Map › USA › South Carolina — Folly Beach South End to Isle of Palms South End › Sullivan's Island Station 28.5
South Carolina · Charleston / Sullivan's Island · Charleston County · Sullivan's Island / Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Sullivan's Island Station 28.5
also known as The Bath, Station 28-30
Nearby Isle of Palms South End 3 km · Folly Beach South End 19 km · Kiawah Beachwalker Park 35 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
Afternoon for summer thermal sessions; exact local onset time is unconfirmed.
The wind
locals call it Lowcountry sea breeze and frontal winds
Direction
Kite sizes
Character
mixed
fills in: Afternoon for summer thermal sessions; exact local onset time is unconfirmed.
Typical strength
15-25 kt in the spring and September good-season windows; lighter 10-20 kt summer conditions with afternoon thermals trending light.
Thermal or synoptic
sea breeze and frontal
The quiver, in words
Bigger kites plus a foil or a surfboard for the lighter summer wind. Exact sizes unconfirmed.
Direction to shore
The shoreline at this end of the island runs north-east to south-west and looks out to the south-east, so SE and SSE come in straight onshore. The whole working sector from E round through S to WSW is onshore to side-onshore, which is what makes the Charleston beaches forgiving compared with the inlet spots.NE and ENE run close to cross-shore off the Breach Inlet end. Anything from N through NW is offshore: a frontal northerly behind a cold front pushes riders away from the beach and is not a direction to be out in. Shore angles here are read off the coastline rather than from a local measurement.
Dominant direction
NE/ENE/E/ESE/SE/SSE/S/SSW/SW/WSW
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan15
- Feb16
- Mar, riders' month15
- Apr, riders' month23
- May, riders' month24
- Jun23
- Jul8
- Aug13
- Sep, riders' month5
- Oct5
- Nov15
- Dec13
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Mar, Apr, May, Sep.
- 15%Jan12°
- 16%Feb14°
- 15%Mar17°
- 23%Apr20°
- 24%May24°
- 23%Jun27°
- 8%Jul31°
- 13%Aug30°
- 5%Sep27°
- 5%Oct23°
- 15%Nov19°
- 13%Dec14°
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Water | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15% | 35% | 29% | 10.3 kt | SSW | 14:00 | 10.6°C | 12.1°C | 62 |
| Feb | 16% | 42% | 33% | 10.7 kt | SSW | 15:00 | 13.2°C | 13.9°C | 57 |
| Mar | 15% | 61% | 44% | 11.7 kt | S | 15:00 | 16.2°C | 17.2°C | 62 |
| Apr | 23% | 62% | 45% | 12 kt | S | 15:00 | 19°C | 20.4°C | 60 |
| May | 24% | 65% | 53% | 12.3 kt | SSW | 15:00 | 22.8°C | 24.3°C | 62 |
| Jun | 23% | 63% | 47% | 12 kt | S | 15:00 | 26°C | 27.1°C | 60 |
| Jul | 8% | 45% | 29% | 10.7 kt | S | 16:00 | 27.8°C | 30.5°C | 62 |
| Aug | 13% | 50% | 39% | 11.1 kt | S | 15:00 | 26.9°C | 29.8°C | 62 |
| Sep | 5% | 33% | 20% | 10.5 kt | NE | 15:00 | 24.4°C | 27.2°C | 60 |
| Oct | 5% | 27% | 11% | 9.8 kt | N | 14:00 | 19.4°C | 22.8°C | 62 |
| Nov | 15% | 27% | 20% | 9.2 kt | N | 13:00 | 16.3°C | 19.2°C | 60 |
| Dec | 13% | 32% | 19% | 9.7 kt | NNW | 14:00 | 11.4°C | 14.1°C | 62 |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal. A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024
The water
Type
ocean
Standing depth
Shallow low-tide slicks form at Station 28.5. How far the standing depth extends is unconfirmed.
Tides
Strongly tide affected. Tidal current changes how much power you have on the kite. South wind works best on an outgoing tide, and Station 28.5 is the best NE option on an incoming tide.
Temperature
28°C summer · 16°C winter
Wetsuit
Boardshorts or a rashguard through summer, a full suit in winter and early spring. This is derived from Sullivan's Island seasonal water temperatures and a wetsuit temperature chart, not from riders on the beach.
Currents
Strong tidal current, especially around Breach Inlet and the sandbar zone.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
6 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: Public beach access with room enough outside the peak, but it gets extremely crowded in summer, and beach patrol may prohibit launching between Memorial Day and Labor Day when the beach is full of people.
Somewhere else
Isle of Palms South End, 3 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
The designated Sullivan's Island launch and landing zone is Stations 28-30, and Station 28.5 is the main year-round kite launch.
Space
Public beach access with room enough outside the peak, but it gets extremely crowded in summer, and beach patrol may prohibit launching between Memorial Day and Labor Day when the beach is full of people.
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Keep off the Station 28.5 tide pool. Riding it is restricted.
- South wind wants an outgoing tide; on NE, Station 28.5 is the pick on an incoming tide.
- Stay outside Breach Inlet unless a local who knows it is running the session.
- Expect beach patrol to stop launching on a packed summer day between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
- Pack a big kite for the summer thermals, plus a foil or a surfboard.
- Check live wind before you commit: Charleston SW arrives in short spurts and shuts off fast.
- Sit out the northerly on the back of a front. It is offshore here and it blows you away from the island.
- Launch and land in a group. That is the whole of the rescue arrangement on this beach.
Getting there
Airport
Charleston International Airport (CHS)
Route
Drive from Charleston or Mount Pleasant to Sullivan's Island and use the public beach access around Station 28.5 / Stations 28-30. A car is the practical option for kite gear.
Transfer
25 min
Cost level
medium-high
Staying
Stay on Sullivan's Island, Isle of Palms, Mount Pleasant or downtown Charleston; beach-island lodging is limited and generally pricier than inland/Mount Pleasant options.
No-wind days
Charleston historic district, Fort Moultrie, Sullivan's Island beach, Shem Creek, paddling, surfing, fishing, restaurants and Isle of Palms beach activities.
Photos
FAQ
Is Station 28.5 suitable for beginners?
Yes, with instruction. Local schools rate it beginner through expert, but tidal current and offshore-distance rules mean independent beginners still need support.
What is the wind like?
Spring, from March through May, is the best season with 15-25 knot days; summer brings lighter 10-20 knot afternoon thermals and more beach crowds.
Are there rules or restricted zones?
As of 2026, Stations 28-30 form the year-round Sullivan's Island launch zone, all kiting must stay 100 yards offshore and three kite lengths from swimmers, and the Station 28.5 tide pool itself is off-limits for riding.
What hazards should riders know about?
Strong tidal current around Breach Inlet is the main hazard, and beach patrol can prohibit launching during crowded periods between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Last updated: August 2026