Below are a handful of Central Brevard windsurfing locations along with a little info on each. It is by no means a complete list. Please feel free to use the Windsurfing Forum or email me to provide information on your favorite site, and I'll do my best to publish it here.
Kelly Park
Wind directions: E to S (best for E to SE)
Location: From 528, take Banana River Drive exit in Merritt Island. Go south on Banana River Drive. Kelly Park is the first left.
Accommodations: Nice grass area for rigging, bathrooms, picnic tables, park for the kids; small marina with access to the Banana River (close to Port Canaveral locks), Calema windsurf shop and lessons/rentals.
Water: Along the park’s shoreline, you can walk out ~20’. Much of the water in the area is waist to chest deep, but there are a number of channels with deeper water. One of the few things a beginning sailor should be careful to avoid is the small 528 overpass at the northwest corner of the park. One could end up getting pushed into the seawalls and/or pilings if having trouble restarting. Try to stay near the beach if you are a beginner, or try to work your way out so that you could slog your way to the shoreline on the east side of the small bridge if needed.
Hazards: Other than the overpass mentioned above, things to watch out for are: stingrays, crap pot markers, occasional rocks when getting nearing the causeway shoreline, channel markers (if you’re prone to spinning out at just the wrong time!), and boat/jet ski traffic into and out of the marina. Although most boaters and jet skiers are aware of the sailors and very respectful, there are enough idiots out there on any given weekend that you need to keep an eye out for them. Kite sailors are rarely a problem, although they do share the same basic launch point in this location, and paths can cross.
General: A great place to sail, although you sometimes have to work a bit to get out past the small wind shadow near the park. It can get crowded. You have to carry your equipment from your car to the grass (usually not far). Bring the family
The Hospital
Wind direction: WNW to ENE
Location: Take 520 East. Go over the Banana River bridge. You’ll be able to see Cape Canaveral Hospital up ~1/2 mile up ahead on the left. You’ll want to sail from the North side of the causeway. I usually make a U-turn through the median cut at the parking lot/boat ramp on the south side of the causeway. Travel ~0.10 miles west, and find a spot to park on the North side of the road, after the rock pile.
Accommodations: None, although having a hospital so close has personally come in handy.
Water: The water is waist/chest deep for ~30 yards (almost out to the channel markers). At this point, there is a channel running parallel with the road. It runs from the main North/south channel that runs under the bridge, parallel to the causeway, around the north side of the hospital, and over to the east side residential canals. The water on the north side of this channel can vary. Much of it is chest deep, but don’t count on it. It is generally shallower north of the hospital.
Hazards: Obviously, if it’s a N or NE day, you could get pushed into the main channel/bridge pilings if you had an equipment failure in the area or you couldn’t get restarted. There are stingrays to step on and the occasional channel marker to run into. Watch out for crab pot markers, some of which are very weathered and barely visible. Boat traffic is moderate to light. Kite sailors stay on the south side of the causeway (right next to the boat ramp parking lot). Be careful getting into the water – you have to walk on the wire mesh that holds together the anti-erosion rocks that were installed. There is a ~1.5’ drop off at the end of the rocks. Wear booties.
General: This is my favorite place to sail, although it’s not a good place for other family members, as there’s nothing else to do (unless you have a boat), and you have to park very close to the road.
528 Causeway
Wind direction: (S to W)
Location: Banana River sailing from the south side of the 528 causeway. There is one location west of the main bridge where you can park along the side of the road and carry your rig over the anti-erosion rocks where someone has poured a cement path over them (kinda hairy). You can also park just east of the bridge (Jacque’s Beach), or (recommended) continue east until you find locations where there are no rocks to cross to get into the water.
Accommodations: None, although Kelly Park is just west of these locations.
Water: See Kelly Park. It is fun to venture out into the river’s main channel on a good SW day as the swells can build quite nicely. It gets shallow and mucky if you venture too far east.
Hazards: Navigating the rocks at some access points can be a bit dicey. Other than that, the same basic hazards as Kelley Park.
Ocean
Wind direction: NE to SE
Location: Put in just about anywhere. I’m more of a flat water sailor, but do enjoy an occasional trip to Cherry Down Park. The parking lot is in Cape Canaveral at the north end of Ridgewood Avenue. The beach itself is just south of Port Canaveral and Jetty Park.
Accommodations: Cherry Down has bathrooms and an outdoor shower.
Water: Ocean!
Hazards: Sharks! Waves! Swimmers! Currents! Don’t sail if wind has a western component!
General: Confident sailors only