Visiting Southeast FL Jan 11-14, Need Advice

[turtle]

Hello to all the Southeast Florida Kiteboarders from here in Sharkless Michigan. A couple of us are flying into Tampa early Thursday morning to hopefully get in a couple great windy and warm sessions while we are in Florida. It looks like the wind might be better further South, so a road trip from Tampa may have to be the call.

How does the wind look for Thurs, Fri & Sat below Tampa?

How far do we need to drive to get a good forecast?

Any advice on a campground or beach hotel south of Tampa with a good wind forecast?

What spots should we hit on which directions?

Where is a good spot for wave riding?

Where is a good spot for flat water?

Any local dangers (Sharks) or regulations we need to be aware of?

Both of us are PASA Level 3 riders, so no worries.

Side Note: I am looking to off 2 of my 2006 North Rhinos while I am in town if anyone is interested. 10M Black & Blue $450; 14M Green & Yellow $500 in perfect condition, both with one bar for $1,000 or best offer. These were bought new at the beginning of this season, no patches, rips or repairs. I have to make way for my new quiver of 2007 Naish Torch IIIs. Send me a message if you are interested.

Hope to see all of you on the water.

John
www.KiteMI.com
586-201-4603

[BigR]

John,

Night wanna stay in Tampa for Thursday early since it looks like wind in the morning and Damien Leroy from cabby will be doing demos at the sunshine skyway ; Should be NE/E @ 15-20.

I'm also going down south Sat and Sunday since the forecast looks better ,

>>>>>How does the wind look for Thurs, Fri & Sat below Tampa?

This is for Miami, sutract 5 kts North of there and add 5 kts in the Keys

FRIDAY
EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET. INTRACOASTAL
WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. ISOLATED LIGHT SHOWERS.

FRIDAY NIGHT
EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET.
INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT
SHOWERS.

SATURDAY
EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET.
INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT
SHOWERS.

SATURDAY NIGHT
EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET.
INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT
SHOWERS.

SUNDAY
EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. INTRACOASTAL
WATERS A MODERATE CHOP. SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT SHOWERS.


>>>How far do we need to drive to get a good forecast?

Up to you, further you go and closer to the keys , the more wind.
Prolly have to get to at least jupiter and south from there

>>>Any advice on a campground or beach hotel south of Tampa with a good wind forecast?

Depends on your wallet

>>>What spots should we hit on which directions?

I don't know how far you're going, there are hundreds of miles of coastline.
Jupiter, Delray, ft. lauderdale, Crandon, Matheson, Keys; to list just a few

>>>Where is a good spot for wave riding?

Open ocean North of Miami

>>>Where is a good spot for flat water?

Intercoastal areas or Matheson or the keys

>>>Any local dangers (Sharks) or regulations we need to be aware of?

Not many sharks this time of year, Regs at Crandon and ft lauderdale

Have fun, I'll be in Miami and the Keys

[ricki]

If the forecast holds you may have picked an excellent time to visit Florida. Raul has covered things pretty well. Some of the more reliable wind forecasts for the Keys and SE Florida come out of:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mfl/marine.php

Windguru does pretty well in the Miami forecast but I don't know how accurate the one for Islamorada is.
http://windguru.com/int/index.php?sc=229

The Keys look like they will have the highest winds per the forecast at points, up to 25 kts.. It is almost all flat water down there with very few beaches. So, it is a different type of riding.

For waves most of the SE mainland should be going off with improving waves likely in Palm Beach County north to Jupiter. Normally I would say to Ft. Pierce but the forecast falls off a bit this time. Tampa and the SW coast can have surprisingly nice waves for ramping jumps off of, better formed and less choppy than some at times off Broward and Miami. Must be all that fetch across the Gulf.

Anyway, there is a lot about Florida destinations and road trip possibilities at:

http://fksa.org/showthread.php?p=14927
and
http://fksa.org/showthread.php?t=2329

Hope you get lots of the forecast wind during your visit!