Durand Beach
États-Unis · New York
Durand Beach, on Lake Ontario, is a popular beach spot for its easy access and open setting near Rochester. It is a place mostly known by locals, with a fairly quiet atmosphere and few dedicated kite facilities.
The spot works as an exposed lake beach, with space on the shore and navigation that heavily depends on the wind of the day. Conditions are more interesting when the wind is well established and well oriented.
Durand Beach is an exposed beach spot on Lake Ontario, so the water surface mainly depends on the direction and consistency of the wind. Sources describe an exposed beach break, with unreliable waves and an offshore wind coming from the SSE, indicating that the spot can be cleaner with certain north to west winds, but less interesting when the wind is too gusty or poorly oriented.
For kiting, navigation takes place from the beach, with an easy launch on a sandy shore and large clear areas near the parking lot. There are several fairly large parking areas at the access to the spot, which facilitates the setup and transport of equipment. The spot remains more comfortable with a side-shore to side-on wind, while a wind that is too offshore requires more experience and vigilance.
As it is an open lake spot, one must also monitor rapid variations in wind intensity and water conditions. The area is more suited for simple navigation than for an improvised launch in a confined space, and it is better to keep some distance offshore as well as near the beach.
