Windsurfing near Kims Beach
- Collingwood (3 km)
- Marshall Hall (5 km)
- Belle Haven (7 km)
- Washington Sailing Marina (14 km)
- Mason Neck (14 km)
Directions: Kim's Beach is on the south side of the GW Parkway, about 1.5 miles from the Mount Vernon Estate. There is a small parking lot at the intersection of GW Parkway and River Farm Drive just east Vernon View Drive (map here (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Mt.+Vernon,+VA&t=h&ll=38.710312,-77.05773&spn=0.002059,0.008411&t=h))
Comments: The big attraction of the place for advanced windsurfers are the chop/swells in the deep-water channel on the other side of the river when the wind blows big time (25-30). I've actually been able to wavesail a few choice days a year. Shoot for the pier on the other side of the river on a big wind day and you'll see what I mean.
The best place to put in is right next to the picnic table that's on the southern end of the parking lot (closest to Mt. Vernon). There are always cars with boards on top (when there is breeze) parked in the parking lot in front of Kim's Beach.
(The comments above look a little out of date. In 2007, it's pretty rare to see windsurfers at this launch. But the description of conditions is still accurate. The swells do get big out in the main channel and some decent jumping can be had. Chances are you'll be doing it alone though. As always on the Potomac, water quality is an issue. So don't swallow any of it if you don't land your chop hop and go under. This far downstream, the DC sewage is dispersed so it's not as big an issue as it is at launches nearer the city.)
Best Wind Direction: Best directions are West and Southwest. Northwest is also a possibility in stronger winds (but when the wind shuts down, plan on a good swim if you're on a sinker).
Fee: None.
(Originally from Prof. Ross Cutler's Univ. of Maryland Site: archived site available here (http://web.archive.org/web/20020205024707/http://www.cs.umd.edu/~rgc/windsurfing/local.html))