According to the locals, Windy.com offers the best forecasts for the Sea of Galilee. They check whether the wind shifts to the west off Haifa at 11am. If this is the case, the thermal system (Mediterranean humid and cooler, Golan Heights / Syria dry and hot) will be in motion and you can expect good winds of 20 to 30 knots at the only legal kite beach on the Sea of Galilee.
At temperatures above 40 degrees, the thermal wind often dies of heat death. I’ve been in Tiberias for a good week now, directly on the other side of the kite spot. The temperatures were actually between 38 and 44°C every day this July. The locals are also complaining about a rather modest season so far in terms of wind. In my first week here, the wind was only at least 15 to 18 knots on 4 out of 8 days, unfortunately never stronger.
There is no cheap accommodation anywhere on the east side of the lake, Syria is simply too close. I therefore opted for Tiberias on the other side. It’s exactly 30 kilometres to the spot, regardless of whether you go around the lake to the north or south. There are fewer towns in the north, so it’s quicker. I always check from the roof terrace of the Tiberias Hostel after work at midday to see if there is any movement. In the mornings it’s usually completely calm. From midday onwards, the palm trees slowly start to sway and when you see the first white waves from around 14:30, it’s usually a good day on the other side, 13 kilometres away.
Unfortunately, this rule is not always true. The wind builds up from the west down the slopes behind Tiberias, the palm trees shake. I set off and am pleased to see further growth at the north-west corner near Magdala. On the north side, it continues to chill nicely for the whole 30 kilometres of the journey, and on the east side, the wind suddenly stops quite abruptly from the corner onwards. The windsurfers are still lucky, they can get out in the north just before the mouth of the Jordan. The only legal kitesurfing is at Diamond / Ashalim Beach in the east. Despite the good wind in Tiberias, it was calm there again today. The lake seems to somehow swallow the westerly wind in the centre, at least when it’s over 40° C.
Access is via the Setai Resort one kilometre north of the 92/798 junction, but there are no signs! Drive past it on the left, take the dirt road around the corner to the car park and walk about 300 m to the free beach. There are a few permanent tents and bushes, but no catering or toilets. Even with 30 kiters on the water, there is still plenty of space. The stone beach with its pebbles quickly becomes 70 degrees when the wind breaks. In this case, pack up the kites quickly, and not on the ground! Some have exploded here when not in use. There is very little rubbish lying around, very few broken pieces or lost pegs – you are allowed to camp overnight on Ashalim Beach and you can also light fires. Please take all rubbish with you so that it stays that way!
The locals are very relaxed and friendly across the board – I was apparently the only foreigner the whole week. There are a few large permanent sun tents here all year round. The locals are mainly from Tiberias and Tel Aviv. There are always a few Rambos, but even they are quite friendly here. The space for launching and kiting is easily enough for 50 kiters – above that it gets quite crowded, especially close to the beach in the on/sideon wind. Training is provided and there are also a few beginners out and about. A lot of crap happens in the wind waves, which are up to 50 cm high even in light winds. The entrance is shallow, but there are also a few large pebbles in the water.
The panorama is simply amazing, especially when the sun goes down – the rising mountains of the Golan Heights then glow golden. Unfortunately, the wind usually only lasted until 18:00, after which it often collapsed quite suddenly. It supposedly never starts before 14:30, and when it’s very hot it can sometimes last until 16:00. There is a bus route 51 that runs around the lake all day. You still have to walk a kilometre from the nearest bus stop. Car hire is quite expensive because of the Israeli super insurance (from €25 for a rattletrap per day).
UPDATE 20.07.17 The good wind has finally arrived. The day before it was only enough for two laps, then running back on the beach over red-hot stones. If necessary: run in the water, even if there are stones there too. Saves blisters on your feet.
Since yesterday it’s finally been running properly. Nice 18 to 25 knots at first, very laminar. Good 9 wind for the rally for the first time. A fine piece! The waves are quite nasty in this wind, 3m apart and 75cm high, not always from the wind direction, similar to Porto Pollo Sardinia. A lot of crap happens – Israelis are lovely, but some kitesurf almost as shitty as they park (every car has scratches, 2nd row on the main road is standard). The water is at its lowest level for 100 years. The Sea of Galilee is about to tip over. Without sunglasses, a lot of water splashes into my eyes. After a good 2 hours, I have half a day of frosted glass in front of my eyes. The skin looks like “Kite of the living dead” – parchment paper is still a moist biotope by comparison.
The next day, the wind was blowing very evenly at a nice 20 knots with fewer waves – perfect for a 13er Edge. With 50 people on the water, the spot is really quite crowded, especially near the beach. We’re sailing today, and as expected, the Edge is really good at it – good lift and smooth sailing to leeward, especially in kicker waves. The Sea of Galilee is really new territory for kiters – of the 50 people I’ve chatted to in my two weeks here, only two were not locals. Nevertheless, a large luxury resort has been built directly behind the kite beach.
Frank Woelky, born in 1973. Kitesurfer since 1998. Since 2006, I have been combining kitesurfing and web design on trips lasting several months off the beaten track.