Best time to kitesurf Oesterdam

The best time to kitesurf at Oesterdam is April–October, with about 6 windy days a month (15+ knots) and water around 17°C.

Bergen op Zoom, Zeeland, Netherlands

Sports: Kitesurfing, Windsurfing

Best time to go: April–October

The Oesterdam is the dam between the Oosterschelde and the Markiezaatsmeer, just west of Bergen op Zoom in Zeeland. The kite zone, on the Oosterschelde side at the Speelmansplaten, is reached from the N659: take the Oesterdam exit and, after about 3.5 km, the exit to the left. Parking at the spot is free; a school teaches kitesurfing here in the shallow water and has showers and changing rooms in its own vehicle, but there is no food or drink.

The usual riding winds are south-west to north-west, which blow onshore onto the dam, giving flat water in the shallows and chop further out. The Oosterschelde is tidal: at high tide the water is deep, at low tide a strip of about 50 m along the dam is shallow, with knee-deep stretches. The Marollegat weather station, 2 km away, records 15 knots or more on about half of the days from November to January and on three to four days in ten from March to October; summer days often bring a sea breeze.

The launch is a narrow strip of grass right next to the road, so a kite that drops can land on the traffic: launch and land with great care, use your safety leash, and beginners should only ride here with a school. The bottom and the shore are covered with oyster shells, so wear booties. The zone is open from sunrise to sunset. The water is about 6 °C in February and 21 °C in August: a 5/4 with boots and gloves in winter, a 4/3 in spring and autumn, a 3/2 in summer.

Month by month at Oesterdam

January: 9 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 11 knots, waves 0.7 m, water 6°C, air 7°C (nights 2°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 10 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 13; a day can have both
February: 9 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, waves 0.7 m, water 5°C, air 9°C (nights 4°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 10 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 13; a day can have both
March: 5 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 0.7 m, water 7°C, air 12°C (nights 4°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 23 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 11; a day can have both
April: 7 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 0.6 m, water 10°C, air 15°C (nights 6°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 24 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 10; a day can have both
May: 4 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 0.5 m, water 14°C, air 19°C (nights 10°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 27 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 11; a day can have both
June: 4 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 0.4 m, water 18°C, air 22°C (nights 14°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 27 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 10; a day can have both
July: 6 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 0.3 m, water 21°C, air 23°C (nights 15°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 28 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 11; a day can have both
August: 5 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 0.3 m, water 21°C, air 24°C (nights 15°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 28 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 11; a day can have both
September: 7 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 0.3 m, water 20°C, air 21°C (nights 13°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 24 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 14; a day can have both
October: 7 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 11 knots, waves 0.5 m, water 16°C, air 16°C (nights 10°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 17 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 14; a day can have both
November: 12 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, waves 0.5 m, water 12°C, air 11°C (nights 6°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 10 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 17; a day can have both
December: 12 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, waves 0.7 m, water 8°C, air 8°C (nights 4°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 5 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 13; a day can have both