Tour stop suggestions needed - leaving OBX soon

tonyb · Mon Oct 17, 11 9:21 am **Tour stop suggestions needed - leaving OBX soon**

We're staying in OBX another few days as there is supposed to be good wind and waves on Wednesday (13', 10 seconds, 30 mph) and about the same on Thursday. Thinking of heading to Charleston, SC area on Friday then maybe a stop in Georgia before turning west towards SPI. We've had a couple of people tell us to stop at Destin, FL in between Pensacola and Panama City.

Any other suggestions of good kiting spots to hit on our way to SPI? We don't really want to go any farther south than Jacksonville, FL before turning west. Any spots around Charleston we should see? Georgia? Florida panhandle?

Thanks in advance!

Tony

pacifichigh · Since 11 May 2005 1004 Posts ATX Texan

Destin is pretty touristy, but the water is beautiful & crab island is a pretty wild party spot with hundreds of boats rafted up in shallow water on the weekends

The Flora-bama lounge on the Fl/Bama border (Gulf Shores) shows alot of what is right (or wrong depending on your perspective) with the dirty south.

From there you could hop on the Ferry to Dauphin Island Alabama.

Pepi · Mon Oct 17, 11 2:54 pm

I'd recommend contacting one of these shops for the lowdown on some good riding in that region :

- Bobby Nabors, at Liquid Surf and Sail in Ft Walton Beach ( basically right next to Destin) - http://www.liquidsurfandsail.com/index.cfm?pageid=17
**We've known Bobby for a while and he is a longtime local kiter and windsurfer in Fort Walton. He can give you some very good beta on the conditions and riding.
2nd Wind and Liquid have some history together.

OR

- Mark Rush, at Emerald Coast Kiteboarding is another possible contact possibly, but he is further east off the byway in Panama City. I go a ways back with Mark from the windsurfing days. Although, he may be down in the Keys at this time of year with his custom bodypainting business. Yup, bodypainting. Probably ain't nothing he hasn't seen Rolling Eyes

Mike D · Since 28 Apr 2011 195 Posts Hood River Stoked

the best spot down there is Okaloosa Island at Leeside Park. It's the island that connects Destin and Fort Walton beach. The bay side is flat shallow water for a couple miles down to crab island (where the party is). Ocean side is great for a short downwinder from the pier to the Destin pass. Waves are hit or miss on the gulf though. Liquid surf and sail and XL kites in Fort Walton are both good shops.

tonyb · Tue Oct 18, 11 6:53 am

Thanks for the info! Looking forward to our swing through Florida.

Still looking for some info on South Carolina and Georgia. May just have to go exploring. Looks like a lot of coastal islands and bays to check out.

Tony

dangler · Since 26 Feb 2006 1780 Posts WINDY SPOTS XTreme Poster

Stringer would have the info, if he's not out cruising on a nuclear sub.

cosmodog · Since 06 Oct 2005 204 Posts Stoked

BigR · Since 05 Jul 2005 372 Posts White Salmon Obsessed

Matanzas Inlet just south of Jacksonville is pretty awesome on an outgoing tide.

South Carolina the place to get the goods is @ Isle of Palms by Charleston.

Never been to Tybee Island in GA, but I heard it's fine.

The keys have been kicking it last few weeks, but if you can't get that far south
Orlando has some righteous cable parks and the Tampa bay area has probably
the most kiting spots in the entire state of FL

Have fun!

DownStream · Since 18 Apr 2007 381 Posts Obsessed

hello

tonyb · Tue Oct 18, 11 10:06 am

Got the call on the red tide yesterday so we're definitely going to monitor it and take our time going down the east coast. Had been thinking Nov 1 in SPI but it may be around the 15th now.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll be contacting the shops you all have recommended.

Tony