Zephyr's Return: Rebirth of Kitesurfing in Jamaica - 2026

 Zephyr's Return:

Rebirth of Kitesurfing in Jamaica A Chance Encounter It started in Peru. I had decided to give myself the gift of fitness for my 50th birthday and kiting seemed like the only option. I was never a fan of sweaty gyms riding a bike that doesn't move. One of the only places I could find with reliable wind in the summer was Mancora, so I packed my gear and headed south. I was kiting along the desert coast when I met a Jamaican who invited me to his home beach in Bounty Bay. He spoke of steady winds, clear water, and empty beaches. I remembered being in Jamaica 25 years previous and recalled how windy it was. He pulled out his phone and showed me an old video filmed in Bounty Bay. I froze. It was the same video that had inspired me to learn kitesurfing more than twenty years ago. I hadn’t seen it since. A few weeks later, I was on a plane. The beach was quiet. No kites in the sky. No lines on the sand. Nothing suggested the island had ever hosted the sport other than the odd legend shared by some of the elder fishermen. But the wind was there. Side-on, steady, reliable and blowing most days. Crystal clear water and a shallow, “Gatorade” colored bay. This was the calm Before The storm.

Melissa One month into my trip I received the news that Hurricane Melissa would directly impact Jamaica. She passed over my house with a rage unlike anything I have ever seen. The little community I was staying in was demolished and we were without power and water for over a month. It was then I learned that there were two reasons I came to Jamaica. One was to kite and get in shape for my 50th, the other was to help. I have been going to Burning Man for over ten years so my experience with adverse weather conditions and catastrophic wind damage is extensive. I also love to build. This made me a perfect fit to help my neighbor rebuild his house that was decimated to the foundation. After the storm passed, to balance the trauma, I went kiting. It felt like I was the only person in the entire country kiting. The solitude was welcome and the wind returned as if nothing had happened. As time went on, I began giving lessons to local kids, helping to ease the pressure and disruption the hurricane had brought. Seeing their excitement and curiosity brought me back to my first days of flying kites and reminded me why the sport matters. Pull Quote: “After the storm, I was the only person in the entire country kiting. The kids were eager to try the boards—it reminded me why the sport matters.” Rebirth Kitesurfing in Jamaica is not new. About twenty years ago, a small community began to form. Leaders appeared. Momentum grew. And then, one by one, they left the island. With them, the sport receded. The community disappeared, and so did the visibility of kitesurfing in Jamaica. Now, I am witnessing a glimmer of its return. In Bounty Bay, a small scene is forming again. A single rider. A few locals are learning. Fishermen asking questions. Young people helping on the beach. I am witnessing the rise of my beloved sport in a location that could easily be described as paradise. Conditions That Inspire The conditions here are ideal. Clean, side-on wind. Warm, shallow water. A flat water lagoon with a wonderful little reef break just off shore. I have traveled with my kites all over the world in many famous places and they were all overrun with crowds, schools and mayhem. Here in Jamaica, the pace is much slower, the crowds are nonexistent and the food is amazing. Winds are most reliable from November to May, but with a good light wind kite, you can ride year round. This is a place for discovery. Riders can explore the coastline, mingle with the locals, and experience kitesurfing in a setting that feels untouched, yet easily accessible. There are direct flights to Montego Bay from New York, Miami, Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale, Toronto, and London. Pull Quote: “Here in Jamaica, the pace is much slower, the crowds are nonexistent and the food is amazing.” Quiet on the Global Map Jamaica is quiet on the global wind map, even as interest in kitesurfing grows worldwide. Other destinations have become crowded and commercialized, but here the sport can grow slowly and sustainably. This is the moment before the scene fully emerges. Before tourism packages, before schools, before widespread recognition. Just wind, just water, and the quiet return of a sport that nearly vanished. Bounty Bay offers a chance to reconnect with kitesurfing in a simple, authentic way. For those who ride here now, it is about observing the beginnings of a scene, participating in its rebirth, and experiencing a coastline that has waited quietly for the kites to return.