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Description
Karioitahi Beach is one of New Zealand's premier coastal paragliding sites, offering a 35-kilometer soarable ridge from the Waikato River in the south to the Manukau Heads in the north. Located on the West Coast, it's about an hour's drive from downtown Auckland. To get there, take the Southern Motorway, exit at Drury, follow signs to Waiuku, and then to Karioitahi where the road ends at the beach.
There are five launch sites:
1. The 'High Site' or 'The Main Cliff,' 300 meters north of the access road, is the primary site for paragliders, especially when the wind is light.
2. The dunes at the end of the car park by the lifesavers building are used only in strong winds by a few pilots.
3. The lawn of the restaurant above the Surf Life Saving Club is occasionally used by paragliders but also serves as a venue for restaurant functions.
4. The 'Club Launch' for hang gliders is 500 meters south of the restaurant and Surf Lifesaving Club. This site is no longer used for paragliding training.
5. The top take-off site on the cliff can be accessed by walking from the Surf Lifesaving Club or via a private road from beyond the restaurant. This is the main hang gliding launch site.
Landing is on the beach, but be cautious of beach traffic, especially during summer and high tide. There is a 'no landing zone' extending roughly 50 meters north and south of the grassy de-rigging area in front of the bottom car park. Avoid landing close to this area when the beach is crowded.
Weather and wind direction are crucial for a safe flight. The ideal wind direction ranges from South-South-West (SSW) to West-North-West (WNW). Live weather data and a webcam are available at http://www.kariaotahi.mobi/. Note that the wind speed at launch is likely to be about 5 km/hr higher than indicated due to the inland location of the weather station. For more detailed weather data, visit https://holfuy.com/en/data/213.
Site radio channels are important for communication. Schools typically use Channels 10 and 26, while other pilots use Channel 20 (476.900MHz).
There are specific restrictions for both hang gliding and paragliding. Hang gliders need to be at least novice level, with intermediate and cliff launch ratings required for certain sites. Paragliders need to be PG2 certified, with an additional 30 hours required for cliff launches at Site C.
Caution is advised when driving on the beach, especially outside of low tide periods. The mid-tide area can be treacherous, and only 4WD vehicles should be used. Be mindful of the 10 km per hour speed restriction when passing through the chalet area.
The site lessee is the operator of Castaway's Restaurant. Access to the top take-off past the holiday homes is restricted, and there is a combination lock on the access road. Contact club members or the AHGPC Facebook group for the combination.
For any site-related queries, contact site monitor John Burton at 09 5283362.
Notable achievements at this site include hang glider pilot Anton Lawrence crossing the Manukau entrance and landing at Whatipu, and paraglider pilots Peter Creighton and Jeff Ripley flying over the back of Karioitahi and landing at Waiuku.
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