Sharp Park, Pacifica.... Can I get a backcast Mike?

jayturcot · Joined: 08 Mar 2004 Posts: 84

So I went out sailing at Sharp Park today for the first time and had a great time alongside 3 kiters.

This morning it was white-capping solidly from the SW across the entire ocean visible from Roackaway beach.
By the time I had a chance to sail, it was calm on the outside but still whitecapping steadily near-shore around Mori point to the pier.

Closest sensor is Mussel Rock and that was only reading 10g14 mph when I was on the water nicely powered on 5.3.
Half Moon bay and the Ocean buoys were <10 mph.

My question is for those that know the area.... what does it take for this setup?
Does the topology on SW winds favor this?
Would this spot be good in a marine surge?

Just pumped to try sailing there again sometime....
For now I'll just keep an eye on the flag when driving by along the highway.

windfind · Joined: 18 Mar 1997 Posts: 1901

Hi Jay,

I was not forecasting yesterday so I can't do a real Backcast but after looking at all the wind graphs within 20 miles I can do a "Guesscast" (which is sort of what I do forecasting day).

There were probably 2 factors in the very local winds you experienced. You can see both factors in the imagery below.

1. The actual marine surge southerly winds over the ocean are quite weak early exceeding the mid teens. However any time you are downwind of a point is a local venturi forms. In this case the point adjacent to Shelter Cove south of Sharp Park probably added a few knots to the mid teens even though you were not in the primary venturi zone.

2. When we get a southerly marine surge like the last 2 days the valley extending from San Jose usually stays clear in the afternoon. Since the bay is quite cool during a marine surge there is a N. to S. pressure gradient over the Peninsula outer waters. So SW wind approaching the Hwy. 92 and San Bruno Gap curves to the right creating NW winds over the outer waters of 3rd and accelerates towards Palo Alto. This process tends to increase the winds in the area you were sailing in.

Mike Godsey
iwindsurf.com

churan · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 54

FYI keep an eye on the HMB buoy when it goes above 10 from the south. Also check the satellite for the tell tale " doughnut" of the fog burning back off the coast, I think it is pedro point in pacifica. We actually used to sail right at linda mar beach on these days. port tack side shore but gusty. I blew it yesterday because the funston sensor never got that windy. It does the same thing in the winter on a south storm wind( remember those). Not fog related but still sailable.....still cant believe I missed it..... next time see you out.

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Good stuff.....
Several ex OceanBeach surfer/surfsailors now live there, have been since the '90's, but they're getting older.
Sorta like OBSF, it can get really good, but most days are too onshore and backwashing in the wave zone.

gerritt · Joined: 06 May 1998 Posts: 632 Location: Redwood City, CA

Where exactly did you launch? I checked the place on a windy south this past February. The parking wasn't great and there was a lot of weekend traffic. I did stop and get out of the car to look from the beach. I was just south of the pier and it was blowing strong side off, mostly off. If I'd have launched, it would have been a short reach before I was into the pier and would have had to turn around. I didn't trust the wind and headed south to Linda Mar to surf.

I wound up windsurfing Linda Mar that day for about a half hour before it died and then surfed after that. Linda Mar is also very side off, nearly straight off on a south wind. However, the middle in front of Taco Bell was forgiving enough to get through the break without issue -- BUT your have to watch out for and yield to surfers! After that, I was able to catch outside swells and kick out just before the surfers were taking off inside. The next day, I did the same thing except the wind was clearing from the opposite direction. Both days I left intending to simply surf, but when I got there, the wind was fucking up the surf and inviting a windsurf session instead.

Sharp Park had potential, but a bigger hassle factor than Linda Mar with similar wind orientation and a much heavier break. Seemed like a good place to break gear and/or get in trouble.

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Both spots, that true sideshore wind happens only a couple days a year, probably similar to Ocean Beach SF.
Offshores make for gusty holey type wind, but great DTL sailing heading North. On S winds.
Once every couple years, you get a true N wind, sideshore in OBSF and Sharp, but that's a rare occurance, usually late fall or winter.

gerritt · Joined: 06 May 1998 Posts: 632 Location: Redwood City, CA

I caught one of those N days at OB about 12 years back. I've been looking for the same set up ever since. It looked like Backyards -- or at least what I've seen in photos and videos of Backyards. Never saw that place go off in person. Anyway, OB was side/side off and peeling at about at about logo high. Then it veered too NE and shut down fast. Luckily I was inside and just hung on to my gear, letting the currents have their way. I came out pretty far south of where I parked, near an outlet pipe -- not sure what Avenue. Long walk back to the car, but worth the experience for sure. Still looking...

jayturcot · Joined: 08 Mar 2004 Posts: 84

I launched at Sharp Park.
It was a grassy rigging area and side-on wind.

Some photos are put up here of the 3 kiters that were out. Upwind the waves looked really nice.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/59732506@N05/sets/72157653733375119

For an idea of where this was... here is a Google Map with the rough sailing direction drawn on:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zHRy0gmMnj1U.kLCfNjLSHw6w&usp=sharing

Didn't play much in the impact zone as it was close to shore and this is session like... 5 for me in the Ocean (Pistol river once years ago... where I got destroyed... and Ocean Beach 2-3 times with success on the last 2 times ).

Would be good to have others out there to show me the ropes; just need to pay attention to marine surge alerts, the flag along the highway and keep an eye on the HMB airport sensor.

jayturcot · Joined: 08 Mar 2004 Posts: 84

Thanks alot for this Mike!

Super helpful in explaining. So the thing to look for are S/SW winds being amplified.
Anything special about this last setup that is worth noting when paying attention to future forecasts? (e.g. clearing in the valley / calling for wind at 3rd & Palo Alto?)

gerritt · Joined: 06 May 1998 Posts: 632 Location: Redwood City, CA

Thanks Jay. Thats the same area. As stated, that weekend I was there was full and there was very little parking. I actually illegally parked in a handicap space just to get out and look. From the lines on your map, the wind was SW. When I was there it was SE, so the reach would have been goofy foot DTL straight at the pier! I wasn't seeing any obvious exits for the kick out, since it jacked up and was breaking right as you approached the peir. The only way out would have been aerials out the back and hope the wave behind that didn't get you.

Good tip for N wind Zirtab. That would be a more traditional starboard tack, regular foot, setup. Assuming the wave always breaks right from the pier, that could actually be a good DTL setup.