This taken from Auckland's official tourist page:

East Auckland
Auckland's East is a sweeping coastline with spectacular views across the Hauraki Gulf. It's dotted with pohutukawa trees, windsurfers, boutique wineries, gourmet food producers and fish and chip shops.

Anyone windsurfed here? Any possibility of hiring gear in the area?

Cheers!

Not a lot of hire places to my knowledge. In terms of conditions, around Auckland city there are plenty of flat water spots for the prevailing SW to W. Pt Chev, Bucklands Beach, Manukau Hbr. The windiest time of year being Sept through Dec. If you are into waves, Dec through March we get the odd (weakened) tropical cyclone and deep lows tracking down when some cross onshore wave spots will work quite well from NW through to E (Takapuna on the North Shore and Orewa about 25mins further north).

Do Kiwi Windsurfers have a forum somewhere where I can find some spot info?, I am visiting Tauranga, Wellington and Dunedin through April/May and can take gear, need to know if there are speed spots, if there is wind and how bloody cold the water will be

BundyBear said...

Do Kiwi Windsurfers have a forum somewhere where I can find some spot info?, I am visiting Tauranga, Wellington and Dunedin through April/May and can take gear, need to know if there are speed spots, if there is wind and how bloody cold the water will be

I was at Waihi Beach and Mt Maunagnui (Tauranga)at the start of the RWC (early September)and it was blowing around 40knots offshore. Didn't have any gear and was salivating at the incredible speed strip in front of my eyes all the way from Waihi Beach down to Bowentown. Could be mistaken but don't think offshore conditions are all that normal for Bay of Plenty coastline as that's where the Rena hit the Astrolobe Reef. We swam every day on our travels (through the North Island only) as a daily ritual just to give ourselves a second wind although it was mind numbingly cold (apart from the water at Rotarua )

My one and only experience of NZ tells me it is blessed with some of the best windsurfing spots (flat water and waves) and that was just really Auckland, Bay of Islands, Bay of Plenty and Taranaki / New Plymouth with year round wind although the water temp would be the limiting factor for someone like myself from North Queensland. NZ is going to be the place to live once Global Warming takes effect although you're going to have to put up with the constant banter that the Wallabies are crap.