Kite spot on water · United States

Purdy

Name: Purdy
Address: US

Riders have kited it in SW, W. Best in SW.

Show on the map47.4037, -122.6274

Works in: SW, W
Best: SW
Nearest airport: TIWTacoma Narrows Airport, 16 km

Forecast and webcams

Before you go

Forecasts often disagree. When Windguru, ALADIN and Windy agree, it is worth going.

Tips for this spot

Offshore wind carries you away from land. Do not ride it without a rescue boat.
When a storm is coming, get out of the water and land the kite at once. Gusts before a storm are violent and a kite overhead is the highest point around.
New spot: ask locals about shallows, currents and where people launch.

On site

Wind and riding area

bestworksno reports

Direction the wind blows from. Based on riders' experience, not a forecast.

riding areaPparking

From riders

What you need to know

Size of the area: There is plenty of space at low tide.

Watch out for

At high tide, the road and power lines are closer to the launch.community map

Where to launch

Launch is on a mix of sand and rocks, with plenty of space at low tide.community map

Parking

Car park about 600 m from the spot.OpenStreetMap

Getting there

From I-5 via Tacoma (38th Street/Hwy 16 exit), across the Narrows Bridge, 10 miles north to the Wauna exit, left at the traffic light, and 1 mile across the bridge to the post office.community map

Conditions

Works on post-frontal clearing and a W gradient of at least 2 mbar between Bremerton and the coast (Forks, Hoquiam, Astoria, Portland).community map
Safe spot - if you drift downwind you end up at the end of the bay, not in the open sea.community map
At low tide, the bay is shallow far offshore, good for body dragging.community map
Best on an outgoing tide flowing against the wind.community map

Riders' tips

Good option when the Puget Sound Convergence Zone sets up over the Seattle area.community map

In riders' own words

„West winds and southwest "clearing winds" are what you want to make the Purdy Spit work.“
„Best Wind Direction(s) South Westerlies“
„At low tide there is a lot of room“
„The lauch is simailar to Richmond Beach with a mixture of sand and rocks. At low tide there is a lot of room“
„OpenStreetMap way/1413423311“
„Head north about 10 miles to the Wauna exit and go right... Take a left at the stop light and travel 1 mile over the bridge to the little post office.“
„At hight tide the road and power lines are closer to the launch so be carefull!“
„At low tide there is a lot of room and the bay is quite shallow for a ways out making for a good body dragging location.“
„It is most fun on an outgoing tide, which opposes the wind and often has sunshine to go with the clearing.“
„If you end up being blown downwind you will end up at the end of the bay instead of "out to sea".“
„Purdy usually blows if there is a 2 millibar (.06") or greater westerly gradient between Bremerton and at least two to the following“
„This is the place to be (or the Straits; Cline Spit, North Beach, or Ediz Hook) when the dreaded convergence zone sets in over Seattle area sites.“

Wind by month

When it blows

Average wind speed 10 m above ground from NASA POWER (MERRA-2, 2001–2025). The model works on a grid of roughly 50 km; on hills and by the water the wind is often stronger and gustier.

4.7Jan2.4

4.4Feb2.3

4.8Mar2.5

4.1Apr2.1

3.4May1.7

3.2Jun1.6

2.9Jul1.5

3.1Aug1.6

3.5Sep1.8

4.1Oct2.1

4.8Nov2.5

4.7Dec2.4

windiest monthsaverage wind in knots, NASA POWER; below the month in m/s

Values by month

January	4.7 knots · 2.4 m/s
February	4.4 knots · 2.3 m/s
March	4.8 knots · 2.5 m/s
April	4.1 knots · 2.1 m/s
May	3.4 knots · 1.7 m/s
June	3.2 knots · 1.6 m/s
July	2.9 knots · 1.5 m/s
August	3.1 knots · 1.6 m/s
September	3.5 knots · 1.8 m/s
October	4.1 knots · 2.1 m/s
November	4.8 knots · 2.5 m/s
December	4.7 knots · 2.4 m/s

Nearby

More spots within 60 km

Been there?

Add what you know

Parking changed, a new ban, a new obstacle in the water? Tell us, we will check it and update the page.

Sources: Community map “USA NW Kite Spots” (Google My Maps). Wind NASA POWER, airports OurAirports, photos Wikimedia Commons (author and licence with each photo). As of 17 October 2026. These are riders' reports; local rules change, so look around before you ride and follow local signs.