NorCal Kayak Anglers

Kayak Zone => Places to Launch and Camp => Topic started by: NowhereMan on July 15, 2022, 07:14:57 AM

Title: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: NowhereMan on July 15, 2022, 07:14:57 AM
I'm a big fan of 1-way trips, but rarely get the opportunity, mostly due to the logistics. I've done 4-mile beach to the Santa Cruz harbor in my Hobie Revo 16, and that was one of my favorites.

I'm now thinking that Davenport Landing to the Santa Cruz harbor in my AI should be doable. It looks like the distance is about 15 miles (at a minimum), and I routinely do 10-13 miles, even on days where the wind does not cooperate. So, it looks like if I select the right day (low surf for easy launch, and favorable winds), it would be pretty easily do-able. But, I've never launched from Davenport Landing and have not been that far up the coast on my AI either. So, I'm wondering if I might be missing something, as far as the degree of difficulty.

Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: mdoka_matt on July 15, 2022, 08:28:08 AM
PISCEAN and I have done Davenport to 4 mile, and 4 mile to harbor using non AI kayaks. For non sailing yaks, its all about drift direction and speed. There have been times that the drift was perfect and moved us easily along our way. However there has also been times the current was running to the north and the "shuttle trip" (as we call it) had to be canceled and we just stayed near the point of origin. I assume with an AI you could make it regardless of drift, but Im no sailor.  Sounds like a good plan to me.
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: PISCEAN on July 15, 2022, 08:49:10 AM
oh yeah, the distances you log NWM, it's totally doable.
beware of some weird current, for one time Matt & I paddled for like an hour and were still just off the cement plant. Only once though. There is some interesting structure in the 5 mile areas and some neat sea caves.
And all that sand off of Wilder...
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: Eddie on July 15, 2022, 08:52:00 AM
I remember the pac hali reports off Davenport, or was it BFT, or both? :smt006
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: AlsHobieOutback on July 15, 2022, 08:57:13 AM
That sounds like fun  :smt003 
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: JohnnyAb on July 15, 2022, 09:04:35 AM
Like others have said, sometimes the uphill current is rather strong
And hugging the shore, one can experience a lot of wave refraction if there’s swell too
With good/typical conditions, and the wind at your back, should be a “BREEZE” :smt044
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: NowhereMan on July 15, 2022, 08:55:20 PM
Like others have said, sometimes the uphill current is rather strong
And hugging the shore, one can experience a lot of wave refraction if there’s swell too
With good/typical conditions, and the wind at your back, should be a “BREEZE” :smt044

Thanks for all the feedback. Is there any way to predict/guesstimate the current? I was in Santa Cruz yesterday, and there was a stronger current (flowing generally east-ish) than I'd ever seen before (very noticeable when trolling). I was guessing that it might have something to do with a big tide swing that was underway (from -1.7 at 5:45am, on it's way to 4.0)...
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: Eddie on July 15, 2022, 09:19:58 PM
Like others have said, sometimes the uphill current is rather strong
And hugging the shore, one can experience a lot of wave refraction if there’s swell too
With good/typical conditions, and the wind at your back, should be a “BREEZE” :smt044

Thanks for all the feedback. Is there any way to predict/guesstimate the current? I was in Santa Cruz yesterday, and there was a stronger current (flowing generally east-ish) than I'd ever seen before (very noticeable when trolling). I was guessing that it might have something to do with a big tide swing that was underway (from -1.7 at 5:45am, on it's way to 4.0)...
I'm trying to use my Navionics Boating App to find the current speed and it's based on a buoy.  I love the arrows it shows and interprets around the bay then shows the real time speed at the time of the tide.  I'm obsessed with current speed at the moment...there is a buoy in SC that might be of similar speed to Davenport... :smt006
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: KPD on July 15, 2022, 10:15:22 PM
Sounds Like a great outing. I’ve wanted to do Pacifica to Half Moon Bay.

I wish the logistics of a one-way trip were easier.

Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: piscellaneous on July 16, 2022, 06:23:50 PM
I have a car with crossbars and a 2-level trailer and I would be down for either of the above mentioned trips. Another cool one would be SF to OP after picking up some live bait. Hit me up if y’all want to plan something.
Cheers


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: Super Dave on July 16, 2022, 06:46:48 PM
I took my 16' skiff up to Wilder this morning and trolling back into the south swell I felt like was sitting still and I keep checking my fish finder to make sure I wasn't go backwards.   
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: NowhereMan on July 16, 2022, 08:37:26 PM
...there is a buoy in SC that might be of similar speed to Davenport... :smt006

Great idea!

This CDIP buoy is between Steamer Land and Mitchell's Cove, and it has real-time swell info, and predictions

http://cdip.ucsd.edu/themes/cdip/?d2=p70:s:254

I didn't realize that it also has current info

http://cdip.ucsd.edu/themes/cdip/?pb=1&d2=p70&u2=s:254:st:1:v:current_plot:max_frq:0.33:dt:202207

Now, I'll check the current info before each outing and see how it relates to what's happening on the water...
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: Eddie on July 16, 2022, 10:40:23 PM
...there is a buoy in SC that might be of similar speed to Davenport... :smt006

Great idea!

This CDIP buoy is between Steamer Land and Mitchell's Cove, and it has real-time swell info, and predictions

http://cdip.ucsd.edu/themes/cdip/?d2=p70:s:254

I didn't realize that it also has current info

http://cdip.ucsd.edu/themes/cdip/?pb=1&d2=p70&u2=s:254:st:1:v:current_plot:max_frq:0.33:dt:202207

Now, I'll check the current info before each outing and see how it relates to what's happening on the water...
Just looking at the chart I figured it never got over .5mph, how wrong was that...m/sec is meters per second, yikes...not a math guy but seems like it can rip for sure... :smt006
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: NowhereMan on July 17, 2022, 07:11:12 AM
Just looking at the chart I figured it never got over .5mph, how wrong was that...m/sec is meters per second, yikes...not a math guy but seems like it can rip for sure... :smt006

That's a good catch--I had read it as mph. So, it looks like the max is a bit over 0.4 M/sec, which means a max of about 1 mph. On a kayak where my easy-going trolling speed is often 1.5 mph, 1 mph looms large.

I've also noticed what Super Dave mentions, namely, that when heading back towards the harbor from the west side, it sometimes seems like you're barely making progress. I've had days where the wind was out of the east, and when sailing east, I'd tack back and forth and lose ground. I always figured that was lack of sailing skill, but current probably was also a factor. This complicates things a bit...
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: AlsHobieOutback on July 18, 2022, 12:53:32 PM
I realized this weekend I don't have a good sense of how long it takes to go anywhere by sail.  How long do you think the run would take overall?  Does Uber allow people in drysuits in their cars?  :smt044
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: PISCEAN on July 18, 2022, 01:04:19 PM
As a reference we did a paddle from Davenport to 4mile in our non-sailing kayaks and we were OTW from 8am-2pm, as we were fishing along the way.
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: AlsHobieOutback on July 18, 2022, 01:14:12 PM
Well I'm loving this idea and for sure would like to join in if that isn't already obvious.  I need some more rough water experience before I do so, maybe I'll do SC to Cap and back and try some slogging up wind/swell.
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: NowhereMan on July 23, 2022, 06:37:29 PM
I realized this weekend I don't have a good sense of how long it takes to go anywhere by sail.  How long do you think the run would take overall?  Does Uber allow people in drysuits in their cars?  :smt044

I usually want to fish to the bitter end, and end up only sailing the last mile or 2, at most, so I don't do much long-distance sailing. But, I'd envision fishing about half way, like maybe to about 4 mile, then sailing the rest of the way. With decent afternoon winds, I'd expect to be able to sail at least a steady 4mph, so I'd plan on a couple of hours for that second half, along with 4-6 hours for first (fishing) half.

If the surf is reasonable, it would be possible to bail out at 4 mile or Natural Bridges, and I'm sure Uber can find those places...
Title: Re: Feasibility of Davenport Landing to SC harbor
Post by: bluekayak on July 23, 2022, 10:36:33 PM
Seems like doable distance

Maybe wind is the main wild card down there just like Marin coast where you think it’s coming from nw but sometimes switches and pushes you at the shore

But you can always tack the AI though I would think

I’d be most curious about knowing what places along the way you could bail if you needed to

Sounds like fun, wish I had one of those hobies The ti has been tempting except for weight and storage issues

One day maybe