Kiteboarding at Pompano Beach’s 16th Street: Know the Spot Before You Launch
Header image is an illustration, not a launch-location map or a depiction of the designated NE 16th Street teaching area.
There is a lot to love about a beach session in Pompano: ocean air, a horizon full of possibilities, and a community that comes together around wind and water. But enjoying a spot starts with understanding it.
At EPIC Adventures, we want visitors to leave with more than a good photo. We want them to understand the beach, respect the people sharing it, and make better decisions on the water.
Start with the designated launch area
NE 16th Street is one of Pompano Beach’s designated launch locations. The city also identifies NE 13th Street for launching kiteboards and other specified nonmotorized craft. City guidance requires riders to remain 100 yards off the public beach; the ordinance provides access through the designated launch areas for entering and leaving the water. [1][2]
That does not make the surrounding swimming beach an unrestricted riding area. Read the current signs, identify the launch and landing corridor, and confirm local instructions before setting up. Keep the access clear and do not interfere with bathers. An online guide cannot replace the instructions posted on the day you visit.
Before putting a kite in the air, know where you will enter, where you will return, and what you will do if you cannot hold your position upwind. If those answers are unclear, get a local briefing first.
What to look out for
Wind direction and gusts. The average number on an app is only part of the decision. Assess where the wind would carry you after a mistake, how much it is changing, and whether there is enough room to respond. An offshore breeze is not a beginner lesson opportunity simply because the water looks smooth.
Shorebreak. Look at how waves are breaking where you plan to enter and exit. Waves breaking directly on the beach can make both difficult. NOAA identifies shorebreak as a beach hazard. [3]
Currents. Watch how water and floating objects move, and consider whether you could return safely without relying on the kite. Rip currents and currents running along the beach can move people into trouble. The National Weather Service warns that inlets can have strong tidal currents that carry swimmers toward obstacles or out to sea. [4]
The inlet and boat traffic. Hillsboro Inlet is a working navigation area, not an extension of a beginner practice zone. Keep your session away from the channel, jetties, and inlet mouth. A scenic landmark is not a destination to chase beyond your ability or planned riding area.
Changing weather. Check the forecast and radar before arriving and keep watching the sky. Do not wait until a squall reaches the beach to decide how to land. Lightning, rapidly changing wind, or an approaching storm are reasons to stop and seek appropriate shelter.
People and space. Walkers, swimmers, families, and other riders all use this coastline. Avoid laying lines across access routes. Use a competent launch assistant, communicate clearly, and wait when the area is crowded.
The lighthouse that gives this coastline its character
On the north side of Hillsboro Inlet stands the black-and-white Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse. First lit in 1907, it remains an operational aid to navigation, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. [5]
The Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society lists its overall height as 147 feet and identifies its original second-order Fresnel lens as the work of Barbier, Bénard et Turenne of Paris. [6] It is a reminder that people were reading this coastline and navigating its hazards long before modern watersports arrived.
Enjoy the history from an appropriate public vantage point. For lighthouse visits, check the Preservation Society’s current tour information rather than assuming the grounds are freely accessible. [7]
Is this the right place for your first lesson?
That depends on the conditions and the student. A day that works for an experienced rider can be unsuitable for someone learning kite control or making their first water starts.
Your instructor should assess the wind, waves, current, beach space, and your experience before choosing a session. Sometimes the best decision is a different location, a different lesson focus, or another day.
Planning your first Pompano session? Contact EPIC Adventures with your experience, preferred dates, and what you want to learn. We’ll discuss a suitable next step.
Sources and review
Local guidance checked October 28, 2026. Recheck rules and signage before visiting.
Explore more with EPIC
- Kiteboarding or Wing Foiling: Which Should You Learn First?
- Your First Kiteboarding Lesson in Pompano Beach: What to Expect
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