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Driftwood spot

Driftwood kitesurf spot

United States · Washington

Spot currently openBeginner levelAltitude 1 m 48.78 | -122.57

Overview

Copied from USA NW Kite Spot:

Parking here is somewhat limited at the trail head, so PLEASE park considerately. If the parking lot area is full, go find another parking spot that is further away, and just walk.. (Be careful not to park on people's lawns, or block the flow of traffic)
 
 The trail is really not that bad. I had ACL surgery 45 days ago, am wearing a knee brace and hobbled down yesterday without any trouble... Just take your time...
 
 As for access.. this is classified as unmaintained right of way... IE.. not a park.. no bathrooms.. no facilities...
 
 YES, you must cross the Nooksack River to get to the launch.... YES you should get suited before you cross the river... YES, there is a good chance your kite will get wet on the crossing.... (You don't have to take all your kites across the river)..... I am 6ft tall.. and did not have to swim... shorter people would be swimming though... it is all of 100ft though...
 
 What you are rewarded with is epic hatteras like conditions that are unmatched anywhere that I know of in the NW... Strong steady winds.. (the video is in 25mph+) shallow water for literally miles..... and awesome scenery.
 
 Essentially Driftwood is just the delta of the Nooksack river.. and can be accessed from Locust.. SE winds are much steadier and stronger here than at Locust...
 
 Best launching conditions are at tides 3 to 7 ft.... although you can launch even at 9ft if you pre-rig your lines on your kite, and have a friend to help you launch. The tail end of this video was shot at 8ft... and the launch area was getting soggy in ankle deep water....
 
 The Locust sensor is actually very close to the Driftwood Launch...
 
 Please Please Please help keep this area open and be respectful of the parking situation and help keep the area clean.

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Spot forecast for Driftwood

Sunrise 07:38 · Sunset 18:11

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

Next tides

  • Low tide · 1.6 m
  • High tide · 3.6 m
  • Low tide · 2.4 m
  • High tide · 3.6 m

Forecasts provided by Open-Meteo

Driftwood: 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

261h

in July · 22 rideable days

The season runs from March to August, peaking in July: 19 rideable days a month and 261 hours of usable wind, at 18 °C. The low point is January, at 7.5 days.

Rideable days per month

0 10 20 30 January: 7.5 rideable days7.5 d J February: 8 rideable days F March: 18 rideable days M April: 16.5 rideable days A May: 21.5 rideable days M June: 21 rideable days J July: 22 rideable days22 d J August: 17 rideable days A September: 12.5 rideable days S October: 15.5 rideable days O November: 11.5 rideable days N December: 14 rideable days D 0 10 20 30 January: 7.5 rideable days7.5 d J February: 8 rideable days F March: 18 rideable days M April: 16.5 rideable days A May: 21.5 rideable days M June: 21 rideable days J July: 22 rideable days22 d J August: 17 rideable days A September: 12.5 rideable days S October: 15.5 rideable days O November: 11.5 rideable days N December: 14 rideable days D

Wind strength when it is rideable

7-12 knots · 79%13-20 knots · 19%21-30 knots · 2%31+ knots · under 1%

When the spot works, wind sits mostly between 7 and 12 knots — 79% of rideable hours. Big-kite territory. The coldest month is January, at 6 °C. The wettest month is December, with 162 mm.

Monthly averages: Driftwood
Monthly averages — Driftwood — averaged over 2 years of records — Weather data by Open-Meteo.com — How it is calculated
Month Rideable days Usable wind Temperature Rain
January 7.5 47 h 6 °C 78 mm
February 8.0 75 h 7 °C 71 mm
March 18.0 167 h 10 °C 67 mm
April 16.5 152 h 14 °C 30 mm
May 21.5 205 h 17 °C 38 mm
June 21.0 196 h 20 °C 20 mm
July 22.0 261 h 23 °C 8 mm
August 17.0 177 h 23 °C 53 mm
September 12.5 107 h 20 °C 43 mm
October 15.5 123 h 14 °C 151 mm
November 11.5 91 h 10 °C 116 mm
December 14.0 116 h 8 °C 162 mm

Photo gallery of Driftwood

  • Driftwood — photo 1
  • Driftwood — photo 2

Spot video

Technical details of Driftwood spot

N: Not rideable NNE: Not rideable NE: Not rideable ENE: Not rideable E: Not rideable ESE: Depending on conditions SE: Rideable SSE: Rideable S: Rideable SSW: Rideable SW: Rideable WSW: Depending on conditions W: Not rideable WNW: Not rideable NW: Not rideable NNW: Not rideable N E S W

The spot works with winds from SE, SSE, S, SSW, SW.

Depending on conditions: ESE, WSW.

RideableDepending on conditions Not rideable
Spot opening date · Required level
Spot opening date
Open all year round

Open all year

Required level
Beginner
On the water

Nooksack delta with cold brackish water (7-13°C/45-55°F). A 5/3mm wetsuit recommended. Very shallow water for miles — exceptional Hatteras-style flat water conditions. Sand and mud bottom. Tides influence water level and rideable area.

Parking

Directions:
 1. North on Marine Dr from Locust
 2. Left on Griffith Ave
 3. Right on Island View Dr.
 4. The road dead ends at some concrete barriers. Walk through the barriers, down the trail, wade through the shallow stream, climb over all the logs, swim across the Nooksack river, and setup your kite wherever you can find some dry ground (if there is any).

Hazards

There are no known dangers.

Tide chart for Bellinngham

 https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaatidepredictions.html

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Island View0.5 kmsource windy

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