Kiteboarding is an amazing sport and a relatively new one too, but this has not stopped it from becoming really popular among the fans of extreme sports. One of the main places this activity is practiced is Florida, making proper use of the 1350 miles of coastline it has. South Florida has proven to be an amazing place for kiteboarders and the kiteboarding community has grown substantially in the area, mainly due to the warm waters and the constant winds, making it an optimal place for kiteboarding.
There are a lot of places you can go kiteboarding in Florida but today we will focus on those who are essential and you shouldn’t miss if you get the opportunity to go there.
First there is Jupiter. Jupiter is an amazing spot for kiteboarders because the winds are constant and strong, allowing better kitesurfing sessions than other places around. Also, its geographical position allows for better waves making them some of the best waves you can encounter. The most popular site in Jupiter is Kite Beach, where you will find a lot of people kiteboarding, especially when the wind is strong. But make sure you are experienced enough to deal with the strong waves and winds, if you are less experienced and need to get accustomed to kiteboarding you should go to places with weaker waves.
Now, another amazing place is Islamorada. I really recommend this place, to get there you will need to get out of the mainland and head to the Florida Keys and in the Keys you will find the best conditions for kiteboarding. Islamorada is about an hour and a half from the Miami International Airport. The conditions around the Keys are amazing and will give you an amazing time while kiteboarding, also there is a specific place called Anne’s Beach where the atmosphere makes you feel really good and comfortable. Throughout the keys the flat water conditions will make the kiteboarding experience easier for those that are not accustomed to harder conditions.
There are a lot of places you can go kiteboarding in Florida but today we will focus on those who are essential and you shouldn’t miss if you get the opportunity to go there.
First there is Jupiter. Jupiter is an amazing spot for kiteboarders because the winds are constant and strong, allowing better kitesurfing sessions than other places around. Also, its geographical position allows for better waves making them some of the best waves you can encounter. The most popular site in Jupiter is Kite Beach, where you will find a lot of people kiteboarding, especially when the wind is strong. But make sure you are experienced enough to deal with the strong waves and winds, if you are less experienced and need to get accustomed to kiteboarding you should go to places with weaker waves.
Now, another amazing place is Islamorada. I really recommend this place, to get there you will need to get out of the mainland and head to the Florida Keys and in the Keys you will find the best conditions for kiteboarding. Islamorada is about an hour and a half from the Miami International Airport. The conditions around the Keys are amazing and will give you an amazing time while kiteboarding, also there is a specific place called Anne’s Beach where the atmosphere makes you feel really good and comfortable. Throughout the keys the flat water conditions will make the kiteboarding experience easier for those that are not accustomed to harder conditions.
Image courtesy of dante0864 at Flickr.com
And we could not go on without talking about one of the most popular vacation cities, Miami. Miami is a gigantic center of commerce and a really popular place to go during vacation and apart from being a touristic center it is also a center for all kinds of water sports due to its beautiful beaches. In Miami you will find all kinds of kiteboarding conditions, from strong waves to flat water, so it’s a perfect place for both beginners and veterans. One of the most popular places for kiteboarding in Miami is Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. On the shore you will find flat water condition and deeper you will find small yet kind of strong waves, perfect for practice. The beach is a regulated beach so it’s a really safe place to kiteboard.
Even when there is no wind you can still do some water boarding. When the wind is not strong enough then the kite will not work properly, but there are cable parks that allow you to practice boarding without the need of wind. There are a couple of cable parks in south Florida, but there are two that really stand out, Keys Cable and Ski Rixen. Keys Cable is in Marathon and is an amazing place to train, they also offer coaching if you are not experienced enough. Ski Rixen, in Deerfield Beach, has top quality equipment and both beginner and advanced boarders will feel good on the park. But if cable boarding is not your thing you can always enjoy other watersports activities throughout south Florida, like sport fishing and stand-up paddleboarding.
Even when there is no wind you can still do some water boarding. When the wind is not strong enough then the kite will not work properly, but there are cable parks that allow you to practice boarding without the need of wind. There are a couple of cable parks in south Florida, but there are two that really stand out, Keys Cable and Ski Rixen. Keys Cable is in Marathon and is an amazing place to train, they also offer coaching if you are not experienced enough. Ski Rixen, in Deerfield Beach, has top quality equipment and both beginner and advanced boarders will feel good on the park. But if cable boarding is not your thing you can always enjoy other watersports activities throughout south Florida, like sport fishing and stand-up paddleboarding.
Image courtesy of Massmo Relsig at Flickr.com
You should also take into account when you go waterboarding, depending of the season you will encounter different kinds of winds and waves. The most consistent wind start in November and ends in April, these winds are usually in a constant eighteen to twenty two knots for several days. During this period of time is perfect for kiteboarding as almost every day will be windy. The temperature of the wind will be from sixty to eighty degrees and the water will be from seventy to eighty degrees, so prepare for some warm winds and water. During summer, wind is harder to find but there are occasional storms that will allow you to kitesurf during this time.
Remember to be completely prepared for your kiteboarding session, pack everything you might need like sunscreen, bug repellent and all the equipment you might need. You can also check online to know how strong the winds are or check the weather. Remember to be careful while kiteboarding and check your equipment, making sure everything is in good condition, check the rules of the place you choose to kiteboard, this way we can prevent incidents that may happen through the experience. When you feel you are ready, pack your things and enjoy everything Florida has to offer.
Remember to be completely prepared for your kiteboarding session, pack everything you might need like sunscreen, bug repellent and all the equipment you might need. You can also check online to know how strong the winds are or check the weather. Remember to be careful while kiteboarding and check your equipment, making sure everything is in good condition, check the rules of the place you choose to kiteboard, this way we can prevent incidents that may happen through the experience. When you feel you are ready, pack your things and enjoy everything Florida has to offer.