DEUTSCHLAND – NORDSEE

Kitesurfing at Cuxhaven – Duhnen / Sahlenburg

A broad tidal-flat beach with signposted kite zones at the mouth of the Elbe. Like the other Wadden Sea spots it depends heavily on the tide – the usable window sits around high and low water.

At a glance

Waterflat water
Wind qualitysteady enough
Typical wind17 kn
Usable directionsWest to north (250–20°)
SeasonApril to October
Tidelarge tidal range
Depthpartly standing depth

Which kite size does this spot call for?

The table below is not copied from a chart. It is the same calculation the calculator on the front page runs, applied to this spot: flat water and steady enough wind both shift the size, and so does your body weight. The rule of thumb everyone quotes is calibrated to a 75 kg rider – above roughly 100 kg it drifts, which is why the table goes to 140.

Kite size for this spot, computed for an intermediate rider on a twintip of standard size. Sizes are the deliverable ones, not a decimal figure.
Rider12 kn17 kn23 kn
60 kg11–12 m²8–9 m²5–6 m²
75 kg13–14 m²9–10 m²7–8 m²
90 kg15–17 m²11–12 m²8–9 m²
105 kg17 m²12–13 m²9–10 m²
120 kg17 m²14–15 m²10–11 m²
140 kg17 m²15–17 m²12–13 m²

Work this spot out with my own numbers

What is it doing right now?

Forecast wind for this spot, and – in Germany – the value actually measured at the nearest DWD station Where the tidal range matters, the current gauge reading from the federal waterways administration is shown too – a measured level with its direction of travel, not a tide prediction.. Nothing is fetched until you ask for it: press the button and your browser contacts the services, not before.

How often does it actually work here?

A wind statistic tells you how often the wind blows. That is not the same question. What matters is how many days your own kites carry you here – between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., for at least two hours, and only from the directions this spot can actually use (250–20°). The calculator works that out from five years of recorded hourly wind and tells you which size is missing from your quiver.

Count the rideable days for my quiver

What to watch out for

Close to the Elbe shipping channel – keep an eye on the traffic.

All figures are researched regular conditions, not a forecast, and no substitute for a local briefing. Wind and water can look different here on any given day.