Australia
Flinders Bay in Augusta, Western Australia, is a spot located in the estuary of a river that flows into the bay. It is a popular place for its super flat and shallow water, perfect for freestyle and freeride.
One hour south of Margaret River, the spot offers a large sailing area with foot almost everywhere. Locals come here for the possible speed over nearly a kilometer and its accessibility for all levels.
The atmosphere is calm, with slightly colored estuary water, but the conditions make it a solid choice for long sessions.
The wind data shown here comes from ERA5 (via Open-Meteo) over 4 years, reprocessed to reflect realistic conditions.
👉 Average wind has been calibrated to avoid the usual underestimation of models.
👉 Gusts have been corrected by a median ratio to avoid unrealistic extreme values.
👉 Each day is summarized by the median wind (P50) observed during useful hours (8am–8pm), then classified into wind ranges.
👉 The weighted mode mixes average wind and gusts to best reflect felt wind.
flatflatThe Flinders Bay spot is oriented for a side-on or onshore wind coming mainly from SE, SSE, S, SSW or SW, creating a super flat water surface in the estuary. The launch area is on a large sandy beach with a wide and easy take-off zone, ideal for beginners. The sailing area extends for nearly a kilometer in freeride at full speed, with foot everywhere due to the shallow depth.
On the ocean side, there are small waves on the 2 km sand spit, but the estuary remains butter flat even with light chop in strong winds. Tides do not significantly influence conditions, sailing is good at low and high water. Thermal winds pick up in the afternoon, from SW around noon until 5 PM and SE in the evening, with gusts up to 30-40 knots in season.
Watch out for shorebreak on the ocean side and the color of the estuary water, but it's perfect for freestyle thanks to the shallow area.
Ideal conditions are with a SE, SSE, S, SSW or SW wind at 20-30 knots, side-on for perfect flat. Avoid strong onshore winds that create chop.
The water state is super flat and shallow in the estuary, perfect for freestyle, with light chop in strong winds. On the ocean side of the spit, small to medium waves depending on the swell.
Constant depth with foot everywhere, ideal for speed and tricks.
Currents are generally weak in the estuary but can strengthen near the river channel. Tides have a variable coefficient, high mid-month with amplitudes up to 0.8 m, but do not impact navigation.
No strong rips reported, watch for water exits near the mouth.
For average winds of 20-30 knots, plan for sizes of 9 to 12 m² for freeride, smaller like 7-9 m² on days with 30-40 knots. Beginners opt for 12 m² in light side-on conditions.
The main winds are thermal sea breezes: SW in the afternoon from noon to 5 PM, and SE from 2 PM to midnight. The average strength is 20 knots, rising to 30 knots daily in season, with days reaching 40 knots.
The regime is consistent from October to March, with side-on or onshore winds favoring flat conditions in the estuary.
The climate in Augusta is mild year-round, with air temperatures around 22°C in summer (January-February) and 15-16°C in winter (June-August). It is a temperate region of Western Australia, with hot, dry summers ideal for kiting.
The best season runs from October to March, when the wind is consistent and the water pleasant. Outside of this, the months from November to February offer the highest scores.
The depth is very shallow and gradual with a sandy bottom, you can stand almost everywhere up to nearly a kilometer. Ideal for all levels with no risk of deep touches.
The water is around 20-23°C from January to April, dropping to 18-19°C in winter (June-August). In the optimal season from October to March, 20-22°C allows for boardshorts or spring wetsuits.
