Point Buckler Island Suisun Grizzly Bay Delta Pittsburg

[pointbucklerisland]

This summer groups now can do downwinders from Point Buckler Island to Sherman Island, Pittsburg or Spinner Island. The private island will be hosting limited weekends for kiters who want to experience something more like South Padre or Hatteras. The island is situated on the largest bay in the delta which itself offers amazing kiting. Spend a few hours kiting Grizzly Bay then take a 12-14 mile ride back to Sherman. For those who have been following, the city of Pittsburg is building a kitebaoard launch site at Riverview Park. Big wave area and saves you $5 bucks and 20 minutes from marin of SF to Sherman. Plus excellent food and bars within walking distance.

Point Buckler shuttle will usually leave from Pittsburg Marina. Special pick ups form Sherman can be arranged. Rumor has it a large kite shop and bar will be open soon in Pittsburg Marina so a new spot is evolving for the expert kiter.

www.PointBucklerIsland.com

[Ron]

Is there going to be a wind sensor installed?
Does it really save you time from SF? it looks like you have to go north of the delta.

I hope you ain't gonna make it something like realwatersports in Hatteras where you need to pay to launch or greenhat in LBI who charges $80 for a boat ride to the island. Kite is free all over the bay and on the coast...

I hope you'll find a way to make it work financially for you that's worth it for us kiters and charging use of land is just not compelling for me.

[pointbucklerisland]

PIttsburg has the most accurate wind sensor for the entire Delta at the marina. You can get it free on any of the sites. We are installing wind sensors at Point Buckler Island and Spinner Island. Sherman wind sensor is always fickle but if you read Pittsburg and Port Chicago you will get a real sense for the breeze since its futher upwind.

Yes you can kite free anywhere you like if theres access. But some like to kite remote locations an since Islands aren't cheap to buy and taking a boat to them isnt either Im sure a few bucks isnt a big deal for a fun day adventure. Hatteras is silly because you can just leave your car at one end and ride to another. No car access to these spots so a boat is the only way. A good 8 mile ride upwind from Pittsburg. And you want a boat to follow you downwind just in case.

I've kited this area for the last three years and its pretty cool. Sherman is sherman. This is just another option. The Pittbsurg park will be free and aside from a very expert launch its in the best wind and waves in the Delta. Much wider and lots more tide than Sherman too. Again no beginner spot as its a Jetty launch and always howling.

Just exposing folks to some new kite destinations closer than Sherman if you want a change of pace this summer. City of Pittsburg hope to have the park ramp built by June.

[CdoG]

I'm pretty sure some of us will just kite up there from shermen maybe
Take a brake at katoepia or not and then just head on up
I'm glad you opened this up
Good job

[pointbucklerisland]

Kiting up from Sherman would be a long haul 14 miles upwind even on a raceboard thats a tiring day:-) We saw a lot of guys at Spinner this summer thats 2 miles upwind from Sherman. Let me know if your headed up.

[CdoG]

14 ah I thought 8 hell 8 I might be able to do
But 14...... any way shermans so crowed now a days
Any help relieving that pressure is a godsend
maybe I just slog over from that new Pittsburgh launch and have a look see.....


still excited that you took the time and energy to do this!

[kingfisher]

Could do a down winder from Benica, stop for a brake. Then go the rest of the way to Sherman. Always wanted to do that. ( ? Now to find a ride home ? )

[stompdit]

I'm excited about the Pittsburgh launch. Is there any ride-able butter flat water around the island?

[pointbucklerisland]

Theres a number of excellent slicks just off Pittsburg. Glass flat and blowing. Spinner has the best off the end and you may have seen the videos of the boys there last summer. Buckler is an island so you can do the loop and hit the bottom side which is perfect glass everyday. Grizzly is a 4 mile wide bay roughly 4-6 feet deep. So its either flat and windy or small chop. The ride downwind is great as you pass between a few low islands and it goes from waves to slicks to waves. It gets really fun off Chips Island across from Pittsburg. Big waves and a place windsurfers hit in the late 80s' when you could launch from a field below McAvoys Marina. I woudl think a downwinder from Benecia would be great stop at Buckler then end at Sherman or Pittsburg.

I think in the future if you want to really get good kiting wthout the crowds you needs decent boat or jetski to get to these spots. We have a number of boats in our group and its been the only way to discover these places.

No one has done it yet but you can also kite the entire montezuma slough on a race board. You would rig up at Beldins Landing boat launch in Suisun and take the curvy river 12 miles to Spinner or Sherman. We looked at it all last summer and kept missing the window. Would be smart to have a support ski or boat for sure.

I kite every day during summer at these spots so let me know if your coming and I can help you find the best place for the wind and tide. I must always thank Bruce Spradley for teaching me to kite and exploring with me. He is a true pioneer and I am fortunate to call him a friend. Without him I would never have looked for these spots and ultimately bought them.

[pointbucklerisland]

Update: City of Pittsburg has announced the new kite ramp at Riverview park should be open by mid June. We tried to get a number of different designs approved but in the end they had to go with a full on concrete boat launch ramp for insurance purposes. So their will be a huge concrete ramp installed that cannot be used for anything other than kiting or supping or windsurfers. Pretty good deal so no more rock levee issues.

I plan to run the shuttle from Pittsburg to Point Buckler Island when the park opens. I've had a few inquiries and am excited to show kiters a new look of what real Delta kiting is like. I think its going to be called KiteLift.com.

John