Overview

Kitesurf

Nelscott Reef is a spot in the Nelscott neighborhood of Lincoln City, on Oregon's central coast. This spot is world-famous for its underwater reef that generates giant waves in winter, attracting big wave surfers. For kitesurfing, the area is extremely dangerous due to the shallow reef and massive waves. Only absolute experts with perfect knowledge of the reef and local conditions should consider riding in this zone. The adjacent beach can offer kite conditions in summer during moderate wind.

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Spot forecast for Nelscott Reef

Sunrise 07:38 · Sunset 18:22

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< 7 kn7–12 kn13–20 kn21–30 kn31–40 kn41+ kn Gusts Your minimum: 7 kn

Forecasts provided by Open-Meteo

Swell and waves

Swell and tides over 8 days. Premium members see the swell and tides over 8 days. Without a subscription: 5 days.

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Wave height: < 0.5 m 0.5–1 m 1–2 m 2–3 m ≥ 3 m

Swell data by Open-Meteo Marine

Tides

Heights above lowest astronomical tide, in the spot's local time. Computed 3.5 km from the spot.

Tuesday 20 October Low tide 02:13 · 1.1 m High tide 09:14 · 2.7 m Low tide 14:53 · 1.9 m High tide 20:23 · 2.6 m
Wednesday 21 October Low tide 03:04 · 1.1 m High tide 09:48 · 2.8 m Low tide 15:47 · 1.6 m High tide 21:28 · 2.7 m
Thursday 22 October Low tide 03:48 · 1.1 m High tide 10:18 · 3 m Low tide 16:30 · 1.3 m High tide 22:23 · 2.8 m
Friday 23 October Low tide 04:27 · 1.2 m High tide 10:46 · 3.1 m Low tide 17:09 · 1 m High tide 23:14 · 2.9 m
Saturday 24 October Low tide 05:04 · 1.2 m High tide 11:15 · 3.3 m Low tide 18:47 · 0.7 m

Nelscott Reef: when to go?

Rideable days and hours computed for a minimum wind of 7 knots · log in to set your own (foil, twin-tip…)

Season · peak

356h

in July · 29 rideable days

The season runs from March to July, peaking in July: 27 rideable days a month and 356 hours of usable wind, at 14 °C. The low point is February, at 15 days.

Rideable days per month

Wind strength when it is rideable

7-12 knots · 75%13-20 knots · 23%21-30 knots · 1%

When the spot works, wind sits mostly between 7 and 12 knots — 75% of rideable hours. Big-kite territory. The coldest month is January, at 10 °C. The wettest month is November, with 142 mm.

Monthly averages: Nelscott Reef

Monthly averages — Nelscott Reef — averaged over 2 years of records — Weather data by Open-Meteo.com — How it is calculated
Month	Rideable days	Usable wind	Temperature	Rain
January	18.5	145 h	10 °C	138 mm
February	15.0	130 h	10 °C	86 mm
March	25.5	229 h	11 °C	98 mm
April	26.0	262 h	13 °C	46 mm
May	27.5	283 h	14 °C	31 mm
June	25.0	316 h	16 °C	33 mm
July	29.0	356 h	18 °C	1 mm
August	21.0	194 h	18 °C	17 mm
September	24.0	198 h	18 °C	33 mm
October	20.0	146 h	15 °C	75 mm
November	16.5	125 h	12 °C	142 mm
December	20.5	162 h	11 °C	141 mm

Photo gallery of Nelscott Reef

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Technical details of Nelscott Reef spot

The spot works with winds from N, NNE, S, SSW, SW, W, WNW, NW, NNW.

Rideable Not rideable

Spot opening date · Required level

Spot opening date: Open all year round
Required level: Expert

On the water

Cold water year-round (10-14°C), 4/3 wetsuit minimum in summer, 5/3 with hood and gloves in winter. The Nelscott underwater reef generates waves of 6 to 12 meters in winter during big swells. In summer, waves are more moderate (1-2 meters) but the reef remains a permanent hazard. Rocky bottom above the reef, sandy on the beach. Powerful currents around the reef creating unpredictable turbulence zones.

Hazards

Extremely dangerous underwater reef: giant waves in winter (6-12 meters), shallow reef in all seasons. Active big wave surfing zone: never ride during big wave sessions. Violent currents around the reef. Deadly sneaker waves on the adjacent beach. Rocks in shallow water that can break equipment and injure riders. Very cold water. Spot strictly reserved for experts with perfect local knowledge. When in doubt, do not ride here.

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Webcams near Nelscott Reef

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Nearby spots

All spots: Oregon

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Nelscott Reef kitesurf spot