HOW NorCal 6th 2018 Event - FIRST Saltwater Event - JULY 21 - Stillwater South!

Hi all,

We have confirmed the date of our very first saltwater event to be on SATURDAY, July 21, 2018 at Stillwater South/Pebble Beach.  We have received approval from PBGC to use the parking lot near the stairs to unload and load our gear.  They also recommend we do a BBQ on the beach, which we believe can be accommodated due to the mild tides that day. 

Event itinerary -
Breakfast on/near beach around 8-8:30am. 
Launch around 9am or before.
Return for lunch at approximately 1-1:30PM. 
All participants should be off the beach at 2-2:30PM. 
Volunteers can begin loading their gear at 2:30PM (PBGC has asked us to not take up loading space between 10am-2PM)
HOW gear will be loaded at approximately 3PM- will take about 1 hour to clean up.

Sa  21      Low   1:10 AM     1.0   
    21     High   7:11 AM     3.3   
    21      Low  12:10 PM     2.0
    21     High   6:53 PM     5.3

For this saltwater event, we are looking for a 1 to 1 guide to participant ratio, so we will be definitely asking for community help as guides. 

Please post up below if you think you can help out as a guide on this trip.  If you know of any able bodied veterans, active duty or first responders (PTSD rating is fine) who would be interested in coming out, please feel free to contact me directly.  We will have a flyer up later this evening to help spread the word, but want to keep the event fairly limited and want 100% solid confirmation of attendance from anyone who is interested in going.  We plan to get wetsuit rentals for every participant so want solid numbers and sizes in enough time prior to the event to ensure we have everyone covered from a safety standpoint.

We could also use some saltwater fishing gear and or kayaks if people could bring spares instead of using our HOW kayaks.  If you have a decent saltwater fishing rod + reel combo that we could borrow it would be greatly appreciated.  We don't need anything super special of course, beater boat rods are fine.

Special Notes/Rules:
1. Free entry to any volunteers/participants to Pebble Beach that are participating in the event.  Tell them you are with the Heroes on the Water Kayak Fishing Event
2. Please park all cars at the hedgerow parking lot or near the tennis courts. DO NOT PARK next to the club.
3. NO ALCOHOL allowed at HOW events
4. All on the water volunteers must wear PFDs.
5. You are required to have fun and/or take pictures!

Thanks,
Ben

The beach area at Pebble Beach Golf Club is non-existent at high tide.  Caused by global warming I would guess.
If an event were to take place there, you would need perfect timing at low tide for both launch and re-entry.  Plus having good weather conditions.

I'm open to help how

The beach area at Pebble Beach Golf Club is non-existent at high tide.  Caused by global warming I would guess.
If an event were to take place there, you would need perfect timing at low tide for both launch and re-entry.  Plus having good weather conditions.

We would schedule it around a proper tide.   We are planning for the event to be small enough for that not to be an issue (less than 10 participants + 10 guides + 3 staff).  Weatherwise, SWS is still one of the better options and less likely of a cancellation due to conditions. Our target for this event would be younger, stronger vets or active duty rather than older.  Also, its a better chance of actually catching some fish than places like HMB/SC, and a much shorter overall paddle distance.

We are also planning to have powerboat support for the event, most likely my 22' center console.

We would love to do TC but doubt we will get enough support from the property owners.

This would be our preferred weekend from a tide standpoint - generally calm tides/current and not as high as a 4'er.

But gotta see what we can work out with a venue.

Monterey bay kayaks ????
Boat support would be easier in Monterey.
Plus MBK might help with wet suits ect...

Monterey bay kayaks ????
Boat support would be easier in Monterey.
Plus MBK might help with wet suits ect...

Definitely something we are considering as a backup plan.  But its a minimum 1.5 mile paddle to any even moderately decent fishing.  We also talked about coral street, and have to evaluate that as well from a logistics/parking standpoint.

Will be there to help if I am not travel that weekend.

Fishing wise, TC offers the quickest access to good fishing and is a generally a protected launch.  Pebble Beach parking sucks and the vets would be lucky to catch anything close to the cove.   

Fishing wise, TC offers the quickest access to good fishing and is a generally a protected launch.  Pebble Beach parking sucks and the vets would be lucky to catch anything close to the cove.   

I don't really want to haul 20 kayaks up and down the hill at TC, OC, or anywhere really. The trailer is too big to haul down the hill.

Fishing wise, TC offers the quickest access to good fishing and is a generally a protected launch.  Pebble Beach parking sucks and the vets would be lucky to catch anything close to the cove.

The hope is to get PBGC to help us out on the parking and maybe a golf cart shuttle, as well as waiving entry fees.  I doubt Brenda would be able to do anything for us from that standpoint, and don't think the trailer will roll down the hill. 

That's the most difficult part with venue - finding someone who will work to accommodate our equipment, cooking and attendees with minimal cost.  Half Moon Bay would be a perfect location overall if the fishing was a bit better.  If the salmon bite holds up this year like it did last we may end up there.  We'll see.

What about Albion lots of parking easy lunch and even if it's not good outside there's always lots of fish caught right there in the cove

What about Albion lots of parking easy lunch and even if it's not good outside there's always lots of fish caught right there in the cove

Probably a bit far for most of our participants and volunteers.  Closer to the bay area and/or sacramento the better.

I can do the leg work if you want to hold one in Ft Bragg.  Noyo would be a good spot where there is plenty of parking for trailers and equip and spots to fish from shore if some don’t want to kayak.  There are numerous volunteers within a couple hour drive.  And if it’s to hard to get Vets we can focus on First Responders as HOWs officially put that as a goal for 2018 on their main website. 

Van Damme and Caspar would be great alternatives.  I would only have to work with the state parks to arrange permission. 

Let me know. 

details in first post!  PBGC stepping up and allowing us to host!