Santa Cruz tomorrow Sat 5/12

Was thinking of going out of Santa Cruz harbor for my first trip out to RF tomorrow.  Anyone interested?  Sat looks better than Sun for weather, yet not "perfect".  Are these conditions "ok" for fishing?

Sat
NW winds 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. NW swell 6 to 8 ft at 7 seconds and S 2 ft at 14 seconds. Patchy fog. 

Sat Night
NW winds 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. NW swell 6 to 8 ft. Patchy fog. 

If it is indeed foggy in the morning, are you required to cary a light on your yak for visibility?  Dont have one yet, but I hear REI has a sale this weekend, and I remember seeing one of the yack running lights there for around 20-30 bucks.  Wondering if I should pick that up. 

Was also considering Capitola or Stillwater, but I would like to skip on the surf launches for this trip. (need more experience)  Any other reccomendations for a ramp, harbor launch close to SC?

launch right next to the capitola wharf for the most protected fishing conditions of all
and where all beginners should start.

seach on this site for info, we have posted it one hundred million times.

going out and into the harbour with a lot of boats is not that easy.

J

I would like to try stillwater Saturday or Sunday. Either way I can go out to Santa Cruz. What time do you want to go? I'm in sj also. If you want to hit stillwater the next day, I can give you a hand launching, it's not usually a big deal there, but you never know.

I live in Santa Cruz. This morning the fog was solid, not patchy. Got GPS? When it lifts.... get ready for the wind.
jmairey is right: boats going in/out of the harbor are a big danger to yaks, even without fog. imho, a light would scarcely improve safety.  An air horn on the other hand....
Capitola is lake-like.

V

I've never luanched out of sc, but I have out of Capitola and Stillwater. I have never dumped it goig out , however I have donated some gear on the way in.....Remind me to tell you all about story guys, I laugh just thinking about it (until I remember how much that gear cost to replace).

fished outta cap. last night, yeah, launched by the wharf. Launch there is easy as pie. Wind waves though, holy hell. No real swell to speak of though. No fish either, soaked squid over sand though, looking for the flattie. I'm thinking westside SC tomorrow AM. Vanim is right though, the fog was THICK this morning and didn't burn off till after noon.....so I'll be heading out WS SC or at Davenport. Company welcome...
Garen

Garen,

where on the westside do you launch from?  Been looking at mitchells cove but the stairs look like a bitch!

Eugene

Well now Capitola does sound good now.  But I did years ago rent a kayak in SCH and don't remember it being too difficult to get out there.  I do not however have a GPS, but do have a flag, airhorn, radio, whistle.  Could probably make it to REI tonight to get a light for the yak.  My buddy and I are still very tempted to go, but yeah without a gps, or depth finder I am not sure we should venture out alone.  If anyone else was definitely interested in showing two newbies around we would be willing to head out there.

West Marine has a $13 waterproof light with a good lens, pretty much like REI's, just no pole or fancy Scotty socket, but  a little pvc or bamboo and some duct tape would work fine.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SiteSearchView?catalogId=10001&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&keyword=light&Ntt=light&N=0&y=16&x=7&storeId=10001&Ntk=All_2&ddkey=SiteSearch

I'd like to carry the strobe, but so far as I can tell, you can't legally use it except in emergencies ( maybe you could claim being out in the fog in a yak is a constant emergency, tho that might get you arrested for reckless boating).  I think I've seen strobes advertised on some yak product sites, where it looks like it's being used as a running light, maybe it's legal.

Most of the time, the fog isn't on the deck in SC, weathermen call it "stratus", but the last few days have seen odd conditions, and it's hard to tell whether the wind will let you get to(or safely back from) any place fishable from the harbor.  New Brighton or Capitola are out of the boating lanes and closer to reefs, and the swell isn't expected to be much, so those  might be the best bets for you. 

Eugene,
yeah, the stairs are a bitch. I  just deal with that. Saves a few hours paddling fom the harbor though...sometimes someone on the beach will help you get back up!

Fish, I always luanch and unload at the pier and drive back up and parked. Sometimes they hassle me alittle but they understand I'm not trying to stay there.

Als, I do have a fishfinder w/GPS But Capitola has never yeilded mass quanities of fish. Can I talk you guys into Stillwater? It's pretty consistant and more Lings!

You might be able too   I just dont know how to get there, or how long it would take me to get there from SJ.  I live in the south of sj, Almaden area.  What time would you want to leave, to be there/launch by?

The way to go is launch at Mitchell's, fish out from the cove and along the kelp, then the hali drift off the point, and finish up AT THE HARBOR for the easy exit. You just need shuttle service.  In fact, I'd shuttle you for a couple fillets . (I live about 10min from Mitchell's)

Mitchell's is launchable now, but with more swell, it's not so safe/easy to launch there.

vanim

If you want to follow me, we can meet somewhere off of 87? I live in downtown sj. I have to load up tomorow morning and be on the road by 7 am to be on the water by 8:30.

Sounds good to me!  Ill pm you my number and we can figure out a location.  Thanks!!!