The Levee - Texas City

Good kiting locations are rare. Grassy rigging areas and friendly locals are even more scarce. The Dyke in Texas City, TX is home to both. With a local crew of a dozen kiteboarders, when you first pull up at the launch make yourself known to the locals. They are more than friendly and supportive and they will help you to understand the launch and how to interface with the numerous windsurfers.

The rigging area is a grassy bluff that slopes down to the waters edge. The road along the bluff is a few miles long and you can launch beginning kiteboarders anywhere below the powerlines (about 1/2 way down the road). The launch below the powerlines until the windsurfing beach is a slippery rock launch (not the most convenient), but getting picked up by your buddies downwind instead of having to walk can accelerate your learning curve.


The beach at the windsurfing area has a sandy launch with water depth only 4' for 1/2 to 3/4 mile out. Make sure you are in control of your kite before launching or taking off the beach as on weekends the traffic can get intense. If you are still in the learning stages, work your way up the beach and launch upwind of the windsurfing area. The wind is side/onshore and is best during spring and winter, but summer does get quite a few lighter wind (8-12mph) days. The water is fairly smooth, especially on the inside. With the support of the local kiteboarders, this spot has a lot of potential.

Directions: Traveling south on I-45 from Houston exit Lake Rd. Travel north on Lake Rd. for 0.1 miles and turn right onto FM-519 Rd. Take FM-519 Rd (Main St.) 1.8 miles east to SR-341. Take SR-341 east 2.1 miles. Merge onto SR-197 and head NE for 2.4 miles. Exit 8th Ave and travel E for .6 miles. Continue straight onto Texas City Dike Rd. for .4 miles and turn left onto the levee Rd. The windsurfing and kiting beach is near the end of the levee.