Den Helder, Netherlands
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About Den Helder
Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces N, so wind from the S blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.
Water about 15°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing N. Wind from the N blows onshore, wind from the S blows out to sea, and wind from the E or W runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 500 m out (1 in 49). The sea is about 6°C in February, its coldest month (5/4 or 6/5, hood, boots and gloves), and 19°C in August, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For kitesurfing at expert level the best month is usually January, with about 4 good days in 7; in June, August and September, about 2. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Den Helder.
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From Chicago: about 14 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), direct. About 14 flights a week that month.
See flights ORD → AMS · Skyscanner from about £410 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 35 from the airport to Den Helder.
Accommodation.
Stay in Den HelderAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Den Helder (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Den Helder 1 min by car · rooms from £60 a night
Places to stay in Den Helder · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Kitesurfing lessons in Den Helder · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Den Helder · GetYourGuideAd
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Luxury Where it is
Den Helder on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Best on Sun 18: 19 kn gusting 29, side-onshore. Water: chop.
The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Shore | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 80, good | wind from the north-east, 19 knots | 29kn | side-on | chop |
| Mon 19Oct | 79, good | wind from the east-south-east, 17 knots | 24kn | side | chop |
| Tue 20Oct | 80, good | wind from the east-south-east, 19 knots | 27kn | side | chop |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-west, 13 knots | 23kn | offnot safe | flat |
| Thu 22Oct | 49, good | wind from the west-south-west, 13 knots | 23kn | cross-off | chop |
| Fri 23Oct | 38, fair | wind from the west-south-west, 30 knots | 41kn | cross-off | chop |
| Sat 24Oct | 76, good | wind from the west, 22 knots | 32kn | cross-off | 1.1 mwaves |
| Sun 25Oct | 80, good | wind from the west-north-west, 22 knots | 31kn | side | 0.9 mwaves |
| Mon 26Oct | 76, good | wind from the west-south-west, 24 knots | 36kn | cross-off | 1.0 mwaves |
| Tue 27Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-south-west, 15 knots | 26kn | offnot safe | 1.3 mwaves |
Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.
The season
Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan4of 7
- Feb3of 7
- Mar3of 7
- Apr3of 7
- May3of 7
- Jun2of 7
- Jul3of 7
- Aug2of 7
- Sep2of 7
- Oct3of 7
- Nov3of 7
- Dec3of 7
Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to AMS, then 1h 35 by road. About 14h 20 door to door
- Tue 20 OctKite Den Helder
19 kn gusting 27, side-shore. Water: chop.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 13 kn gusting 23, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: flat.
- Thu 22 OctKite Den Helder
13 kn gusting 23, cross-offshore. Water: chop.
- Fri 23 OctKite Den Helder
30 kn gusting 41, cross-offshore. Water: chop.
- Sat 24 OctKite Den Helder
22 kn gusting 32, cross-offshore. Water: waves 1.1 m.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to AMS, then 1h 35 by road. About 14h 20 door to door
Rough cost
About £835–£1,595 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.
- Flights £410–£845
- To the UK airport £35–£65
- Hire car £70–£115
- Stay £165–£280
- Food £155–£290
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Where to stayAd
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