Kitesurf spots in San Francisco

Point Emery, tucked just south of the Berkeley Marina on San Francisco Bay, is a small, no-nonsense thermal spot for experienced riders rather than a cruisy beginner beach. The water is choppy bay slop and the wind is almost always straight onshore from the west through northwest, so you need to be comfortable working upwind off a tight launch. The classic Bay thermal fires in summer afternoons, but it can be fickle, sometimes filling in around 2pm and then shutting off by late afternoon. A grassy park gives pleasant rigging space, yet the actual launch is cramped and best worked at low tide when there is more room and water over the rocks. It stays fairly quiet, drawing local experts who know the quirks. Hazards stack up here: rocks, current, fishing nets and anglers to avoid, plus the frontage road and Interstate 80 close behind, so kite control near shore is non-negotiable. Intermediate-to-advanced only.

Crissy Field is San Francisco's iconic kite arena, riding in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge inside the bay, a high-energy, world-class spot strictly for experienced riders. The water is a mix of flat patches and chop that builds with wind against tide. The predominant west to northwest sea breeze is strongest March through October, typically filling to a side-shore 15 to 22 knots in the mid-afternoon, around 3 to 5pm, but it is notoriously fluky and light on the inside from the launch out to Anita Rock before it picks up toward the channel. The sandy beach offers a workable launch, though the inside gustiness makes timing tricky. Powerful tidal currents sweep toward the bridge or Alcatraz rather than back to shore, so solid upwind riding, self-rescue and strong swimming are essential. It is a popular, social scene with regulars, but no place for beginners.

Sherman Island sits in the California Delta just south of Rio Vista, wedged between the wide, slow Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, and it is a powered-up freeride and freestyle spot with a strong, well-organized windsport community. The wind is the headline: thermal Delta breezes from the SW, WSW and W fill in hard whenever the coast fogs over and the inland valley bakes, running consistently through the May-to-August summer, often in the low 20s mph and spiking into the high 20s and low 30s on cool-down days. The water is mixed and tidal, fresh and muddy, and on a strong ebb it stacks into steep, waist-high chop. The park has a sandy launch with room to rig, but the powerful, gusty conditions and current make this a spot best treated as intermediate-to-advanced despite its all-levels billing. It gets busy with kiters, windsurfers and wingers on classic windy days, so know the local launch rules and right of way. Hazards include rocks, the chop and strong tidal current, so respect the river and rig conservatively.