IKO Kiteboarding Lessons Hanlan’s Point, Toronto Islands
Hanlan’s Point….15 minutes away, on a ferry or watertaxi ride, this spot is incredible, feeling like a distant land, and offering a beautiful background city skyline glowing against the sunset kite sessions.
In recent years island flooding has reduced the size of the beach, making launching and landing more challenging. But, the flooding has also created butter-smooth glass flats which are a real joy to kite through. Kiting on the glass flats is not, however, for beginners – see the videos below.
Intermediate
Waves
Water Taxi
No Amenities
How to use the Billy Bishop Toronto Island Airport real-time wind report to assess kiteboarding at Hanlan’s Point.
The Billy Bishop Island Airport real-time wind report is here:
https://atm.navcanada.ca/atm/iwv/CYTZ
Bookmark this link, and refer to it for all daily downtown Toronto kiteboarding sessions.
The real-time wind report looks like this.
And if we overlay that real-time wind report on a Google Map of Toronto Islands, we get the following information.
One of the Billy Bishop Toronto Island Airport runways is the same angle/direction as Hanlan’s Point Beach. From that we can easily determine the real-time wind direction and speed at Hanlan’s Point Beach! Massive!
And, BTW, the same process can be used to assessing the real-time wind at the two other most popular downtown Toronto kiteboarding locations Cherry Beach & Woodbine Beach.
Contact www.watertaxinow.com (416-838-TAXI) for off-season service until end of October.
The Challenges of Kiteboarding at Hanlan’s Point:
- Lake Ontario gets deep fast.
- A NW wind tends to be very gusty.
- On a NW wind, if for any reason you miss landing at the southend of the beach (point of no return) you will either come in on rocks and trees OR a 911 call to police marine services will be required to pick you up.
- In recent years, Hanlan’s Point is flooded in the early spring, and so ferries will only go to Center Island, and as a result bicycles are required to make the trip from Center Island to Hanlan’s Point.
- Flooding in recent years has reduced the size of the beach.
- Lake Ontario takes a long time to warm up in the summer, so wetsuits are usually required, at least until July/August.
- Respect the “No Kite Zone” at the North end of the beach, where Billy Bishop Airport is launching and landing airplanes all day, everyday.
- Hanlan’s Point is also a famous Toronto “Clothing Optional” beach so get ready to see naked bums all over the place – but usually these sunbathers congregate at the southend of the beach – while we usually kite from the northend.
- A significant degree of kiteboarding proficiency is required – staying upwind is essential to a successful session.
Once a student has achieved the proficiency required the accessible opportunity of Hanlan’s Point will multiply the number of kite sessions per season, and therefore the speed of progression as well. However, given the advanced challenges listed above Hanlan’s Point is for students who have already completed level 1 and are now receiving IKO level 2 instruction or IKO level 3 instruction.
The ferry or water taxi to Hanlan’s Point island dock takes about 15 minutes.
Ideal wind directions: SW, W, NW
*** STAY HEALTHY ***
Check E-Coli levels for Hanlan’s here:
Toronto Ontario Kiteboarding Blog
We Love Teaching At Hanlan’s Point
