Help! Where to kite on Friday afternoon?

#1 10-18-2008, 06:07 PM

Rick,

Thanks so much for your advice. Unfortunately, I timed this thing horribly--I arrived in FL as the wind was dying and I'm leaving as it's picking up. Ugh.

On Friday, I stopped by Anne's and Whale Harbor but it was really too light to kite. I got down to Bahia Honda, which was a beautiful beach and actually had good wind, but the sun was about to go down. Saturday, I was skunked all day

.

I'm trying to make the best of a bad situation, so I'm going to get up at the crack of dawn and try to kite for a few hours before I have to head to MIA airport. My question is: is there any danger to doing this? ...like any huge fish that feed on kiters at dawn? haha...I just figured I'd ask since there won't be any beach goers at that hour.

Thank again!

ricki · #2 10-18-2008, 10:33 PM

I was looking at the realtime wind Friday afternoon and wondering if it would fill in. Sorry things didn't time out better for you, it happens to us all. Even locals! Bahia Honda is a beautiful beach to be sure.

It looks like the wind is to build to 15 to 20 again tomorrow. Hope it happens before dawn. Lots of guys kite around dawn, there are no migrations on currently. I would have at it and have fun.

#3 10-19-2008, 06:07 AM

Thanks again, Rick. Hey, I'm about to drive up the Keys and I'm looking at wind but is looking like N or NE, which rules out (offshore) several of the places I was considering hitting on the way...Whale Harbor, Anne's, Bahia Honda. Is there a good NE spot between here and MIA?

BigR · #4 10-19-2008, 06:43 AM

No , there really is no spot between matheson and whale harbor

except for Turkey point and long point maybe, but I wouldn't recommend those

troubleshooter · #5 10-20-2008, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigR

No , there really is no spot between matheson and whale harbor

except for Turkey point and long point maybe, but I wouldn't recommend those

Where is the launch for these places. I Google earthed the whole coastline along the bay from Matheson to Card Sound and did't look like any places to launch.

BigR · #6 10-20-2008, 06:43 PM

Sorry if I wasn't a little more descriptive,

Turkey point is exactly that, turkey point nuclear power plant on SW 344th Street. You will notice
that just past the nuc's there is a road that goes out to a point . it has picnic areas , BBQ's, beach , etc. I windsurfed from there back in 1990. Lotsa cool little islands and stuff with real pretty water. I don't know if homeland security will still let you there or not.

The other one is Homestead Bayfront park just to the north of there on SW 328th Street in Homestead, nice grass rigging area and park facilities, trees for shade , etc.

Long ways from nowhere but the water there is beautiful

troubleshooter · #7 10-20-2008, 07:15 PM

Nice. I just located the Turkey Point spot. I dont think they r gonna let you out there. You may very well get a chance to test out Eclipse's new "bullet proof" warranty.

Bayfront sounds like a spot to try. I didn't know they would let you kite there.

I grew up in miami. I used to Windsurf alot down a little dirt road just on the immediate south side of FPL Cutler plant. Not the dirt access road but the one you go through a little neighborhood first. The dirt road is still there. Used to go out to Chicken Key. Now maybe thats a spot to try out.

ricki · #8 10-20-2008, 07:40 PM

I agree, avoid Turkey Point. There is some local info regarding the Homestead launch at:

http://fksa.org/showthread.php?t=2499

BigR · #9 10-20-2008, 07:46 PM

yeah , it is a longish drive from MIA and even longer from the other direction in the keys, WH.

I wouldn't recommend it , as I said , unless I lived actually in homestead.

plus you have no recourse to put in if the wind dies and you don't have boat support

ricki · #10 10-19-2008, 08:47 AM

Yes, the side off to offshore problem. As low as the Keys are, those directions can still deliver poor wind quality with too many gusts and lulls. If the kite goes down and stays down, offshore you go yourself. Sometimes in Islamorada they take folks out to the sand bar about 1/2 to 3/4 mile offshore towards the Straits. The wind quality can still be uneven but at least you can standup over the shoals and walk back to where you started usually.

Aside from that, as Raul said, not a lot of spots with nearby public parking for N (side off in lots of lower SE Florida) or NE in the upper Keys. NE is a great direction along the mainland north of Government Cut in Miami however. None of this probably does you any good. Sorry things didn't time out hope it was a good trip anyway. With cold fronts driving much of the useable wind this time of year, it comes and it goes regularly.