Kiteworld Magazine | The original international kitesurfing magazine

Good for: Casual kite life over a long season with the bright lights of Miami within reach!

The Lure

Just north of Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach enjoys a season that can be up to ten months long with November through to March / April being the peak months. The warm weather, 60 miles of beautiful sandy beaches and reasonably close proximity to the beautiful Florida Keys (less than two hours away) make this one of the top kiting locations on the US east coast. The conditions are also ideal for beginners and the local school, Epic Adventures, have their own private beach to teach at.

The Setup

Protective sand bars provide flat water close to the beach at Pompano and you can score some decent wave riding out on the reef in winter. Throughout the year the wind can blow from all directions, but as Pompano Beach is wide and unobstructed it works in a range of wind-angles and this long coastline is fantastic for downwinders. Epic Adventures can guide you on some awesome excursions and they also recently led a group that included Cabrinha pro-rider Damien Leroy on the first ever crossing from mainland USA to the Bahamas by foil - a distance of 63 miles!

WIND, WEATHER & WATER

The strongest winds come through in winter from October to February, especially if a tropical cyclone is sitting offshore, and this time of year is also when the best waves can be found from October to January. The wind can be light in early and late season but, if you’ve got a foil or a big kite, you’ll be flying, and the rest of the time you can expect to be out on anything from eight to 12 metre kites.

Water temps range from 28 - 30°C / 82 - 86°F in the summer to 20 - 23°C / 68 - 73°F at their lowest in February. Simply ride in boardies / bikinis during the summer months but a spring suit is a good option to have in winter, particularly for longer sessions. The only thing to be aware of are the odd man o’ war jellyfish in the area.

The air temperature rarely drops below 16°C / 60°F and goes up to 32°C / 90°F in summer. At night things cools off a little, but the most you’ll need is a light hoodie / jacket and jeans throughout the year.

Schools

EPIC ADVENTURES teach all levels in private 1:1 sessions with group lessons available on request. Gear rental is available and Epic stock equipment from all of the major brands. They can also guide you around local spots, organise downwinders and retreats and can organise a local filmer or photographer to document your session!

www.epicadventuresfl.com / info@epicadventuresfl.com / +1 954 675 1695

STEP 1: BEGINNER GROUND SCHOOL KITEBOARDING LESSON

Your first class covers:

Kite dynamics / Launching / Landing / Kite introduction / Safety features / Wind orientation / Wind window / Equipment setup / Kite flying / Relaunching / and more...

STEP 2: BEGINNER WATER LESSONS

This is your second step to becoming a proficient kiteboarder. Most students are getting up on the board within 3-6 hours

Water Lessons include:

Body dragging / Water relaunch / In water kite control / Board control / Power stroking / Self rescue / Riding technique / and more...

Beach to beginner water lessons with Epic / Photos: Epic Adventures

BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE LESSONS (HOURLY RATE)

Now the real fun begins! Time to learn some new skills and tricks! (Or polish up some rusty ones)

Transitions (carving, switch, toeside, etc) / Load & Pop / Edging upwind / Jumping (more importantly LANDING!) / Backroll / Jump Transitions / Frontroll / Jumping with grabs / Adding Style / and much more...

ADVANCED LESSONS TRICKS AND JUMPS (HOURLY RATE)

Let your imagination run WILD!

Kiteloops / Downloops / Unhooked tricks / Darkslides / Hand drags / Surf transitions / and more...

Intermediate - Advance lessons with Epic / Photos: Epic Adventures

Accommodation

This part of Florida is popular with holiday goers so there’s a lot of accommodation on offer, with everything from motels to five star hotels and Airbnb properties to suit all budgets.

OFF THE WATER

Nightlife in Pompano Beach itself is pretty quiet, but head into Fort Lauderdale and you’ll find plenty of nightclubs and bars just a 15 - 20 minute taxi ride away. Venture a little further and you’ll be in Miami where the action really steps up after dark!

Kayaking, SUPing, fishing, jet-ski hire, wakeboarding and cable park sessions (just six miles away in Deerfield Beach) are all popular here. If you’re looking for some stuff to do on dry land then Cape Canaveral and the theme parks of Orlando are just a couple of hours drive away. Of course Miami is one of the most vibrant cities in the world and just a 40 minute drive south.

Get Around

Transportation is plentiful with Ubers, taxis and rental cars all being easy to come by.

Currency

US Dollar - USD$

Food & Drink

There are countless places to eat around Pompano Beach and in nearby Fort Lauderdale, from top-end restaurants to fast-food joints and everything else in between. If you’re self-catering there are also plenty of good supermarkets.

Airport

Fly into Miami International (MIA) which is 40 minutes away or Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport (FLL) which is even closer. You can find rental cars at each of them and local transport links are good.

Pompano Beach | Florida

Choice Rating

When to go

Useful Contacts

The Lure

The Setup

WIND, WEATHER & WATER

Schools

Accommodation

OFF THE WATER

Get Around

Currency

Food & Drink

Airport

Choice Rating

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