The Florida Keys & Key West
Surfing, Windsurfing, Kitesurfing and Catamaran in The Florida Keys & Key West
Find The Spot
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General Information
- Situated between the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Keys occupy a unique geographical location whose ocean breezes keep temperatures moderate year-round. Off nearly all the beaches throughout the islands, people are immersing themselves in the kiteboarding lifestyle - feeling the wind power riders for miles at heart-stopping speeds. Standup paddling appeals to many different people because it is a relatively simple, straightforward yet diverse activity, and the Florida Keys offers a well-rounded destination to learn, practice and perfect your skills. Use the board for surfing, traversing on a “downwinder” (riding the board with tradewinds at your back to cover long distances), as a fishing or diving platform, or just enjoying touring through the mangrove trees, along the beaches or in the backcountry flats in a noninvasive way.
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Beaches
- Warm, knee-deep water is ideal for launching and riding, heading out to deeper channels for popping jumps and steady, rideable wind carries kites from all directions. For an exhilarating rush over the seagrass flats, try a backcountry safari where kiters slip through estuaries past marine life. In the clear shallow waters of the Keys backcountry, students learn to pump up and fly the kite, steer the bar and attempt jumps, spins and other maneuvers on the board. Look for Anne's Beach, and offshore of Whale Harbor Marina, mile marker 83.4 oceanside in Islamorada for kiting action when the mph its 20 - there is also an offshore course for jumps and tricks. Otherside Boardsports meet their adrenaline junkies at the beach next door to Morada Bay Beach Cafe, mile marker 81.6. At Curry Hammock State Park in Marathon, mile marker 56.2 oceanside, 'boarders also launch right from the beach.
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Weather
- Common sense would dictate that daytime temperatures in the Florida Keys, the southernmost region of the continental United States, would average significantly higher than those in the nation's northern climes. Surprisingly, that assumption is incorrect. There are basically two seasons in the Keys - winter and summer, or "dry" and "wet." Winter brings day after day of short-sleeve weather and clear blue skies. In the summer, brief daily showers are the norm. Weather systems move swiftly in the tropics, so these showers are short and sweet, providing sudden shade from the summer sun. Visitors caught in downpours find that they dry rapidly when the bright sun reappears. Key West, the Keys' most far-flung island, boasts an average daytime high temperature of 81.9 degrees Fahrenheit. With similar readings for the entire island chain, the Keys are the perfect place to enjoy water recreation - scuba diving or snorkeling on the region's rare living coral reefs, water skiing, kayaking, sailing and offshore swimming - any time of year. During the late evening, when the temperature in Key West reaches its average low of 73 degrees Fahrenheit, the weather creates a climate conducive to celebrating into the wee hours in the city's streets. Although the Florida Keys summer features frequent but brief rain showers, the annual average rainfall of Key West is only 39.9 inches. Compared with 42.1 inches for New York City, 41.4 inches for Philadelphia and 41.5 inches for Boston, the subtropical Florida Keys average less rainfall than many northern cities. Thermometers and overcoats, therefore, don't seem to get much exercise in the Florida Keys. And that's a fact that visitors appear to find remarkably refreshing.
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Infrastructure
- Adding to the appeal of America's Caribbean islands are the varied and easy access - air, land and sea - available to reach the destination. Besides being a drive-to island destination in the U.S., the Florida Keys feature two commercial airports, fixed-base operators, rental car facilities, bus, shuttle, taxi and limousine services, public ferries and numerous anchorage outlets and full-service marinas. Marathon and Key West International airports provide convenient and quick access to all destinations in the Keys. Anyone who loves high adrenaline water sports will be perfectly at home in the Florida Keys. Whether you’re hooked on wind, wave or horsepower, there’s a sport for you – and if you’re a beginner, there’ll be teacher ready to provide instruction and tips. Kiteboarding in the Florida Keys has grown phenomenally in popularity in recent years, and in regions of the Keys - Islamorada, Marathon and Key West, mostly- you can take a course from a professional trainer in warm, knee-deep water ideal for launching and riding, with reliable winds that can keep you going for miles.