Parapente Duders Penninsula

Duder's Peninsula, located in Duder's Regional Park (Whakakaiwhara), is adjacent to Umupuia Beach, between Maraetai and Clevedon, 4.4 kilometers south of Maraetai. This site is best suited for coastal soaring in medium to strong winds, particularly with a straight north wind. The take-off height at the northern site is 280 feet above sea level, typically in front of the trig point, though the bowl immediately to the right can also be used. For the southeastern site, the take-off height is 180 feet above sea level, near the top dressing fertilizer bins, which is also the best top landing area. When the wind is directly from the north, the entire peninsula can be flown. However, if the wind is from the northwest or northeast, it may be challenging to fly around and back from the eastern end. For hang gliders, vehicles should be kept to a minimum and driven slowly up the track towards the trig point. Park before the trig as the road beyond is subsiding and poses safety risks. For paragliders, note that beach landings are not possible between half and full tide under both the northern and southeastern sites. The site is within controlled airspace (CTA/C) with a flight ceiling of 1,500 feet. The southeastern site is also within low flying area L261, so be cautious of other aircraft below ridge height and close to the hill. Access to the park requires permission from the Auckland Council Regional Park. Contact Paul, the park ranger, at 021 676 300, or the site monitor, John Burton, at 09 528 3362, for the gate combination and to confirm vehicle access. Only the minimum number of vehicles should be taken into the park, with the rest left in the parking area before the padlocked gate. For safety, pilots should not fly alone, and the ranger's request to avoid solo flights must be respected to maintain the privilege of flying at this site. For more detailed information, visit: [Duder's Peninsula Flying Site Guide](https://www.cloudbase.org.nz/site-guide/flying-site-duders).