Where We Sailed Today

[windward1]

Another challenging day tackling the forbidding coast. This is the stretch from Scott Creek to Waddell. It is the most high cliffs (near 180 feet) with practically no beaches. Greyhound Rock beach would be the exception. Some places look like they have beaches, but that is just to lure unwary sailors until high tide hits.
I windsurfed halfway to Waddell from Scott Creek Beach. So I have another half of the journey yet to go. Greyhound Rock is on that half, so it may be a might more forgiving should anything go awry.
I had a bit of a time getting through the shore break at Scotts. After failed attempts, I kept taking my gear further up the beach trying to find an easier spot. Eventually found one and got out. Wind was strong 1/4 mile out, gusting over twenty. Closer to the cliffs it was less. So after tacking up to where I decided to turn around, I rode inside to make it easier to handle the downwinder.
Getting back to Scotts, there was a kiter out surfing the reef. I rode one wave through it, but found myself well overpowered and being blown off my board. Gave up on the idea of playing in the surf and decided just to get down the beach and back in. Blown off a few more times. Wind was certainly up.
Looking at it from the hill while derigging, I figured that the wind coming down the coast was forming a boundary layer along the cliffs, thus the slower speed there. But when it gets to the wide open beach, there is no boundary and the wind just pours across the reef and across the beach.
My track is below:
[img][/img]

[dvCali]

I misjudge the fog that seems to be covering Crissy and I go to Stick that turns out as bad as it can be in August, around 3:30 I give up on the idea of rigging something (6.5? no wait: 5.0, no wait better 8.8, or is it now back to 6.5?) but I notice that the city skyline is clear ... so I drive to Crissy. With no traffic it takes about 25', a reminder of how small the city is and how easy it used to be to go around it!

But besides memories of times past, Crissy is blowing. I go out with the KS3 4.9 even if it looks like I could be easily on 4.3. But I am ... testing! First with the 400 and then, as Jeff suggested for overpowered conditions with the 370. With the 370 the sail soldiers on with more ease, it feels like you are on a quarter size smaller sail (say 4.7 instead of 4.9). either way the sail is very fun going downwind even if grossly overpowered but the port side is rough: chop is big and confused and makes things hard. Take some of the chop away and I would be fine, it is going to be a great sail size at Coyote.

Very nice late afternoon, a lot of windsurfers out, most kites are struggling, judging from their comments on the beach, because the wind is very strong and very gusty. When I leave at 6 pm plus it is still blowing strong.

[bert]

Foiled at the Stick this Tuesday..4.7 Naish Lift/ JP135/ Slingshot 84 wing. All was good when I hit the water at 1 pm but by 1:30 the wind gusts increased to 18 mph and better suited to regular windsurfing. The Lift is only good in light, steady winds in the low range and becomes unmanageable once it gets windy or gusty..then it becomes a shitty sail.

[dllee]

Inf84 needs a 3.0 sail in gusts of 18 at our weight.

[dvCali]

[dllee]

Sounds like wind at Berkeley lately.
Rig 5.3, sail 4 runs with 90 liters, come back for 105 liters for 2 runs, then windfoil for a bit and get op'd but know it won't last anyways.

[windward1]

The track below may look like a feeble attempt at getting some coasting in. Let me assure you it was a valiant attempt. The low wind and direction switching is most challenging. I actually only made it 1/2 mile beyond an unpublished previous 1 mile attempt. The mess at the bottom of the track was various attempts at gaining more southward progress. The wind had switched from South to Southeast, but then seemed to change direction to whichever direction I was trying to head. Or it would just die. What looks like a downwind run back turned out to be close-hauled almost all of the way.
Still need a 2-1/2 mile coast run at the northern section of the county and about a six mile run at the southern end to complete the quest.
[img][/img]

[windward1]

Well, well, well, I have finished all of Northern Santa Cruz County coasting. Meant to get there early today to start with the lighter building wind. Arose a bit late and launched just before noon and the wind was already up to twenty. So I rigged my 4.7. It worked. Was small for the lulls, but it was ok in the gusts and one must rig for worst case scenarios when doing this kind of sailing.
Sailed down to near Greyhound Rock and was lucky a four foot set came in about then displaying the shallow area just to windward of the rock. I jibed and headed out going around it rather than through it which could have been a big problem. Sailed past Pelican Rock and on down the coast. Made sure I went past where I had sailed up to from Scott Creek. Then tacked back. China Ladder Beach is misnamed when it comes to the " Beach" part. I did not see anything that resembled a beach. Interesting geological formations, however. Looks like it would be fun to go back on a calm day with a kayak or SUP and explore the tunnels and mini-coves and such. Here is a video of China Ladder Beach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z8P9HLfXEY
Tacking back, I felt more secure when I got windward of Greyhound Rock. However, I noted that any mishap on the outer portions of the tacks would have still blown one down to the forbidding coast that had no beaches. Decided on shorter tacks.
Track below:
[img][/img]

[gerritt]

Inspired by Windward's recent adventures and bored by the high tide funk, I decided on a whim to go from Lowers at the spot up to Scott's to try my luck up there and perhaps find a breaking wave. Powered on a 4.0 and with my 80 liter wave board, I made it to the reef at Scott's in about a half hour. Rode some swells in close for a bit and then decided to give a wave hello to what appeared to be a research boat anchored off the outer reefs at Scott's named "Discovery." Then it took me maybe 10-15 minutes to ride downwind - Third Ave style - back to Lowers at the Spot with a short detour through Vivian's. By that time, the high tide had turned and was dropping and the waves began to reappear. It blew 'til sunset and just kept getting better

[windward1]

Hi gerritt,
Sounds like a fun and fast trip. Way speedier than me on a SailSUP.
A guy who windsurfs The Spot, told me he and another sailing buddy from there, on a windy day, sailed up to Greyhound Rock in a half an hour. And it took a half hour to get back. Said his thighs were burning on the downwind run.
That seems incredibly quick to me. At least for the upwind beat. But they are really good windsurfers.
W1