Kiteboarder airborne off Fort De Soto, Sunshine Skyway behind

Aerial view of Fort De Soto Park's keys, mangroves and Gulf shore

South Beach and the Gulf shoreline at Fort De Soto

The long white-sand beach at Fort De Soto Park

Sunset over the Gulf from North Beach, Fort De Soto

Black skimmers and royal terns resting on the sand at Fort De Soto

Chapters / Gulf Coast Open, 1 of 1 remaining

Ride Fort De Soto, keep it open

Five keys at the mouth of Tampa Bay, with a launch for almost every wind. Fort De Soto is where Tampa Bay riders go when a winter front comes through, and where the rules are enforced.

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29 riders call this homeKite, WingFort de Soto

Everything you need to know about Fort De Soto

Live conditions

Why riders love it

What brings people here, from the people who manage it and the people who ride it.

East Beach works in NE through SW winds, with shallow, flat water over grass flats inside the sandbar. High tide gives about 2–4 ft; low tide can be too shallow to ride.
North Beach works in N, NW, W and SW winds and is the winter spot when fronts bring north wind. East winds there are gusty and not rideable.
Big Beach, between the Gulf Pier and North Beach, works in SW through NW winds and is usually the least crowded.

Sources: Kiteboarding Florida; Elite Watersports

See the wind right now

Access and rules

Each site sets its own rules. The chapter publishes confirmed rules as each site answers in writing, and points riders to the official page before they go.

Kite only in designated areas. Kiting is not allowed in the North Beach lagoon or inside the marker buoys, and kites must stay clear of swim areas.
In 2020 the county banned all watercraft from the North Beach lagoon after close calls between swimmers and vessels.
The park is open 7 a.m. to sunset. Parking is $6.

Sources: Kiteboarding Florida; St. Pete Catalyst; Pinellas County

Help hold the launch

Ecology and habitat

Stewardship rotates across the city's spots, so riders are known as the people who look after them.

More than 328 bird species have been recorded in the park.
Loggerhead sea turtles nest on the beach from April through September.
Don't walk through the mangroves with a kite in the air.

Sources: Pinellas County; Kiteboarding Florida

Fund stewardship here

Good to know

Location, facilities and history.

Fort De Soto Park is at 3500 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, south of St. Petersburg.
It covers 1,136 acres across five interconnected keys, the largest park in the Pinellas County system.
The drive in follows the Pinellas Bayway, which has tolls on the way.
The bottom can be mucky with sharp objects; booties are recommended.
Crab trap buoys and swim markers can snag lines during stone crab season.
Elite Watersports in St. Petersburg runs kite and wing lessons in the area.

Sources: Kiteboarding Florida; Elite Watersports; Pinellas County; Elite Watersports

Meet the riders

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Schools that teach on this water

Elite Watersports

Fort De Soto

Three launches, three wind windows: East, North and Big Beach.

Source: Kiteboarding Florida

Know the spot

Fort De Soto

Inside the East Beach sandbar, high tide gives 2–4 ft of warm, flat water.

Source: Kiteboarding Florida

Know the spot

Fort De Soto

Fort De Soto spans 1,136 acres across five interconnected keys.

Source: Pinellas County

Know the spot

Why Fort De Soto needs a chapter

Gulf Coast

Fort De Soto sits where Tampa Bay meets the Gulf, and almost every wind direction works somewhere in the park. In winter, north winds behind cold fronts line up with North Beach; in other directions riders move to East Beach or Big Beach.

29riders call this home

1local schools teach on this water

Kite, Wingdisciplines riding here

Fort De Soto chapter, World Wind Sports

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Gulf Coast

It is also Pinellas County's largest park, full of swimmers, families, anglers and nesting birds. The county has already closed the North Beach lagoon to watercraft after close calls with swimmers, and rangers enforce the kite rules strictly. Access here depends on riders keeping to them.

29riders call this home

1local schools teach on this water

Kite, Wingdisciplines riding here

Fort De Soto chapter, World Wind Sports

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Gulf Coast

A chapter gives Fort De Soto's riders one voice with the county, keeps newcomers trained before they reach crowded beaches, and shows through stewardship that kiters help look after the park rather than add to its problems.

29riders call this home

1local schools teach on this water

Kite, Wingdisciplines riding here

Fort De Soto chapter, World Wind Sports

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Photographer credits Back this chapter

The riders, schools and crew of Fort De Soto

Riders from Tierra Verde, St Petersburg, FL, St. Pete Beach, Gulfport, Treasure Island, Seminole, Largo, Clearwater, Clearwater Beach, Tampa, Apollo Beach, Bradenton, Palmetto and the schools that teach them.

See the rider directory Talk on the board

EElite WatersportsLocal school teaching on this waterWWSThe chapterHolds the line on access: one standing voice with whoever manages the launch.WWSThe chapterRuns stewardship days, so the people who manage the beach see riders as an asset.WWSThe chapterRuns sponsored certification weekends, so riders are trained and self-policing.EElite WatersportsLocal school teaching on this waterWWSThe chapterHolds the line on access: one standing voice with whoever manages the launch.WWSThe chapterRuns stewardship days, so the people who manage the beach see riders as an asset.WWSThe chapterRuns sponsored certification weekends, so riders are trained and self-policing.

Michael TiedemannInstructor Level 2, Clearwater

Alvaro CabreraAssistant, Tampa

Amira HelmyLevel 2I, Largo

Christoph Chris_McKiteLevel 4T, Largo

Jason JeffreyLevel 3L, TAMPA

Starr ParsonsLevel 4Y, Palmetto

Cynthia DerbyLevel 3L, Clearwater Beach

Noah DeBickeroLevel 3N, Treasure Island

Daniel FanningLevel 2I, Tampa

Christopher RickardLevel 2I, Tampa

Gavin RickardLevel 2I, Tampa

Eddy CondeLevel 3J, Tampa

Thano MazasLevel 3K, Clearwater

Herbert jamesLevel 4Q, treasure island

Anthony SmartLevel 2I, Tampa

Emily HardgroveLevel 1E, Tampa

Paulina skladzienLevel 2I, Seminole

Dan Soviero SovieroLevel 3L, Tampa

Stef van GenugtenCertified rider, TampaLLucie LuuLevel 3N, Apollo BeachWWilliam WhaleyLevel 4O, BradentonMMaddy FreshwaterLevel 2H, BradentonCChristian Du MontLevel 3N, St Petersburg, FLMMark HamiltonLevel 3L, Apollo BeachBBradly WaldronLevel 3J, CLEARWATERPPriscila MontgomeryLevel 3J, TampaTTimothy BrinkLevel 2I, TampaTTimothy James SmithLevel 3N, PalmettoBBrian FenstermacherCertified rider, Tampa

Michael TiedemannInstructor Level 2, Clearwater

Alvaro CabreraAssistant, Tampa

Amira HelmyLevel 2I, Largo

Christoph Chris_McKiteLevel 4T, Largo

Jason JeffreyLevel 3L, TAMPA

Starr ParsonsLevel 4Y, Palmetto

Cynthia DerbyLevel 3L, Clearwater Beach

Noah DeBickeroLevel 3N, Treasure Island

Daniel FanningLevel 2I, Tampa

Christopher RickardLevel 2I, Tampa

Gavin RickardLevel 2I, Tampa

Eddy CondeLevel 3J, Tampa

Thano MazasLevel 3K, Clearwater

Herbert jamesLevel 4Q, treasure island

Anthony SmartLevel 2I, Tampa

Emily HardgroveLevel 1E, Tampa

Paulina skladzienLevel 2I, Seminole

Dan Soviero SovieroLevel 3L, Tampa

iSportsKite, WingiWind spotFort de SotoiKnow thisFort De Soto Park, Tierra Verde, Florida: five keys at the mouth of Tampa Bay.iKnow thisThree launches: East Beach for NE–SW, North Beach for N–SW, Big Beach for SW–NW.iKnow thisKite only in designated areas; North Beach lagoon and swim zones are off limits.iSportsKite, WingiWind spotFort de SotoiKnow thisFort De Soto Park, Tierra Verde, Florida: five keys at the mouth of Tampa Bay.iKnow thisThree launches: East Beach for NE–SW, North Beach for N–SW, Big Beach for SW–NW.iKnow thisKite only in designated areas; North Beach lagoon and swim zones are off limits.

Live conditions

Wind right now at Fort De Soto

Full forecast

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Your gift keeps the chapter running and the beach cared for: cleanup supplies, signage, certification weekends and the costs of being the group the park can call.

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