outer banks in nov?

[yzbob]

I'm thinking about heading to the outer banks in November to improve my wave kiting.

need to travel light, thinking to take only the 7.5m and 10.5m. sound ok?

for the locals around there can you remember how much wind you have had in the last couple of Novembers? what do you think the best and worse case scenario might be in a 3 week period. I'd hope to get out about 50% of the days?? I'm 85kg on a 5'8 board.

wetsuit 3/2 or 5/3 ?

Been kiting for 8yrs, I'd say I'm approaching an intermediate standard strapless in the waves, can gybe in both directions comfortably and duck tack about 50% of the time 1 way and 30% the other way. I'm looking for an area where i can get pushed to advance with the safety of other kiters around. (at least for the 1st few sessions.)

recommendations of places to stay, kite & hang out would also be appreciated.

thanks

bob

[tmcfarla]

Hopefully locals will chime in, but I've been there in November/December 2 or 3 times. My recollection is that wind is less consistent then than in the summer, but you definitely see days with fantastic wind. I find the Outer Banks waves to be quite tricky- kind of choppy, short period, and pretty heavy. Definitely not the easiest to learn on, but very doable. When I've been there in the winter, I've often been the only kiter around on the ocean side. On the bay side, there are usually a couple people around, even on pretty nasty days. That said, it is a wide sandy beach, so as long as you aren't on an off-shore wind, there is relatively little to go wrong.

If it were me, it would depend on where I was coming from. If you are driving there and want to save some money, it makes more sense that if you are flying, as you could probably go somewhere tropical for the same price. I really can't answer your question about how many days per week you'd get if planning in advance. I can drive there, so I wait around for a good forecast.

I have a 5/3 and a 3/2 and I've always brought both down with me in the winter, 5/3 sees more use. 3/2 might be better on bay side where you are often in chest deep water.

Not sure how familiar you are with the area, but I would definitely not go to the outer banks without a twin tip. I've moved over to surfboards for most of my kiting, but the flats there are really luxurious. I also wouldn't go without my smallest kite, especially with a surfboard. There are some nuking days. I would suggest the 6.5, 9, 12, but I'm pretty light so it is hard for me to to translate to your weight. I have been brutally over-powered on a 7 meter + twin tip there.

As far as where to stay, I usually go down to around Buxton. I don't really like the Outer Banks until past the bridge (beyond Oregon Inlet). Definitely take day trips to Ocracoke Island, it is a magical place.

[BWD]

In November you are really at the mercy of the fronts so temperature and wind can vary from 45F to 70F, wind 8mph to 30+.
If you are riding down south by Hatteras maybe use the 3/2 but Nags Head or even Waves maybe bring a thicker suit. It also depends on how great the wetsuit is, if you are in the ocean and if the wind is northeast etc.
Check the weather observations right before you go and swap out suits or an extra large or small kite as needed.
You could get really lucky and go in trunks with a small kite on a sunny day in the sound, or down south.
If you go in the Atlantic in November, good chance you will have only fish for company.
Dress warmly and don't exceed your limits. Graveyard of the Atlantic.
If the current and shorebreak are too much stay in the sound.

[SSK]

In the surf we ride about 50% of the time on 9Ms 30% on 11s and 20% on 7s. So you have it pretty covered. November is usually 4/3 weather, but depends on the fronts. November can be unpredictable. It can be 75 degrees and sunny or it can be full NorEaster blowing 75mph for three days. The season was horrible, until August (which is usually a bad time of the year), but it has been insane since then. We have had great waves for 7 straight weekends. In November things will be pretty quiet. During the week you will have to work to find other people to kite with. I would stay in the tri-villages (Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo) or in Avon. Get a small house, they will be pretty cheap this time of year. Hit the shops to find other kiters (REAL, Hatteras Island Surf Shop, Kitty Hawk Kites). Most people will be doing ocean downwinders (we do not kite in place), launching from S-Turns or the Rodanthe Pier and go towards the end of town. Normal ocean downwinder is 6-10 miles. The sand bars in the villages have been awesome this year.

[kooshball]

This year with El Niño has been a weather anomaly since winter. Crazy cold, snow ice in winter, good spring riding but it shut off for the summer. It's been pumping recently but I would try and find some historical data from other El Niño Novembers to compare.

[J_kiter16]

I was just in the Outer banks and rode with a 4/3 on the sound. The air temp was about 55 but the water was warmer. We had wind 2 of the 3 days.

[Hugh2]

We were there the third week of October, and the sound was warm, but after three days of strong NWesterly it apparently "turned over" and was very cold. Guys found stunned octopi and turtles washed up. Ocean was a lot warmer then.