Sunset Beach, Tarpon Springs: Launch Guidelines
Sunset Beach in Tarpon Springs
S-SW-W-NW-N
CAUTION: W-NW dead onshore/ anything E NON-KITABLE
S and N WINDS GET GUSTY, S is Side-offshore on the North side of the park.
Advanced Riders only on S-N-NW winds. Note: SW is sideshore
Keep kite low and get in water after launching.
Launch kites towards the water.
Sunset Beach is one of the premier shallow onshore spots for water training and intermediates to progress their skills. The Tampa Bay grass flats offer flat, shallow and warm water, which is perfect for progressing rapidly in the sport. The water is shallow and deep along the boat channel. At extreme low tide, the water may be too shallow to ride here. High tides usually have water depths of 2’-4’ out to Howard Park. This launch site can sometimes be quite crowded due to small space and many patrons during Spring and Summer months. Parking can be an issue when the beach is crowded. Please park uniformly along the road. If you are new to the launch, please don’t hesitate to speak with the locals for tips and info regarding this site. Set up and launching of the kite can often be difficult due to limited space. Always launch kite towards the water and wind up your lines immediately after landing your kite. Due to the many potential hazards on the beach ranging from metal signs to cars to palm trees, it is a good idea to carefully select the most appropriate spot to set up, pre flight your gear and launch the kite. Again, feel free to ask one of our friendly locals for advice or assistance should you require it. You may be approached and questioned by a local safe kiter, as we have worked hard to keep this launch site safe and accessible for everyone. Our concern is safety and access, and unsafe kiters WILL be asked to leave.
Good idea to wear booties here, many foot injuries have happened here. There is a mucky bottom with a variety of things that will cut you. A good pair of booties is always cheaper than stitches!
In addition, Howard Park will be closed for a year due to contruction of the bridges sometime after Labor Day up to a year in closures. Expect more crowds from windsurfers to join in on the same spot from Howard Park. Follow the appropriate Right-of-way rules on the water, and launch downwind of any windsurfer.
Originally published on tbka.org forum. Recovered from the Internet Archive. View the archived original.