Was doing a bit of research about winter boarding in Bay Area and I ran across this great article on winter bay area kiteboarding... Here are some highlights:

"The ebb tide can be scarier, as there is a chance you may get washed outside the Golden Gate Bridge into open ocean."

"The wind on the inside close to the launch area can completely shut down, and swimming the last 400 feet is not uncommon."

"Your best option is to try make it inside the old lifeguard station pier below Fort Point, or hope the Coast Guard picks you up, which leads to the “drop-off of shame” at Crissy Field beach. Other hazards at Fort Point include big wind holes below the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge and inside Fort Point, and surfers who are not very happy to see kitesufers riding “their” waves."

" winds can go from a manageable 25 knots to a scary 40 knots or more in less than 5 minutes."

" Alameda is another south wind spot, where south winds cross 13-miles of bay water generating three-foot chop combined with potentially strong and gusty onshore conditions, better suited for experienced riders."

Soooo... from a relatively experienced kiteboarder with his own gear (and 3 total days on the water), should I even bother?

Sounds scary Dave, ... I'd wait til JIBE

NO! sketchy spots are for experts,,and its still sketchy! even for experts, locals who know whats happening can squeeze out a sketchy sessions but don't follow. skip the potential tragedy wait for a good spot where you can focus on learning , not struggle then end up swimming for ur life.

if a buddy(pro) is gonna do a real fully monitored lesson then go for it...he'll have to fish u out...but any decent teacher would not present peril to a newbie student even with some skill.

Don't bother. Everyone here in the bay area goes to Baja this time of year for better conditions. I have kited Crissy Field GG Bridge 3 times and it is for experienced kiters even in the normal seasons of Spring and Summer. In addition to the hazzards noted above there is ship traffic that cannot stop for you.

Cool. Thanks for the feedback. I'm going to skip it for now and hit up some snow kiting instead.

i've taught kitesurfing for over 10 years in over a dozen locations. My opinion is that the more ideal the locatio the faster you will learn and the more fun you will have...and the safer you will be.

My top choices in the USA for teaching are South Padre Island, the Outer Banks (NC), St. Pete FL, the FL Keys.

The reason these spots work so well is because they offer a good combination of conditions to learn in...specifically : flat water, minimal currents, no waves, warm water, large expanses of shallow water, easy access, reliable winds, multiple choices of spots that work in varying wind directions.

In some case, like in the Keys, a boat or PWC is essential. For a lesson you are best advised to connect with an established school that has good instructors and good equipment. Given that you already fly kites well on land you should be riding in 1-2 days easily.

Since you live in CO the first logical choice would be SPI TX. I would get in touch with Jeff Hoxtell at Air Padre for top quality instruction. Keep in mind that all spots have their windy season so you need to adjust your travel dates as much as possible to maximize your chance of good wind.

In the meantime snowkiting is definitely a GREAT way to simulate kitesurfing, and if you have those basic skills it will accelerate your learning curve on the water even more. In fact I wish all of mys students had a chance to snowkite before trying on the water because it is such a huge advantage.

If you do get out on the water perhaps the most important things to learn are the water safety protocols and if you have a good instructor he will drill you on those skills in addition to riding skills.


good luck

Defo hit up Leo when you are out there, even for just a drink. Super cool dude, happy to talk kites, and engineering!