Santa Rosa Island / Leeside Bay Side, Florida (USA) is a Shallow, Flat, Chop and Small waves spot. It is a kitesurfing spot for riders of Any Level.
Recommended
wind for kitesurfing is
wind coming
from
SW
.
There is
Food
available on the spot.
The spot presents a few things you need to be careful about.
Please refer to the
Riding Conditions section
below.
Santa Rosa Island / Leeside Bay Side, Florida (USA) is a Shallow, Flat, Chop and Small waves spot. It is a kitesurfing spot for riders of Any Level.
Recommended
wind for kitesurfing is
wind coming
from
SW
.
There is
Food
available on the spot.
The spot presents a few things you need to be careful about.
Please refer to the
Riding Conditions section
below.
How to get there
From Okaloosa Airport, South to HWY 98, then East towards Destin, just past Brooks Bridge. If you get to Destin bridge, that's too far, turn around and try again. If it's any good that day, you'll see kites and will be easy to find. Easiest parking is at "Gulf Islands National Seashore" just east of the last hotel and gas stations.
From Okaloosa Airport, South to HWY 98, then East towards Destin, just past Brooks Bridge. If you get to Destin bridge, that's too far, turn around and try again. If it's any good that day, you'll see kites and will be easy to find. Easiest parking is at "Gulf Islands National Seashore" just east of the last hotel and gas stations.
Riding Conditions in Santa Rosa Island / Leeside Bay Side, Florida (USA)
Riding Conditions
Wind and Weather Conditions
25-35°C in the summer, more comfortable in spring, March and April, and fall, October and November. Starts to cool off by end of November, then average 32°C and down to just freezing with wind chill with North winds. Florida is known to have the highest fatality rate in the states from lightning strikes. Being in the water doesn't keep you save.
Recommended
wind for kitesurfing is
wind coming
from
SW
.
There is
Frontal wind
at Santa Rosa Island / Leeside Bay Side, Florida (USA).
NW Florida is usually dominated by stagnant high pressure, resulting in light winds 4-9 kts most of the time. The best most stable winds are from SW and 15 kt good days. Spring and fall bring a few weeks of Northerly winds, with good weather and very ridable 25kts on occasion. The thunderheads sometimes bring some wind, but don't be tempted, better to wait for clear skys.
Wind
usually
blows
from N and SW
on the spot.
Wind and Weather Conditions
Wind and Weather Conditions
25-35°C in the summer, more comfortable in spring, March and April, and fall, October and November. Starts to cool off by end of November, then average 32°C and down to just freezing with wind chill with North winds. Florida is known to have the highest fatality rate in the states from lightning strikes. Being in the water doesn't keep you save.
Recommended
wind for kitesurfing is
wind coming
from
SW
.
There is
Frontal wind
at Santa Rosa Island / Leeside Bay Side, Florida (USA).
NW Florida is usually dominated by stagnant high pressure, resulting in light winds 4-9 kts most of the time. The best most stable winds are from SW and 15 kt good days. Spring and fall bring a few weeks of Northerly winds, with good weather and very ridable 25kts on occasion. The thunderheads sometimes bring some wind, but don't be tempted, better to wait for clear skys.
Wind
usually
blows
from N and SW
on the spot.
Beach and Tide Conditions
Santa Rosa Island / Leeside Bay Side, Florida (USA) is a
Shallow, Flat, Chop and Small waves spot.
The
launching/landing area
is reported to be of
Small size.
Leeside National Park. Between Brooks Bridge, and Destin Bridge, on the barrier Island. Narrow sandy beach for several miles and away from most of the beach crowd.
The bay side with 100m wide sand bar of waist deep water is also suitable for offshore winds, with caution, sand bar drops off to boating channel, although across the channel are shallows to help recovery, relaunching etc. The channel is more than a "boating channel" it is a commercial shipping channel with substantial amounts of barge traffic. Even the very best local riders stay away from it.
Beach and Tide Conditions
Beach and Tide Conditions
Santa Rosa Island / Leeside Bay Side, Florida (USA) is a
Shallow, Flat, Chop and Small waves spot.
The
launching/landing area
is reported to be of
Small size.
Leeside National Park. Between Brooks Bridge, and Destin Bridge, on the barrier Island. Narrow sandy beach for several miles and away from most of the beach crowd.
The bay side with 100m wide sand bar of waist deep water is also suitable for offshore winds, with caution, sand bar drops off to boating channel, although across the channel are shallows to help recovery, relaunching etc. The channel is more than a "boating channel" it is a commercial shipping channel with substantial amounts of barge traffic. Even the very best local riders stay away from it.
Need to know
There is
no beach users
reported here.
When you are on water,
be careful
of
Boats
.
Beach risk reported:
None
.
The is
no particular rules
reported
, but as a best practice,
talk to a local before you go on water.
Need to know
Need to know
There is
no beach users
reported here.
When you are on water,
be careful
of
Boats
.
Beach risk reported:
None
.
The is
no particular rules
reported
, but as a best practice,
talk to a local before you go on water.
A
parking
is available at Santa Rosa Island / Leeside Bay Side, Florida (USA).
There is
Food
available on the spot
Pretty much the honor system. Be safe. The Leeside park on the bay side closes at sunset. They are pretty cool about you parking outside the park and you walking in and kiting for early morning and night sessions.
Webcams around Santa Rosa Island / Leeside Bay Side, Florida (USA)
Webcams around Santa Rosa Island / Leeside Bay Side, Florida (USA)
Weather Forecast for the next 10days
Wind and Temperature over the past years
Wind and Temperature over the past years
More about Kitesurfing in North Florida
More about North Florida
Wind stats in North Florida...
Additional information
There are 6 kitesurf schools and 73 kitesurf spots in North Florida.
Best months: January February March April November December
Best months: January February March April November December
