Offshore Wind In SE Florida - What to do?

[ricki]

Offshore wind, what to do for kiting?
http://www.bocasurfcam.com/
The scene this morning off South Florida with cranking waves and offshore wind.

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The wind is offshore in this shot but only temporarily with a sudden powerful squall. Still looking around from some offshore wind kiting shots in my archive.
http://fksa.org/showthread.php?p=48084#post48084


If winds are side off to offshore, often from westerly directions even due north and south along some sections of coast, you don't go kiting. Land effects make the wind too uneven, big lulls with big gusts, kite goes down stays down and you blow offshore.

So, what are the options?

Further north, running up to Sebastian State Park is an option. They have a man-made island projecting into the ICW which is quite wide up there. It works for all westerly winds. If there are nesting birds stay away from the rookery at the end of the island to the west.

There are other areas but they are often small with excessive wind turbulence. This spots mentioned are usually the best choices with westerly winds.





More about wind shadow, land and mechanical turbulence at:http://fksa.org/showthread.php?t=7879

The best options further south include taking a sea taxi out to the Miami Flats and Stiltsville with ASM or Miami Kiteboarding down there. You can also take a sea taxi out to Florida Bay with The Otherside or Sevensports in Islamorada or with The Kitehouse or Key West Kiteboaring in Key West.

Some drive to SW Florida for the area between Marco Island and Sanibel Island. There are access problems at some of these beaches due to years of problem riding behaviors. There are rules about some of these launches in the stickies at:

http://fksa.org/forumdisplay.php?f=24

Work to preserve access wherever you ride.

[ricki]

This is one of the best options that I know of. Got a spot on the morning boat, should be a blast!




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