Cape Hatteras September Sessions
Warm Air - Warm Water - Waves & Wind. Why September is our favorite month of the year…
September always sparks the phrase…”It’s my favorite month of the year here”. Why? Warm water and air, combined with electric atmospheric conditions that bring on the best conditions for kitesurfing, surfing and foiling.
Here in Cape Hatteras, our warmest months are June through September. In September you’re still in trunks, or on the coolest days at the very end of the month, a spring or light fullsuit. The first three weeks of September temperature wise feel very much like the rest of the summer. On that third week we normally see our first big NE blow combined with solid swell from an offshore weather system. This weather/swell event transitions us out of summer and into fall.
The SW winds have held on a little further into the calendar this year, but expect those to start shifting more to northerlies as we head through September. With an abundance of swell, combined with these winds, September reigns supreme as our best month of the year for kitesurfing - kiting in the waves. That’s because the waves aren’t short period wind swell. They’re generated far offshore and show up as long, clean lines. As the winds shift to the north, we also get to explore many of our riding spots in reverse, as well as our downwinders. Teaching conditions are excellent, again with warm conditions and good breeze. It’s a great time to be on the water learning new skills or even a whole new discipline of the sport.
In the surf, September is known for tropical swells born off the western shores of Africa. The “classic hook” has these strong offshore storms marching across the Atlantic, then turning north far offshore from our coastline. The result is solid, long period swell combined with warm water and beautiful Carolina blue skies. “September Sessions” never sounded so good. You’ll still be surfing in trunks or maybe a spring suit, and you’ll be scoring some of the best tubes of the year. Long lines and shifting sandbars make hunting down the perfect setup part of the challenge. Bring a board that’s fast down the line to keep up with the speed of the wave. A solid step up doesn’t hurt either.
Foiling has become a huge part of our teaching program (and daily sessions) with tons of sessions going down kite foiling, surf foiling and wing foiling. The thrill of learning any or all of these new sports during your stay is unmatched. They’ll also keep you in the water and stoked, rather than waiting on “perfect” conditions that clearly aren’t showing up that day. Learning these sports with a friend or family member creates lifetime memories and the best souvenir you could ever take home…a new sport. September is a great time to add this effective tool to your sessional toolbox.
As we wrap up this post raving about September, the last thing we want to touch on are the sunsets. The atmospheric conditions in September give us some of our most breathtaking sunsets of the year. While this may not be THE reason you visit with us in September, it will make a memorable light show every evening to help you celebrate another day in paradise. Our waterfront suites are the perfect place to take in this evening entertainment, or you can head down to Watermen’s Bar & Grill and catch the colors from the lawn. It’s truly amazing!
