East Beach

• Wind directionESE (110°) → SSE (160°)
• Ideal speed12–18 mph
• Upper limits≤ 22 mph base · gusts ≤ 25

East Beach is on the east/southeast tip of Galveston Island, TX, facing the Gulf of Mexico. No authoritative free-flight (unpowered) site guide or USHPA/club page exists for it as a soaring launch — documented activity here is almost entirely powered paragliding (paramotor), which is direction-agnostic, so all numbers below are INFERRED from the paraglidingEarth orientation hint (E, SE, S work) plus general coastal-soaring knowledge, not from a site guide. (Note: the coastalcondors.org "Site Guide" that appears in searches is for Marina State Beach in CALIFORNIA, not this site — do not apply its 270-290 deg numbers here.) Ideal arc: onshore Gulf wind roughly SE, centered ~135 deg (110-160). Marginal/edge: E (~80) through S (~190); beyond that it goes cross/offshore. Offshore W/NW = no go (lee/rotor, blown out to sea). The terrain is essentially flat beach/low dunes (3 ft MSL), so there is little to no ridge relief — usable coastal lift, if any, needs onshore wind toward the stronger end of the range; this is far more realistically a paramotor (foot-launch powered) beach than a soaring ridge. Ideal ~12-18 mph onshore; treat ~22 mph base / ~25 mph gust as a soft upper limit for a flat beach (gust spread and sea-breeze front passage are the main hazards). Best window is typically the sea-breeze enhancement of mid-day to afternoon onshore flow. Standard coastal cautions: rotor/turbulence behind any dunes, buildings, or vehicles on the beach landward side; crowded summer beach below; verify USHPA P3+/H3+ rating and any local/state-park access rules before flying as unpowered.