| Metro Beach |
 Ridable Wind Directions: SE, S, SW
Getting There : 1-94 to Metropolitan Pkwy, go east into Metro Beach Metro Park. Enter through toll booth ($4 daily, $20 annual) and follow signs to the right for Day Sail launch.
Scenario:
Large, shallow riding area with steady southerly winds. Being the closest spot to Metro Detroit there will likely be a big crew of kiters on a good day.
Sketchy launch.
Local Knowledge:
Metro is one of the cherished few local access points to Lake St. Clair and the launch presents several challenges. For these reasons it is important to take a few extra safety measures to preserve our kiteboarding priveleges there.
Always be respectful and avoid kiting upwind of any beachgoers. Give right of way to windsurfers, sailboaters, jetskis, and bathers.
Expect locals to let you know if you are not in compliance.
The Metro Beach kiteboarding area is at the Day Sail launch. Using the beach is tolerated early spring and late fall. Stay far away from the swim buoys when they are in the water.
 Launching at Metro requires extra precaution. It is possible to launch kites on the grass infield but is tricky due to the wind shadow created by the tree row. Walking your kite out between the guardian trees straight above your head near a concrete seawall presents a potentially hazardous set of challenges.
Many local kiters launch on the lawn behind a tree-row created wind shadow and then walk upwind out into the water with kite directly overhead between two large kite eating trees. Beware! These trees claim a dozen or more kites every season.
Often times an assisted launch out on the water or a drift launch are much safer than launching inland, especially for newer kiters.
The water access point is limited in space and capacity for many kites. Be sure to not to congest this area between the trees while launching, landing, or changing boards.
Wind up your lines if you are not going to immediately be launching your kite, the lawn gets congested on good days and lines laying everywhere can be problematic.
The main riding and practice area is the 'Bowl' to the west of the launch. The Bowl is the safest area to ride at Metro as it is knee to waist deep and upwind of marsh lands.
Avoid Metro on westerlies. If you do choose to kite on westerlies launch in the water where the wind is cleaner and danger is mitigated. If you get downwinded, get off the water at the jetski launch. If you get downwinded past the jetski launch, depower your kite well upwind of any beach goers.
Launch the Big One Larry
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