Overview

Cape Charles is a kitesurfing spot on Virginia's Eastern Shore, the Delmarva Peninsula, facing west into the Chesapeake Bay. This charming small town offers access to a bay beach with impressive fetch to the west. Cape Charles is one of the best spots on the Chesapeake Bay thanks to its exposure to prevailing west and northwest winds. The municipal beach provides an excellent launch point. The spot works particularly well with fall and winter cold fronts bringing northwest winds.

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Spot forecast for Cape Charles

Sunrise 07:16 · Sunset 18:20

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

Next tides

High tide Tue 20 · 04:22 · 0.7 m
Low tide Tue 20 · 10:09 · 0.3 m
High tide Tue 20 · 16:36 · 0.8 m
Low tide Tue 20 · 22:50 · 0.3 m

Forecasts provided by Open-Meteo

Cape Charles: 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

323h

in March · 29.5 rideable days

The spot works year-round: 28 rideable days a month on average, at 19 °C. It peaks in March, with 323 hours of usable wind.

Rideable days per month

Wind strength when it is rideable

7-12 knots · 73%13-20 knots · 26%21-30 knots · 2%

When the spot works, wind sits mostly between 7 and 12 knots — 73% of rideable hours. Big-kite territory. The coldest month is January, at 7 °C. The wettest month is July, with 177 mm.

Monthly averages: Cape Charles

Monthly averages — Cape Charles — averaged over 2 years of records — Weather data by Open-Meteo.com — How it is calculated
Month	Rideable days	Usable wind	Temperature	Rain
January	28.0	269 h	7 °C	78 mm
February	27.5	257 h	9 °C	77 mm
March	29.5	323 h	15 °C	115 mm
April	29.5	334 h	20 °C	46 mm
May	29.5	306 h	23 °C	130 mm
June	28.0	294 h	29 °C	65 mm
July	28.0	288 h	30 °C	177 mm
August	26.5	260 h	28 °C	53 mm
September	26.5	262 h	25 °C	119 mm
October	24.0	252 h	20 °C	28 mm
November	25.0	226 h	15 °C	38 mm
December	27.5	230 h	8 °C	46 mm

Photo gallery of Cape Charles

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Technical details of Cape Charles spot

The spot works with winds from N, NNE, NE, ENE, E, ESE, SE, SSE, S, SSW, SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW, NNW.

Rideable Not rideable

Spot opening date · Required level

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

On the water

Chesapeake Bay water facing west. Good fetch into the bay that can generate moderate chop. Brackish water. Shallow with a gently sloping sandy bottom — ideal for beginners at low tide. Moderate tidal range. Pleasant temperature June to September.

Hazards

Jellyfish (sea nettles) very abundant July to September. Tidal currents. Sharp oysters in some areas. Ferry and commercial boat traffic in the bay. Thunderstorms possible in summer. Strong winds possible during cold fronts.

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Kiptopeke, VA NWLON11.8 kmsource madis - NOAA

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Additional stations

GW5783 CAPE CHARLES8.5 km

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source noaa
Thimble Shoal, VA (240)29.2 km

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source NOAA Buoy

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Webcams near Cape Charles

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Nearby spots

All spots: Virginia

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Cape Charles kitesurf, wingfoil and windsurf spot