Now that the season has ended in the Gorge, the hunt for wind in the off-season has officially begun. While we have a few tried and true fave off-season locations (Check out our previous post here), a few of the Cascade Crew decided to explore a little and found ourselves traveling across the U.S. to Florida in search of wind.

Getting There:

To get from Oregon to Florida, you are looking at quite the journey. For the Cascade Crew, it begin with a 3AM wake-up call to drive from Hood River to PDX. From there, we had a layover in Denver for a couple of hours, and eventually we touched down in Orlando, FL. Because we were initially headed to Fort Pierce, Florida, this was the nearest and most affordable airport to fly into, but you are still looking at a 2+ hour drive to get to Fort Pierce. We finally arrived at our rental house by about 10PM, and needless to say, we all fell asleep the instant our heads hit our pillows.

Fort Pierce, Florida:

Stuart Inlet:

Beach Setup: If you are all about winging, **this is the spot for you**. Stuart Inlet offers a protected area ideal for dialing in your foil riding. There is free parking under the bridge, and the small beach nearby offers plenty of room to rig your gear. Despite there being 10-15 individuals on the beach at any given moment, the beach never felt too crowded. The flatwateroffers a great space to take your riding to the next level. The main thing to look out for here are hazards such as passing boats and other riders. You also want to avoid getting too close to the bridge. In terms of kiting, this particular spot was not large enough to rig a kite, and with all the hazards around we wouldn’t recommend it. You can, however, hire a boat to take you out into the water away from the beach if you are so inclined.
Conditions / Weather: We happened to come to Fort Pierce during a great week of storm winds. The wind direction was E/SE for most of our stay, and winds averaged in the low 20s to mid-20s and even reached the upper 20s a few days. Locals told us we timed this very well, and usually, you can expect slightly lighter winds that come from the N/NE direction.

North Jetty:

Beach Setup: Local intel tells us this is one of the best kiting spots in the area. The jetty here typically offers a nice flatwater area to ride in, and there is no shortage of chop/shore break to ride in as well. You can also wing here, however, during our stay the shore break was a bit aggressive which made it pretty difficult to get out when paired with the mostly onshore conditions. During a typically windy day here, however, the flat water spot seems to be ideal for all variations of riding. We would not recommend this spot for beginners who are not already up and riding.
Conditions / Weather: As mentioned in our Stuart Inlet review, we happened to time our trip during a strong storm cycle coming through, and as a result, we saw numerous days with winds blowing in the mid-20s range. As mentioned, the wind was mostly E/SE while we were here, which unfortunately meant the normally jetty-protected flatwater spot was nonexistent, and we were met with shore break each day we went out on the oceanside. We also ran into rain, A LOT of rain. This made it a bit tough for our gear to dry out, but given that we got wind 9/9 days we were here, we aren’t complaining!

Other Things To Do in fort pierce:

Fort Pierce, Florida, offered a variety of attractions beyond watersports, so there is something for everyone to enjoy. You can explore the historic downtown area with shops, galleries, and a popular farmers’ market, or enjoy nature at Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, perfect for beach outings, snorkeling, and picnics. There were also a number of museums, gardens, and even an aquarium to explore when not on the water.

The Florida Keys:

Anne’s Beach:

Beach Setup: This spot was the number one recommendation from the lcoal boardshops given the wind direction (E/SE), and though we didn’t actually ride here due to the waterlevels, we can see why this would normally be an amazing spot. Anne’s beach has two parking lots you can choose from with bathrooms, and there is a nice walkway that gives you access to quite a few spots you can choose to launch from. The water levels must have been pretty high while we were here, however, because the beach was almost nonexistent and we would have either had to rig in the parking lot, or on the little strip of sand there was and then either drift launch or have someone walk out with you past the mangroves. The shallow water here makes this a great spot for beginner kiteboarders, though we think it may be a bit too shallow for winging in most areas.
Conditions / Weather: See Veteran’s Memorial Park review.

Veteran’s Memorial Park:

Beach Setup: This was my favorite kite spot of the entire trip. It was quite similar to Anne’s Beach, however, there is free parking, nice gazebos to hang out under, clean bathrooms, and even a few grills! There was quite a bit more beach here than at Anne’s, and we had plenty of space to rig up our kites. The side-on conditions made it a breeze (no pun intended) to get in and out, and then you were met with beautiful turquoise butter-flat bathwater conditions. You could easily go out almost a half mile and still be in shallow waters.
Conditions / Weather: Conditions / Weather: We just so happened to arrive in the Keys during a tropical storm warning, so let’s just say the wind DELIVERED (maybe even a bit too much? More on that later). We were met with mid to upper 20 averages for the duration of our stay, and that paired with the butterflat water made for an epic few days of kiting. I will say on the final day of our journey, the storm was in full effect, and we were met with an onslaught of rain and gale-force winds. A few members of the team opted to go out early morning, and while things were initially manageable, the wind quickly picked up and the rain came down so aggressively it made it hard to see. We opted to call it an early day due to this. When not in a tropical storm, this seems like an amazing spot for beginners to dial in their skill set, whether that be working on kite control or riding for the first time.

Other Things To Do In the Florida Keys:

The Florida Keys are a laid-back paradise with tons to see and do. You can snorkel or dive at a number of locations, and maybe even a shipwreck or two. In Key West, the southernmost island, you’ll find historic spots like Hemingway’s Home, the Southernmost Point buoy, and lively Duval Street packed with shops, bars, and live music. Nature fans can kayak through mangroves, or go birdwatching in the Great White Heron Wildlife Refuge. And don’t forget the stunning views along the Overseas Highway—it’s an experience all on its own.

In Conclusion:

To sum up our trip to Florida, the wind delivered and it was an interesting experience overall. If we had to do this trip again, I think we would forego Fort Pierce, and dedicate most if not all of our time to exploring and riding in The Keys and/or exploring other windy spots along the gulf and the coastal side of this state. Feel free to message us for more details regarding our travels to see if Florida may be the most ideal spot for your next trip!

Scouting Out Locations: Florida