[ricki]

Originally Posted by mekanic

Going to be in Ft. Lauderdale area next week. Are there any good spots for beginners-intermediate? It's going to be my first time in the ocean, on top of that it's the first time this season on the water. I'm in Toronto Canada and have spend the last few months snokiting. The season before that was my first water season, and by the end I was just starting to get upwind. Since the winter season, I've learned tons and can go upwind no problem, jump, toeside and a few other tricks. My concern is that I don't have a small enough board for holding a hard edge in big wind. I do have 3 kites however.

Unfortunately, Ft. Lauderdale doesn't have much in the way of new rider launching areas without threats to access already in place. The primary launch at the south area near Bahia Mar is considering requiring Level III certification among other provisions just to preserve access. If your girlfriend would like lessons, http://kitesurfusa.com/ located on Ft. Lauderdale Beach could help her out by taking her away from shore with a waverunner. That website also presents rules for that launch. Checkout the schools listed at: http://fksa.org/viewforum.php?f=42 for ideas about some of the other operations in the area.

The main threat to access has been and continues to be kiteboarders having kites flying while too near bystanders and shore. We need to get offshore and stay there. At the same time, we need to be confortable and equiped to be in that location. Ideas to try to avoid threats to yourself and others/access appear at: http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=2

The ocean can be a dynamic and challenging place with some issues being less than obvious to folks there for the first time. Taking some lessons on the ocean yourself would probably accelerate your progress even more than you have experienced already on the snow. Given your concerns over preserving access this applies only more so. I have been in the ocean continuously in all weathers for over 30 years and still learn new things periodically.

Anyway, just getting a bit concerned with all the info I'm finding about beaches on the verge of being banned from inexperienced, or rogue kiters, and don't want to be the guy who gets a beach banned.

Look over some of the posts in this section for SE Florida, there are quite a few about threats to access and local guidelines there.

I'm also concerned for my girlfriend who wants to kite as well. we both have IKO level one, but she's not really been "up on the board" yet. Hoping to find some spots that would be positive for both of us.

You might consider driving north up to Delray Beach. There are restrictions up that way but the beach well south of the public beach is a bit less populated and may allow downwind runs with fewer complications. You still need to stay away from bathers and people on the beach of course. The same might be said about Jupiter further north than that and Ft. Pierce. All of these areas have had issues and have riding guidelines in place to try to preserve access. The guys down in the Keys offer some other options like sevensports.com in Islamorada and kste.net in Key West. With a boat your potential riding area down there expands to tremendous size.

We're staying in Ft. Lauderdale, but will have a car. We also plan to go over to the gulf side as we have friends there. Are there any better spots over there?

If stronger frontal winds are on, the Gulf side offers some great riding areas. You need to find less populated beaches however. Tourist populations are high on that coast as well right now. I would avoid Naples given the relatively narrow beach and fairly high density of bathers and walkers. The beach is wider in Sarasota but the people seem to bunch up in a stream near the water so be careful there. The same could be said about Sanibel and the more populated beaches right up the coast. If you indicate what beaches you are likely to head to I can pass on some local contact information.


Regarding wind conditions, you should look over the weather planning ideas on this site including:

http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=564

The frontal winds may be easing off a bit so I would bring a fairly complete selection of kites. Winds may be less than 10 kts., when they are on may average around 12 to 17 kts. and perhaps get up to 20 to 25 kts, maybe! It all comes down to what the cold fronts bring through as the cold front season winds down here.

The current forecast for the The current forecast for April 11 onward for the Ft. Lauderdale area is fairly light but doable on some days:


.MONDAY...EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS DECREASING TO 5 TO 10 KNOTS IN THE
AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS A MODERATE CHOP.
.MONDAY NIGHT...EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET.
INTRACOASTAL WATERS A MODERATE CHOP.
.TUESDAY...SOUTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET.
INTRACOASTAL WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.
.WEDNESDAY...SOUTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET.
INTRACOASTAL WATERS A LIGHT CHOP. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. SLIGHT
CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
.THURSDAY...WEST WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET.
INTRACOASTAL WATERS A LIGHT CHOP. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

from: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mfl/


Sorry for the long post, but really need some insider advice.

Thanks,

K.