Rough waters

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Monterey10

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The last article in the recent Bay and Delta Yachtsman described a rough passage between SF and Sacramento. It sounded like the shallow waters of the San Pablo bay stood up when the storm approached.

I've seen Latitude 38 articles describing the wind coming from the Golden Gate, going over Angel Island and running up the San Pablo bay. Other people have said the South Bay can get rough.

Can the seasoned Bay yachtsmen/women chime in on weather rules for the bay. I would rather hole up that run out into a dangerous situation in shallow waters.

Thanks in advance.
 
West winds (such as those afternoon gales in the summer) stacking up against an ebb tide.... CHOP CITY BABY!

SP Pay, the Berkeley Flats, Susuin..

Tide is a critical player in this unique-to-NorCal scenario. Only parts of the Chesapeake and the N. Carolina sounds can give it an occasional run for it's money.

George
 
Good topic.....I would like to hear more. I spend a month in Santa Cruz with my boat there and, although the summer months are generally pretty mild, the spring can get very interesting at the mouth of the breakwater. I have seen it many times so bad that the launch ramp is closed and they have harbor boats standing by for any vessel that may attempt entering into the harbor. My question is what are the conditions that makes this happen. I know the entrance is shallow but I do not know what wind direction and what tide is at fault. What does one look out for when you are out on the water and conditions change? I am sure it is not a simple answer but some basic rules would sure help. Thanks

DBH
 
I think that the worst situation I have been in was on the San Francisco Bay, between Treasure Island and the Gate when there was a rather high wind blowing from the south. Heading east, towards Alameda, the water was rough as I came out of Horseshoe Cove but it became insane once I passed Alcatraz and basically had an exposure of the entire bay all the way to Alviso. This was deep water and the chop was rather large, a lot of movement.

The Susuin Bay can get pretty bad. It is really shallow and can develope a very nasty short chop. Not too bad for a larger displacement hull but torture on a planing hull.

There is a section of the San Joaquin river, between "Big Break" and "Three Mile" slough that for some reason can be really rough even when it is fairly smooth everywhere else. I think it is because the river is fairly wide right there, and even though the channel is deep it is very shallow outside the channel.

In the South Bay, conditions can change fast and vary with location. I was rafted up one time in Candlestick Cove (where the 49's stadium is). Late Saturday night the wind shifted to a direction that left us without the shelter of the cove. I decided that it was time to bug out when a swell levitated me off the bed in the bow. Getting the raftup separated in the dark and in such conditions was a bit of a challenge, then I had two anchors out that I had to get up but once I was under way and out of the shallow cove conditions became delightful and we actually had a very nice cruise back to Alameda.

Rod
 
I've been out the Gate on the ocean several times, but by far the worst sea I've experienced was on San Pablo Bay when the wind was out of the west and the tide was ebbing. Short, very steep 6-7 foot waves just pounded us. Outside, I've been in 13 foot swells, but with a long period so they were not steep. I've also caught some rough seas in "the slot", where the wind comes in the Golden Gate and blows towards Berkeley, but those were bad in part because they were on the beam. (I ended up "tacking" my powerboat so as to not take them directly abeam.)

Bad Bay conditions are usually a result of high winds on a specific day--unlike the ocean, where a storm hundreds of miles away can create high seas. Leave an extra day in your schedule for your trip, and you should be fine.

BTG
 
Abdiver,

Interesting you mention Three Mile Slough. I got into some horrendous water at two in the morning coming under the Three Mile Bridge heading west towards Rio Vista. As I crossed under the bridge I hit some very strong wind and waves that knocked my 24 footer sideways. A quick recovery and a hard left into the safety of Horseshoe Bend behind Decker Island saved the day. Anchored there for a couple hours of night fishing and it calmed down. Scary moment though.

DBH
 
I would tend to agree that San Pablo can be the worst if you don't time your crossing so that wind and tidal current are aligned. Consistently, Suisun Bay between New York Slough and the Martinez Bridge is almost always uncomfortable in the afternoon. The wind develops a nasty, uncomfortable chop. Our friends have nick-named this the Bongos. Traveling from the Bay Bridge to the Richmond-San Rafael bridge when there is a westerly wind can also be most uncomfortable. I've tried tucking in against Angel Island and running closer to the shoreline, both were very wet rides. My hull throws the water out to the side well, but the wind ususally picks it right back up and throws it up onto the flybridge.
 
quote:
Originally posted by caltexfla

Tide is a critical player in this unique-to-NorCal scenario. Only parts of the Chesapeake and the N. Carolina sounds can give it an occasional run for it's money. George
Click to expand...


Funny you mention the Chesapeake - that's where we boat. We encountered conditions last summer where 18kt southerly winds were bucking an ebb tide and generating standing 4 footers in the shallows near Thomas Point Light. We decided to go back in when we caught a whole wall of green water over the bow.

Do any of you have a catamaran hull? With the exception of the day cited above, we have found that the cat handles the snotty chop well, especially in headseas.
 
For those of you venturing out on the Sacramento-San Joaquin through the Carquinez Straits, the spring runoff of melting snow can add another factor to the mess. Westerlie winds, ebb tide and spring runoff can turn most any body of water into a challenge. And where wind has a long reach over fairly shallow water, things will get rough.

Try to time your cruise so that you are with the tidal current and little or no wind and plan on fall rather than springtime cruises up into the delta. Even the beginning of July can have nasty winds which force sailboats to drop their sails and motor into Martinez or Antioch......
 
OK, so it sounds like knowing the tides, and planning for the afternoon Westerlies is necessary. On the Monterey Bay, we move under the cover of the morning fog. When the fog breaks, that is the signal the wind is coming. You've got about 35 minutes or so.

It sounds prudent to move in the morning unless you can see a storm brewing.
 
Correct! If by chance there is fog, move as soon as it breaks in the delta too. Always allow yourself lots of time so you don't have to feel pressured to arrive at your destination "on time". It may be prudent to find a safe place to tie up for a few hours or overnight. Also, file a float plan and keep it updated if your plans needs to change!
 
Stay off the bay when the weatherman says there'll be 40 knt winds over the berkeley hills. NNE winds coming down from SP thru the narrows between Richmond and San Rafael will produce 7'+ waves so steep and narrow that you'll take water over the bow every wave going W to E or N.
 
We were headed for the bay in our 36' Columbia sailboat one July 4th weekend and were just past Vallejo entering San Pablo Bay. We were on our side and my wife was having a miserable time. Wind a waves everywhere. She was hiding under the dodger hating life. I gave up and turned around. It was starting to get dark so we headed for Decker Is. There were already a lot of boats anchored so we couldn't really tuck up in the lee of the island. I put out fore and aft anchors and spent a miserable night. The wind howled all night and the boat ended up swapping ends. I still haven't made up for the sleep I lost that night.
 
We ended up selling the monohull and bought a 42' trimaran. She never complained again. It didn't matter what the conditions were like in that boat, it never heeled more than 10 degrees. We had to sell it when we transfered south. That is how we ended up with a powerboat. She won't step foot on a monohull sailboat again. All has been foregiven.
 
That is one reason I prefer power over sail. I just feel that I have something more solid under my feet when underway. Besides, to me sailing is just too darn much work, so I would be under power all the time anyway........
 
I always thought of sailing as more of an action sport and cruising on a power boat more like RVing.

I remember last year when we pulled into Benicia, an elderly couple came in on a tattered Hunter. The sails were out of control. I noticed the anchor roller on the bow was smashed straight up. Aparently they had a mishap along the way. The wife looked shaken. She said she never could get used to the unpredicable winds moving the boat. During their stay, the husband was going on how he didn't understand the alure of powerboating. Later, over wine and snacks, he complemented our boat on the warmth, head room and stability under foot. He may have hit the turning point.
 
Double ditto San Pablo Bay. I have a 38 foot twin heavy gas sucker and I won't cross SP bay if wind and tides are making things rough - because it gets really rough. I've tried it where I had to slow to two knots so as to not get thrown around so badly and it took forever...and was not fun at all. One passenger thought we were going to die - in five feet of water. I always plan my trips with careful consideration of when i will hit SP Bay and generally early morning is best. On a nice day it's a great crossing!
 
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