Hey guys this is Juan Carlos from 15 Knots Kiteboarding School. Since I started kitesurfing in Puerto Rico back in 1998, I have been traveling and exploring the island looking for epic kiteboarding and kitesurfing conditions. In May of 2011, 15 Knots conducted the Puerto Rico Pro Kiteboarding tour featuring 6 professional riders at some of these spots. You can see more about it here:
http://www.15knots.com/2011/05/pro-kite ... erto-rico/
Here is your guide for you next Kiteboarding-kitesurfing trip-vacation to Puerto Rico:
When to come:
December through April - side to side on shore wind conditions range from 15 - 25 knots. Wind is steady to light gusts. This is the best season for kite surfing on waves and you can also ride flatter water depending on the day.
June through August - side to side on shore wind conditions range from 15 - 30 knots. Wind is steady to gusty. This is the best season for freeriding and freestyle on nice and strong winds.
If you decide to visit during May, September, October and November, know that the wind is not very consistent during these months. You will need to go to
http://www.windalert.com and analyze the puerto rico mad and wind meters to identify where the is wind in the island. Get on your car, and go after it.
Where to go:
If you are looking to learn the sport and freeriding, the best spots are in Cafe La Plage in Isla verde and Ocean Park. There is a cool ambiance on both beaches. Isla Verde is visited mostly by families and young professionals while Ocean Park has more of a younger crowd. During weekdays, both beaches are pretty relaxed while on the weekends they can get a bit busy. Cafe La Plage has live DJ's every weekend and a free air compressor to inflate your kites as well as kiteboarding rentals.
You can find flat water in the east near Luquillo and Rio Grande, or in the south in La Parguera. The main difference is that you need to drive about 2.5 hours to get to La Parguera from San Juan and need a boat to get to the mangroves. If you want to avoid the drive and boat logistic, you can take a trip to any of these spots in the east. That would be a 25-30 minute drive.
If you are looking for waves, you can find an outer reef that goes from Isla Verde to Condado about 1/4 - 1/2 mile offshore or you can go to the west towards Isabela, Aguadilla and Rincón. I recommend Montones and Shack's beach in Isabela. Surfer's beach in Aguadilla and Sandy beach in Rincón. Waves go from knee high to over head in any of these spots during the wave season.
There is
no a need for a wetsuit, we are in the Caribbean...
Renting Kitesurfing equipment
If you are looking to rent kiteboarding equipment, we offer hourly, daily and weekly rentals of Cabrinha kites, boards and harnesses. We also have some directionals and surfboards for those looking to ride waves. More information here:
http://www.15knots.com/rentals/
Rules and regulations
Local kiteboarders enforce common kiteboarding safety protocols in every spot. You can kiteboard anywhere safe as long as you don't put yourself or anyone else in danger. Swimming areas marked by buoys are prohibited to ride on but you can body drag through in order to get to the outside and from there you can ride at a safe distance.
Questions
If you need some suggestions and guidance of what to do, feel free to contact me at 787-215-5667 and I'll be more than happy to assist you.
http://www.15knots.com