Continent |
North America |
Country |
Florida (USA) |
Next Big City |
Pensacola, Ft Walton Beach |
Next Town |
Navarre |
Type: |
Ocean, Lagoon |
Rider Ability: |
Beginner, Intermediate, Expert |
Features: |
Shower, Toilet, Food, Parking |
Type: |
Shallow, Flat, Chop, Small wave |
Hazards: |
Reefs, None |
Quality: |
Crystal clear |
Best Tide: |
Tide independent |
This area is in the `Sound` or Intercoastal Water, a long, narrow (0.5-2 miles) wide body of water. Typically this water is flat, mild chop if very windy. Shallow waist deep out 100-500m for miles. Not unlike Pimlico sound in Hatteras.
Type: |
Sand |
Size: |
Big |
Hazards: |
None |
Beach Users: |
None |
Big, sandy beach on the ocean and sounds side. Sounds side lined with bamboo/reeds, no real kite hazards.
|
Spring:
|
Shorts, Shorty |
|
Summer:
|
Shorts |
|
Fall:
|
Shorts, Shorty |
|
Winter:
|
Shorty, Normal |
No wetsuit needed in summer, April to October. You can ride year round with a full suit in December to February.
Best Months: |
January, February, March, April, November, December |
Wind Type: |
Thermal, Frontal |
Best Direction: |
NE, SE, NW |
Main Direction: |
NE, SE, NW |
Winter winds are frontal in nature. Best NW, NE for the sound side, SE for the ocean side.
Transport |
Car |
|
Access
|
Short walk |
Take 98 from Pensacola or Ft. Walton Beach towards Navarre. Cross the Navarre bridge. Right (West) for 5-7 miles until you enter the national seashore. Once the road bears right you will see the Opal Beach recreation area, with a big pavilion gulf side and a smaller pavilion sound side.
Rules |
Zones, Time |
Opal Beach is part of the National Seashore. In the summertime, the National Seashore is off limits because of bird nesting (May through August).