I am most interested in this time is also in Rodanthe.

Is it better to be down around Buxton, where the wind would be side-on? Or, does it not matter that much?

As I said, they mostly can stay upwind, and you can stand up in a lot of the sailing area...

[jfeehan]

also.., how weedy is it?

[rswabsin]

The predominant wind direction for Hatteras in the fall is northwest through northeast. Staying near Buxton provides the option for sailing Canadian Hole (soundside sailing) or when the wind is more northeast to east, the Frisco area provides good sound side sailing with side -on conditions. Frisco Woods Campground is a nice launch but it's $5/day parking and there is another launch further south on Rt 12 just before Hatteras Village (small sound side parking lot) called Izzy's or Isabell's. Nice shallow sound sailing there too. You might like the Avon / Buxton area since there are more stores, restaurants, rental gear and other stuff available in that area.

Rob

[Wind-NC.com]

Hi Jfeehan,

Fall is great in Hatteras. The wind tends to be super strong for a few days, then light for a few days, so if your week lines up in between the weather patterns, you might not have much, but in that case it's usually warm weather with a nice little wave running so you can always light wind sail or surf/SUP and have a good time. If your week lines up as a front is pushing through, then you're stoked and you will have great sailing conditions.

As noted, Buxton/Frisco are more likely to have on shore wind and deeper water. Rodanthe can get really shallow and have light wind inside if it blows NE.

The Canadian Hole works in pretty much any wind direction.

That is actually a really busy week on the Outer Banks, so if you haven't lined up lodging yet, I would get on it ASAP. Many of the homeowners block off that week and use it for themselves, so the rental inventory is smaller than usual.

Have fun!

[gvogelsang]

I have been there twice for Thanksgiving.

One year we had great wind. the other year a couple of days of decent wind, and I played golf twice.

Any way you look at it, Thanksgiving on Hatteras is lovely.

[NOVAAN]

World wind on bird island Texas. Great rentals, cheap condos near by, shallow warm water, no kites and warm weather...

[NOVAAN]

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