I may have to Give up on Pt. Isabel/Marina Bay

[johnl]

Well since work screwed me over and took away my weekend off this week while Sherman as been having great winds I've been hitting Isabel every day after work. But it just isn't delivering. The sensor seems to be reading hi there also! It used to be 17-18 ave was 5.2 sailing at Isabel, now I guess it's more realistic.

BUT what is with the weeds?? I don't ever remember having this much problem with the weeds. I'm having to stop just about every other reach to clear the weeds and I'm only running a 26 B&J fin. Makes for a very frustrating ride.

Oh yeah, I tried my weed/wave fin, but it's only a 24 and it didn't have the drive to get me going. BUT no weeds stuck to it (with a 95l, 5.7 sail).

PLEASE Berkeley start delivering so I don't have to go to Marina Bay again

[Arrgh]

johnl,
You must make an offering to the wind gods by purchasing a bigger weed fin.

[meyer]

There seem to be less weeds in the water as you get further away from shore.

[wndsrfrmn]

PI is bipolar.
When it is good it is great. The ramps can be perfect there.
When it is bad it sucks. I have lost four fins and one fin box from submerged objects at PI. Everything in the bay washes down toward that lee shore. Remember Laci Peterson?
It is my dogs' favorite launch.

[beallmd]

Weeds scarf down on dogpoop.

[victor]

it's the coldest launch south of the canadian border.

[mez32522]

er...
Freestyle Fanatic, 18 freestyle fin, jump more, jump jibes work great to shed weeds, and Willy's for staying dry.

[charlie12]

AHhhh you could take up kiting...

[mac]

Why the increase in weeds? A question that many have asked. The weed in question is mostly eelgrass, which is not that common in the Bay. Beds can be found west of the Emeryville Shoal, near the base of the Bay Bridge, in San Pablo Bay, in Richmond Harbor just north of the jetty, and in Richardson Bay. We have very little information about the historic levels of eel grass, it may, or may not, have been more common. What information we have shows that it has increased dramatically over the past 15 years.

About ten years ago, the levels of suspended sediment in the Bay dropped by about 40%. This is due to a combination of the dissipation (finally) of the gold rush sediment that was washed from the hills into the rivers and downstream in search of gold ore, and the effect of dams impounding sediment and slowing the transport of what we have. This coincides pretty well with the eel grass increases, since eel grass needs relatively clear water and sandy sediment.

My guess is that the improved clarity in the water has led to an increase in the area covered by eel grass, and as it seeds prolifically and moves into marginal areas, it dies back periodically. It won't be in deeper water, and the fronds are usually pretty good indicators of tidal null zones.

[johnl]

Funny about the Freestyle Fanatic, that is what I USUALLY ride there. But I've been getting banged around in the chop and not really enjoying it, so I went back to my freestyle wave to enjoy the ramps more.

Oh yeah, I've tried a lot of stuff to clear the weeds with no luck. I've tried jumping and I've even come to a stop, turned upwind and backwinded my sail to put the board in reverse. They still hang on to me

I'm sure it is cleaner outside, but with me dropping in the drink every reach I'm not getting there Maybe the Gorge trip ruined my upwind ability

There used to be a nasty wooden pole that sticks up near the wooden stand out in the the bay. When the tides were medium, you couldn't see it till you hit it. I haven't seen it lately, so I'm not sure if it's higher tides or if its gone...