Sand City/Marina Beach is a seven-mile coastal ridge located off Highway 1, north of Monterey. The site benefits from a consistent onshore flow as the Monterey Bay funnels wind into the Salinas Valley. When the wind is “straight-in,” it ranges between 270° and 290°. This is a USHPA-insured site under an agreement with Marina State Beach. Understanding ridge soaring and ridge rules is essential. You should have your speed system engaged and be prepared to use it if necessary. The ridge is relatively low, so the wind must be fairly strong (~12-15 MPH for paragliders) to generate soarable lift. Excellent ground handling skills and high wind launching and landing skills are required to safely fly this site. However, with consistent wind and soft sand, Sand City can be a good place for novice pilots to work on ground handling skills, if you don't mind getting sand in your wing. Ask the locals for the best place to practice. You are required to sign in at the Marina when you fly either Marina or Lake Court. Get a site intro from a local pilot before launching. They can advise you on how to stay up, cross the gaps, and avoid trouble spots. They can also tell you if the wind is sufficient or excessive. Launches: Marina State Beach (Reservation Road) – This is a very flat (nearly sea level) dune launch, used primarily by hang glider pilots. All pilots must sign in to launch and land at this site. The sign-in sheet at Reservation Road (for pilots flying either here or at the Lake Court paraglider launch) is located at the kiosk/signboard near the wind sock. If you launch from Lake Court, you still need to sign in here first. If you're flying at Sand City, you don't need to sign in unless you plan to fly north and land at Lake Court. The kiosk has other info, including a map of how to get to Lake Court. You must be a rated USHGA member, and if you are a P3/H3, you are required to have a local instructor give you a site intro and sign you off before you fly here. You are also required to carry a sheath knife on your harness in the event of a water landing, although a hook knife is currently considered acceptable for paraglider pilots. Lake Court – This is a higher (~150’ MSL), walk-up launch, about a mile south of Marina State Beach and is a regulated USHGA site. USHGA membership and signing in at Marina State Beach are required for flying here. Go inland on Reservation Road (Reservation Road turns right, but the name stays the same). After a short distance, turn right on Lake Drive and make an immediate left jog. Follow Lake Drive to the end, where it becomes Lake Court. Park by the fence and walk up the dune path. The launch is the highest smooth area on the top and to the right. Lake Court can offer good soaring on a light, south day, but it can also be dangerous if the wind is too strong. Sand City – The most popular paragliding launch is five or six miles south of Lake Court, at Sand City. This site is unregulated, but you should sign in at Marina State Beach if you think you may fly north and land there. Primary Hazards: Water Landings – There is usually plenty of beach below the entire ridge, but sinking out is common, so stay clear of the water as you land. Water landings can be lethal. Always carry a hook knife on your harness and be prepared to cut yourself out immediately if you are being pulled into the water. Forget about saving your equipment. Blow Backs – On high-wind days, stay low and out front (ready to apply your speed bar) to avoid being blown back over the ridge. You should land immediately if you are having trouble penetrating. Scratching – On light to moderate days, pilots are often tempted to fly close to the terrain. This is a hazardous practice in any conditions. Getting Dragged – Always wear a helmet when you’re hooked in and make sure that you can quickly disable your wing in high winds. Debris – Unfortunately, there is a variety of natural and man-made debris on the beach and launches, and the dunes are covered with ice plant. Although this is usually only a nuisance, it can damage your wing. Be especially careful that you don’t launch with twigs or other debris in your lines. Snowy Plover Habitat: The Snowy Plover is a tiny shorebird, just over six inches long. Plovers nest and forage for food on sandy beaches. You'll see them along the water, finding small crustaceans and marine worms in the wet sand. Unfortunately for the plovers, people and pets can step on their nests, interrupt their foraging, and threaten their fledglings. The plover has been on the National Audubon Society's Blue List of declining species since the list began in 1972, and in 1997, it was listed as a U.S. Endangered Species. In an attempt to protect the plovers, California State Parks has erected metal fences, approximately three feet high and 20-30 feet from the base of the dunes, to protect their nesting area during the spring and summer months. These fences, mostly in the northern half of the Sand City/Marina ridge, are very hard to see from the air. Do not walk, launch, or land anywhere inside the fenced area. If you accidentally find yourself in the fenced area, get out as soon as possible. Be especially careful at high tide. Because the fenced area is so extensive, your landing options are significantly restricted at high tide. Make sure you have safe and legal landing options at all times. The most prudent flight plan would be to launch from Sand City (at the south end of the ridge) rather than Lake Court (at the north end of the ridge) during plover season. Avoid the north end of the ridge unless you're certain that you won't sink out. (Sand City tends to be better this time of year, anyway.) This entire area (except for the launch at Sand City) is a State Park, and they take the plover habitat restoration seriously. You will jeopardize our ability to fly this ridge if you don't take it seriously. The site at Montana de Oro, in San Luis Obispo County, was closed during this half the year for plover protection, and significant fines are imposed for violations. Directions and Access: From Highway 1 South, the exit for Marina State Beach is Reservation Road (turn right to reach the parking lot). The exit for Sand City (approximately six miles south of Marina) is Fremont Boulevard. Take the Fremont Boulevard exit and go under the freeway. Park on the street or in the nearby shopping center. Walk back under the freeway and follow the railroad tracks north briefly, then head toward the ocean. The primary launch is at the north end of the flat area, about 100 yards north of the big dune. You can also launch off the dune, but it's often harder to get onto the main ridge (to the north) from there. The launch is located here because it's private property with access, but it's not the best spot to launch on the ridge. The ridge is very low at this launch (~50’ MSL), and there's a gap to the north of the launch that can be difficult to cross. If you sink out, you can use the 're-launch bowl' on the other side of the gap. You can't miss the bowl -- the sand at the bottom is carved into sculptures. For more information, visit: - [Coastal Condors](https://www.coastalcondors.org/) - [Marina State Beach](http://www.bhgc.org/sites/#site_marina-state-beach-monterey-bay-ca) - [Weather Forecast](https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=36.699300&lon=-121.809012&site=rev&unit=0&lg=en&FcstType=text#.Y1kzcj1Bypo) - [Sand City](http://www.flyzephyr.com/sand-city.html) Flying at Marina requires a current H3 or P3 USHPA rating or higher.