Live wind
Water & wetsuit
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About this spot
At the head of Howe Sound, an hour north of Vancouver, summer heating drives a strong southerly thermal up the fjord — often 15-30 knots on sunny afternoons from about May to September. Riders launch from the Spit, a man-made jetty at the river mouth, managed by a non-profit windsports society that runs access, a rescue boat and a day-pass or membership fee.
This is a cold-water, strong-current spot: the Squamish River pours glacial meltwater into the sound, so the water is cold even in August, and the outgoing current plus the wind can make self-rescue hard. Logs and debris drift down the river. It is generally seen as a spot for independent riders, not a first-lesson beach.
Northerly outflow winds in the cold season blow down the sound and out to open water — not a kite direction here. Check the society's current access rules and rescue hours before driving up.
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
- Depth
- Deep fjord water with river current
- Seabed
- sand, rocks
- Skill
- intermediate, expert
- Beginners
- Not for beginners — intermediate and up
- Wind range
- 14 kn – 32 kn
Access & parking
About 1 hour north of Vancouver on the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Squamish, then follow the road out to the Spit.
Parking: Parking near the Spit; access and day-pass rules set by the local windsports society.
Amenities
- Managed launch with rescue boat (fee)
- Shops, cafés and gear stores in Squamish
Needs local verification: Compiled in October 2026 from independent spot guides and the general descriptions of the local windsports society and schools. Launch access, membership or day-pass fees, seasonal openings and which school teaches where change from year to year, so everything here needs confirming on site and the coordinates are approximate, not verified launch points. Lessons at Squamish were not confirmed as suitable for first-timers, so it is marked intermediate and up. No verified live webcam was found, so the camera links open Windy's webcam search instead of a local feed.
Local hazards
- Very cold glacial water — full wetsuit even in summer
- Strong river and tidal current
- Floating logs and debris from the river
- Northerly winds blow down the sound — no-ride
- Rely on the society's rescue hours — don't ride outside them