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Florida Riding Questions From The Main Forum

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RickI
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Florida Riding Questions From The Main Forum

Postby RickI » Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:05 pm

There are usually some repeated questions about South Florida riding conditions and related info. Decided to copy some recent ones here for easier referencing. There is a ton of info about kiting in Florida all over kiteforum going back eight years and still more at: fksa.org.

Have a great trip, good winds and safe kiting!

FKA, Inc.

transcribed by:
Rick Iossi

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Re: Florida Riding Questions From The Main Forum

Postby RickI » Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:07 pm

For a period of only four days so far out, you might expect a wide range of conditions. Winds could be below riding speed or offshore at that point on the island. Or, winds might be 35 kts., perhaps a bit more. Looking over ikitesurf wind archive records for Crandon Park on the island, winds, when they've been rideable trended around 12 to 22 mph or so. It really depends on what sort of weather system is moving through at that time. February is one of the top wind months there however so there is a good chance you should have rideable wind. It isn't feasible to say much more at this time about what you might actually see so far off. Forecasts usually improve within 3 to 5 days out.

More about air, water temperatures and average Feb. winds at nearby Fowey Rocks

HERE

nnowakow wrote:We are staying at Silver Sands Resort on Key Biscayne from Feb 1 - Feb 4. What is the wind and weather typicallly like there at that time of year?

Thanks.
Natasha

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Re: Florida Riding Questions From The Main Forum

Postby RickI » Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:12 pm

slightlyimperfect wrote:Hey
Im coming to Florida in March for 3 weeks and hoping to find some spots to kite with available equipment rental. I dont really want to bring down any gear. I would rather rent...

Im thinking in the keys but also maybe in miami or up north somewhere.

Anyone have any ideas.
thanks in advance!
I haven't heard of anyone renting kites outside of gear provided in lessons. You might be able to rent a board however. I would contact some local shops or schools in Miami and the Keys to see about securing a board.

Kiteforum has separate forums listing schools in different areas. Some for this area of South Florida have posted notices HERE as well.

also, here's some additional rental information:

I just spoke to Christophe with miamikiteboarding.com. They do provide rental gear including kites for Level III or stronger kiteboarders that use the gear on their downwinders and sea taxi sessions on the Miami Flats and at their operation at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. I would call to verify space availability as with all these unusual west winds, the boats have been filled with students. You can't take the gear to other areas but for Miami those are some great options.

I believe the Kitehouse in Key West does something similar for guests on the Key West Flats with prior arrangement. These guys inflate your kites, rig the lines and have everything set up for you to go.

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Re: Florida Riding Questions From The Main Forum

Postby RickI » Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:17 pm

miked wrote:I am going to fly to Miami this Wed for few days and the forecast is for West and NW wind.
Since I haven’t kited for few weeks, I am more than ready to hit the water again.

What is the closest kitesurfing place (from Miami) on the Keys that would work in W / NW ?
Am I better of driving to Marco Island?

Thanks,
Mike
I would check the wind forecasts and realtime winds while making your decision where to go. These cold fronts have been a bit strange in some regards this week. For instance, west winds have been forecast to be stronger in the SE than on the SW coast around Marco at times. The Miami Flats are kiteable in winds from all directions, miamikiteboarding.com runs out there. Many of the Keys kiting operations run kiter sea taxi boats out into Florida Bay for west winds, (e.g. kitehouse, sevensports, otherside). The Keys often runs about 5 kts. higher in the forecasts than the mainland. I would bring a nice wetsuit too, we'll have a high of 57 F today, perhaps more of the same with the next powerful front in the coming week. More info along these lines all over this site for many years and here.


Sebastian Inlet way to the north, smaller more wind shadowed and in some case somewhat dangerous sections of the ICW futher south in Martin and Palm Beach County. Some shoreside launches for westerly winds come to mind in the upper Keys. Trouble is, there are low powerlines just offshore to be cleared. Sorry, boats are the best way to go for West winds in most areas of Miami and the Keys. Marco is forecast for 10 to 15 kts. today vs. 20 kts. NW in Miami. The Keys have dropped to 15 N for today. I would try to find a sea taxi there for better wind and conditions. I would still check realtime winds to see how the forecast is holding up. More wind forecast this weekend, still from poor directions for most of the east coast however, without a boat.
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mfl/

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Re: Florida Riding Questions From The Main Forum

Postby RickI » Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:19 pm

waroooo wrote:were is the best spot in florida for west wind??
Florida (170,304 sq km) is larger than more than 60% of the countries on Earth. Given the size, where in Florida will you be located or would you like to go to? West winds aren't all that reliable, although in a normal year they blow through regularly at times as the winds often shift clockwise with the passage of fronts.


If you are talking about the forecast for Saturday and Sunday in the Miami area, west to NW wind, your best bet would be to boat to the Miami Flats offshore. I understand they train students in westerly winds in the Loxahatchee west of the highway in Jupiter but as small and windshadowed as it is, doesn't look that good a choice at all. You also need a boat to get there. The Miami Flats, Florida Bay west of the Keys, Sebastian Inlet Park to the north or areas of the SW coast of South Florida come to mind for the predicted conditions. I would pay close attention to the forecast as it will likely change some more before the weekend. Lots more about all this on this site and at fksa.org.
waroooo wrote:im interested in south florida like Biscayne bay area or i thought maby in the intercostal by the jupiter area?

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Re: Florida Riding Questions From The Main Forum

Postby RickI » Sun Jan 10, 2010 4:09 am

nnowakow wrote:We had booked to stay at Silver Sands in Key Biscayne from Feb 1 - 4 since it said we could walk to kiteboarding. Well, we just found out that in northwest wind, we would have to take a boat across the bay to get to decent kiteboarding. So we are thinking of canceling our stay there. But, first I wanted to find out what the general wind direction tends to be at Crandon in Feb...anyone know?

Is there any place we can stay at near Miami in February that would allow us to walk to kiteboarding?

Thanks.
Natasha
Hey Natasha,

There is no general wind direction for SE Florida, our weather simply isn't like that. It usually rotates clockwise with each passing cold front this time of year. The front approaches and the wind shifts to the S, then SW, then W clocking to NW. It may stay for a time out of the NW, usually from hours to one to three days often building in speed. It is very rare for it to stay NW for two weeks as is happening now. It is just as rare to have snow flurries in Central Florida, again as now (tonight). As the front passes usually it clocks to the N, then to the NE and often builds in wind speed. Now you're talking a good direction for kiting the Atlantic side of Key Biscayne. It may hang in the northeast for hours to several days, then shift the the E, then to the SE weakening somewhat and then clock back to the S with the next front.

If multiple fronts slam into one another as is happening currently, this nice clockwise progression can be disturbed as it happening right now. Remember, the great thing about kiting in Miami AND using sea taxi services is you can stay there,drink too much in Sobe each night (if so inclined) and still kite everyday there, wind regardless of direction as long as there is useable wind. The Atlantic side of Key Biscayne works for ENE to E to S. For the rest sea taxi to the flats is a good way to go. Usually, we have a fair amount of time in the ENE to S with passing fronts. Just not right now. The wind can ease between fronts so kiteable winds aren't assured at all times however as has already been said, Feb. has a lot of useable wind for kiting there. Make sense? There really is no easy, fairly safe shoreside launch for NW winds in Miami. Boating to the Flats or driving to the west coast or to the Keys to boat into Florida Bay are your main options for NW winds. Fortunately, easterly winds usually are more common here, just not now!


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