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About this spot
Elbow Beach has the longest stretch of sand of any kite spot on the island and the widest working wind window: the school's own spot guide lists it for wind swinging from the east-north-east round to the south-west, and the independent spot guide has it working from the south-west to the north-east.
The water is the catch. Bermuda sits in a maze of reef the locals call boilers, and the spot guide describes the chop here as arriving 'from hundreds of directions at the same time', which makes riding fast or timing a jump hard. The riding area is too deep to stand, and the school's guide warns that if you are not a confident kiter you will not want to push out through the boilers to the open ocean swell.
Three reef heads sit about 30 m to the left of the public access staircase, some 20 m from the beach, and can be bare at low tide; the main reef system lies about 800 m out. In the summer months the beach fills with sunbathers, so launching, landing and riding near the shore need care — the school sends beginners and children to the more sheltered Somerset Long Bay instead when the wind is strong or the waves are big.
November to mid-April is the reliable season on the island. A Bermudian kiteboarder told the island newspaper that his ideal window is 18–25 knots of consistent wind, and that riding above 35 knots is possible with the right kite but not enjoyable; the same interview records that Bermuda has no recognised governing body or association for kiteboarding, so nobody checks standards before you launch.
3-day forecast
Speed / gusts in knots. Colour = rideability for this spot. Bottom row = recommended kite size for your weight — not recommended outside this spot's 14–32 kn range.
Conditions
- Water
- choppy, waves
- Depth
- Too deep to stand in the riding area
- Seabed
- sand, coral
- Skill
- intermediate, expert
- Beginners
- Not for beginners — intermediate and up
- Wind range
- 14 kn – 32 kn
Access & parking
South Shore Road, Southampton — concrete steps from the public access down to the sand.
Parking: Usually space on the public access road above the beach.
Amenities
- Island kite schools (Graykite, Island Winds) teach and hire here
- Public access with concrete steps and a short walk to the sand
- A port-a-potty only — carry your own water and shade
- Downwind runs south-west to Warwick Long Bay or Horseshoe Bay, with few exit points along the way
Needs local verification: Sources: https://bermuda.graykite.surf/bermuda-kite-spots/ (longest stretch of beach, most popular spot for wind ENE to SW, three reef heads 30 m left of the public staircase about 20 m from the beach and exposed at low tide, main reef ~800 m out, non-confident kiters should not push through the boilers, sunbathers in summer), https://www.bermudakitesurfing.com/spotguide (largest beach for kiting, works in the most wind directions, chop from hundreds of directions because of the boiler reefs, riding area too deep to stand, wind SW-NE, watch for swimmers in warmer months), https://www.royalgazette.com/other/article/20120601/be-sensible-when-kiteboarding-before-and-after-storms/ (a local kiteboarder's ideal window of 18-25 kt, 35+ kt possible but not enjoyable, and no recognised governing body for kiteboarding in Bermuda) and https://bermuda.graykite.surf/packages/kids-kitesurfing/ (Somerset Long Bay is the sheltered alternative to Elbow Beach when the wind is too strong or the waves too big). The beginner label is withheld on purpose: the school teaches on the island and this is its most popular beach, but its own pages send first-timers and children to the sheltered bay instead, and the spot guide warns non-confident riders about the reefs — confirm with the school where first lessons actually run. Coordinates are approximate. Water table: seatemperature.org Hamilton averages. Windy links are searches and maps, not verified local webcams.
Local hazards
- Boiler reefs — chop arriving from many directions at once, and the school advises against crossing them if you are not confident
- Three reef heads about 20 m from the beach, left of the public staircase, exposed at low tide
- Sunbathers and swimmers along the beach in summer — launch and land well clear of them
- Main reef system about 800 m offshore, with open ocean swell beyond it
- June to November is hurricane season — storms bring big surf and dangerous wind swings