Visiting California

[Jarno]

Hello boys and girls!

My name is Jarno, 27 and I'm a kiteboarder from Holland going to visit California. I will be landing with a plane in SF on October the first and leaving from SF on October the 25th. In between me and my girlfriend will travel down to LA and back in a small rental car.

I am planning to bring one of my kites (OR Rise 10m2), bar, harnass and wetsuit, but leave my board at home since it is such a hassle in the plane and car.

Our trip will not be a kitesurf-trip but more a real siteseeing/kiteboarding/relaxing trip, so I am not going to be kiteboarding all day every day. So, I would like to visit some great Californai kitesurf spots for the days I will be kiteing.

Can you give me any advice on where to go and on board rental / californian-kitesurfers-willing-to-loan-a-board-for-a-few-hours kindness?

Ofcourse any advice on hostels, where to stay, available couches, partys, where not to go's and so on are more than welcome as well!

Kind regards,

Jarno

[adamrod]

Hi Jarno,

Unfortunately, our season is almost over here. Windy season is maybe April to September..by late october we only get wind maybe once or twice a week if lucky.

likely you can find someone to borrow a board from if it's windy and you go to a popular spot (like 3rd ave) though

[rvv]

Send me a PM when you get closer. I am also dutch and would be happy to show you around :)

[Jarno]

Thanks for your replies!

Well, since I am not on a kite-only trip I will be happy to kitesurf once a week and surf some waves (classic, exhausting, paddle out style) once a week as well.

I think I will hope for the best and bring my kite anyway and see if I'll find myself in a right spot at the right time :-)

Would you say some spots will give me better luck than others? Maybe the bayarea will be a little less windy compared to the shorebeach area?

[consumer]

You'll definitely have to check multiple spots to have the best chance to ride. I think people like to say that each spot is a microcosm. Wind direction and strength will dictate the number of spots that are ridable.

I would say that your best bets on a

prefrontal/frontal(southerly)- Alameda or Half moon bay ( if more east?)

Clearing( northerly)- if strong nearly anywhere on the coast with a clean shot given wins dir. Waddell is most reliable with OCean beach, dillon beach following. 3rd may also be very reliable but I haven't tried it on a clearing. Alameda can also be good if it's strong.

Westerly: probably rare but east bay might fire W/NW( if there is some clearing in it). You may also get the delta and alameda.

This may be useless