Great new spot in Napa

The Skier · Post by **The Skier** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:32 pm

So here is the deal. To get there from hwy 29 take 121 left on cutting wharf road, right on los amigos, that turns in to milton i think and then go all the way to the end. Park and walk 50 feet to your right and start setting up your stuff. I would recoment booties as the bottom is all silt mud. Use the napa airport wind reading as a guide for out there. It is a little windier than what that reads out there. Have fun and hit me up if you are headed otu there.

Proparoo · Post by **Proparoo** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 6:04 pm

Hay Joey,

I can find the place on Google Maps but I know we would all like to know more about the actual launch / location...

The Skier · Post by **The Skier** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 6:32 pm

Ok so the launch is very flat, the ground is silty dirt, the day I was there it was side off shore wind from the SW. You can get out of the water pretty much anywhere down wind and walk back on a trail that goes around the water. There is a dip in the ground that makes a good spot to self land. The place will probably be best on South to west winds. The water is a little funky but not too bad, a little moss here and there, but not too salty. The day I was there I was a little under powered and didn't have time to put up a different kite but the wind seemed really consistant. Hope that helps.

average_male · Post by **average_male** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:07 pm

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?f=q&hl=e ... &z=13&om=1

Google Map of 'Milton Road' Napa

Bulldog · Post by **Bulldog** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 7:55 pm

One important thing about this site -- it's illegal to kite there. It's a wildlife preserve, or at least that's what the ranger who walked up while I was pumping my kite told me.

Another possibility, though, would be to use the beach at the spot to launch your kite, then walk over to the slough on the other side of the levee and kite out to the Napa River, which is just a few hundred feet away. There's no place to launch along the river, but the launch spot The Skier describes is reasonably big, and it's an easy walk over the levee. The river was whitecapping while I was out there, but I decided I would want a buddy with me before I went out exploring. I'm not sure how you would get back if you had a gear malfunction.

4winds · Post by **4winds** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 7:29 am

Bummer. Are you sure it wasn't a windsurfer in disguise?

The Skier · Post by **The Skier** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 4:43 pm

Sorry about that Paul. I read all the signs and all they said was no fishing and no hunting. Never seen one of my fins slice open a fish but I guess it could happen. The spot had the makings of being the best flat water spot this side of South Padre Island though. Not too mention the best launch in the bay besides Alameda.

yojimbo · Post by **yojimbo** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 6:31 pm

I had been sailing this spot until recently. A fish and game warden kicked me out about a month ago.

Expect to have your equipment confiscated and be prepared to pay a fine if you are caught sailing this spot. I can forsee Fish and Game closing this spot off with fencing if people start showing up to kite.

Having said this, it is a great pity that this spot is not legal. There are about 10-12 ponds in this area, all with different levels of water quality.
These ponds were once used to harvest salt, they would be flooded with water from the bay, and then allowed to dry out.

The land was turned over to the state. Fish and Game is currently working to improve the water quality in these ponds by building aqueducts, and pumps. Each one of these ponds could be used for kitesurfing or windsurfing.

I have spoken with several Fish and Game wardens and biologists within the past year and have not had any luck in getting them to budge. I am hoping that someone out there has a connection, or potential game plan on how to get Fish and Game to change their mind.

The particular pond brought up in this thread is unusual in that there is no hunting or fishing allowed. This is not the case with the other ponds. You can kill the wildlife, but you cannot kite on the water. These ponds are also in the direct flight path of the Napa County Airport, so jets, prop-planes, and helicopters are constantly flying over these ponds.

Please speak up if you have any leads or ideas-this area is a goldmine of potential spots.

Bulldog · Post by **Bulldog** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 7:20 pm

What I don't understand is that Sherman Island is also a F&G protected area, but somehow we are allowed to kite THERE. Maybe it depends on the "wildlife" in question. The day that I kited at the Napa spot there wasn't a single bird on it. I could see that a bunch of kiters might disturb nesting birds, but plenty of state lands have restrictions just during nesting season.

(Please don't interpret this comment as a suggestion that any state bureaucracy might operate on a rational basis...)

What we need is some high-profile politician to take up kiting. Anyone know Arnold personally?

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Great new spot in Napa

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