Ponce Inlet / New Smyrna Kiteboarding

New Smyrna Side

Ponce Inlet is located South of Daytona Shores and backs up to the north side of New Smyrna. The inlet can be accessed from either side. The South side (New Smyrna side) has a better launch area and is more user friendly for kiteboarders. It can be accessed by driving on the beach ($5.00 for the day) and heading north. There is also a park on the north side of New Smyrna called Smyrna Dunes. It is open daily from Sunrise to sunset. Admission is $3.50 per vehicle, $1 per person for vehicles with more than eight passengers. If you park here you have to walk over a 1.5 mile long board walk and down the beach some. On the north side of the jetty is a large beach that opens up to the inlet. This is where you want to launch your kite. To get there, take S.R. A1A north to Flagler Avenue and turn left. Turn right on Peninsula Avenue and go north two miles.

Ponce Inlet Side

The north side of the inlet is near the largest Lighthouse in Florida. The Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station was completed in 1887 and was built when the area was known as Mosquito Inlet. This side is a little trickier to get to and the launch area is limited. There is a small park with parking and facilities on this side known as Lighthouse Point Park. The park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m and costs $3.50 per vehicle.

Directions: From Atlantic Avenue (A1A) in Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, or Daytona Beach Shores: Drive south on Atlantic Avenue to Dunlawton Avenue. Continue south another six miles to the stop sign at Beach Street in the city of Ponce Inlet. Turn west (right) on Beach Street. At the next stop sign turn left (south) on Peninsula Drive. In two blocks you will see the entrance of the Lighthouse on your left. Continue on and you will see the park entrance.

The inlet can offer some EPIC sessions. This spot is best on outgoing tides with an onshore wind. The opposing forces create an “upwind elevator” and add extra power to a relatively light wind. The Inlet water becomes butter flat in some sections during the outgoing tide with large waves on the outside. Just outside the mouth of the inlet, there is a large sand bar on the south side that holds BIG waves. It is just east of the south Jetty. This area is known as “Shark Shallows”. The north Jetty sticks out much farther than the south Jetty.

Shark Shallows

This is a Sandbar that breaks when it gets big. It is on the outside of the South Jetty. The waves can get really big out here and it usually too far out for surfers to paddle out. Lots of sharks in this area. Hence the name.

PRECAUTIONS: This inlet has a decent amount of boat traffic so keep an eye out for them. The north side launch area is very small and rocky. It is best to walk out into the water to launch your kite and watch out for people. There are a lot of sharks in this area so do not be surprised if the fishermen catch some big ones. The south side of the South Jetty and the north side of the North Jetty are very popular surf spots. Keep your distance from the surfers! Do not ride in the surfing areas.

WIND DIRECTIONS: E, ESE