Ostfriesland

To get fit enough to take on Spiekeroog, there's a good training spot west of the ferry port on the mainland. These mudflats offer six or seven hours of water per tide, most of it standing-depth with very little current. Even at low water you can still kite here as the soft mud nicely cushions impacts. Rigging and launching is easy from grass near the swimming beach – and there's kiosks, toilets and showers.

In front of the 'Eemshotel’ you can kite within two hours of high tide on the flat Wadden Sea. You won’t notice the chemical works that are located towards the border, although the locals will joke that the water's always a few degrees warmer here.

The Dollart is a shallow estuary at the mouth of the Ems river. A vast 6km x 6km standing-depth area fills for five hours around high tide, although it runs dry at low. The depth is also influenced by strong wind – west to north-westerly pushes more water in, easterlies can make it very shallow at high tide. The silt around your toes takes some getting used to as well; in fact, the locals tend to wear boots. The launch is from a former drilling platform, but otherwise it's a typical North German dyke landscape.

Much like 'Bensersiel', so far windsports have been graciously tolerated on the Wadden Sea here. Easterly winds arrive unhindered over the mudflats, and the ferry channel to Baltrum is well upwind.

Hooksiel is the main event on WHV. For five hours around high tide there's a large, standing-depth area with a broad wind window that suits beginners. When the Hooksplatte dries out you'll have to carry your kit all the way to the edge of the mudflats to sail on the Jade. Only advisable for experienced riders though, as the tidal currents are fierce. Strong easterlies can even produce clean little waves. If the wind doesn't show, you can always practice your wake-style at the nearby water-ski park.

An amazing spot, but not an easy one: strong tidal currents in the tight constraints of the Dollart estuary give you a helping hand upwind – the 'Gorge effect'. In particular, prevailing westerly winds and ebb tide whip the chop up to form steep ramps out in the channel. Watch out for traffic in the shipping lane though!

An easily accessible spot that works through the tide thanks to the ferry channel. At low tide it's pretty flat, small ramps form at high in strong south-westerly winds. Kiting is banned since an incident with a beach user, although windsurfing is tolerated.

Norderney’s biggest break: after a day of Force 6+ west to north-westerly, mast-high waves roll over a belt of sandbanks (rideable frontside) while white water dominates inside. There’s no audience and a long walk to endure: the surfers aren't alone on this wild, isolated beach just because of the tough conditions. This place shows it softer side in north-easterly wind – a little choppy, but a real treat for soulsurfers, with kite or sail alike.

There's surf along the whole North Sea coast, breaking onto or over sandbanks depending on the state of tide. Strong westerly winds deliver the biggest waves, although north-easterlies can be good too. At low water, standing-depth tidal creeks form on the gently shelving beach, ideal for teaching and learning new moves. Avoid the swimming zone in front of town – the main launch is to the east.

Conditions here are very attractive to kiters, as despite its central location there's plenty of room and no groynes in the water – unlike further west. It's often choppy inshore, but the waves are cleaner further out. Park at the hospital, which is 'just' a 300m walk away.

The best waves are found here in a north-north-easterly, the wind can’t really form swell from any other direction. (If a storm lasts a few days on a spring tide then yes . maybe . but that’s the rare exception that proves the rule.) Sailable about 2 hours either side of high tide, there are stones in the water to the right.

The still young spot, which was only approved a few years ago as a kitespot, is located in the nature conservation area and Unesco World Heritage Site of the Wattenmeer and is located directly on the Jade Bay near Butjadingen. Only one hour from Bremen, Oldenburg and Hamburg. Since the kitesurfing was not allowed here until not so long ago the spot is still a real insider tip and not as overcrowded as one knows it from other places at the North Sea and Baltic Sea.
We are trained in a large, low-pitched area. So you do not have to be afraid of a crowded spot where you get in the way with other kiters. This can not happen here. We chose the area not least for reasons of high winds. Most of the time the wind blows from the west.
 
Our school is affiliated to the Northern Seelagune in Burhave. All our activities besides kite surfing, such as stand up paddeling, raft construction, windsurfing courses take place on the Nordseelagune, the only and largest tidal-independent sea water swimming pool in the North Sea.
From the season 2017 onwards, a wakeboard winch awaits you at our station with which you can practice the boardstart even better.
Our station also has hot water showers, wc, storage for your material as well as changing rooms, a solarium, beach baskets for chilling and much more ..
The two places Fedderwardersiel and Burhave welcome you with a number of good restaurants, ice cafes, bars and supermarkets. If you are looking for fresh fish, a visit to the North Sea is a must.
Even a real Italian ice awaits you at Mario, in the center of Burhave.
If you do not already know the north of Germany and have enough energy after the kitesession, then an excursion to Bremerhaven, Bremen or Oldenburg is quite worthwhile. In less than an hour you can reach these beautiful cities by car or by train from Nordenham.