Windsurfing near Bird Key
- Lido Beach (3 km)
- Siesta Beach (7 km)
- Ft Desoto East (37 km)
- Sunshine Skyway (38 km)
- North Beach, Ft. Desoto (39 km)
The favorite Sarasota Bay Sailing spot if the wind is not offshore (E to S) when folks move to Ken Thompson Park. Parking is close to the water. Formula Boards need to know where the shallow spots are, but can get out to the open bay even in very low tides. Winds with Easterly component are typically gusty. NW winds come straight down the bay, so are generally very good, but produce more chop. If you can sail upwind, out into the main part of the bay some nice rollers can be found.
Weekday Afternoon Seabreezes can provide nearly perfect conditions for beginners, as there will few Powerboats to disturb flat water, and the breeze is often gentle and consistent.
Check the Mote Marine site (Mote.org) http://tempo3.mote.org/weather/newpass/Newpass_Weather.html or Iwindsurf's Sarasota Bay station (same sensor) for pretty good idea of the wind.