Weekend is coming. Thinking Santa Cruz

Capitola and Half Moon Bay have treated me so well this summer that I've forgotten to get to Santa Cruz. I'm looking to get on the water at or just before first light to get an early start on some rockfish, with hopes that the 1.5-ft/16 second swell from the south doesn't make the fish shut their mouths.

Is it worth trying Mitchell's Cove or Cowell's Beach to try to reduce the distance between launch and reefs, or should I just go with the harbor and maybe troll something on my way around the wharf to the lighthouse point?

Not sure about Mitchell's, but I posted up asking about Cowels in this thread: http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=96065.msg1079690#msg1079690

Sounds like it's not a problem to launch, but it's possibly an issue coming back in, if it's crowded or lots of people swimming I'd imagine.  If you can carry your yak down stairs, launching at the Wharf is possible. 

At least if you fish SC this weekend, a lot of people will be in Monterey, so probably less than usual amount of kayaks in SC at least.

After looking at Mitchell's on Google Earth, i'm guessing you can carry your yak down stairs, or have help carrying.  So that gets you out the farthest at least. And when you return you can grab food and beers on the Wharf 

After looking at Mitchell's on Google Earth, i'm guessing you can carry your yak down stairs, or have help carrying.  So that gets you out the farthest at least. And when you return you can grab food and beers on the Wharf 

I keep looking at those stairs on the map, but my Passport is a bit heavy and my back isn't awesome. It's just so close to the spots. Maybe I'll do a drive by and head to the harbor if it looks too hard. Thanks.

Mitchells is a doable but not easy staircase.  There are twists and turns where you need to be able to lift it up over your head if solo, or at least over railing height with a team carry.  I can do it solo with a 13' ~75 lb yak, but it's a strength and maneuvering challenge.  I'm pretty strong and my back is so far (crossing fingers) pretty good.

Launch is pretty mellow, but watch out for south swell sets, they can wrap in there.

Mitchells is a doable but not easy staircase.

I’ve only launched there when my older son owed me a big favor and he helped with carrying (and that was a lightweight kayak, not a Hobie).  I don’t think the surf is always mellow—need to check surfing sites. And if the tide is too high, the beach can practically disappear. Unless you’re related to Charles Atlas, I’d suggest launching elsewhere, even on a low-surf/low-tide day.

If you launch from the harbor, about 50 fow and either west or east is a pretty good halibut zone. So you could just head straight out of the harbor and troll to the west side. If you go west, the noonish/afternoon wind will generally push you back towards the harbor.


I’m hoping to go out tomorrow—if so, I’ll post a pre-weekend report…

It's sounding like the harbor. Overhead carry isn't gonna work out. It'll be nice to cruise around the wharf with maybe some trolling on the way. Haven't fished Santa Cruz in a few years, but the GPS remembers. Thanks for the feedback.

I don’t think the surf is always mellow—need to check surfing sites. And if the tide is too high, the beach can practically disappear.

Thanks, definitely don't want to misrepresent conditions.  What I mean is on the kinds of days I would go kayaking, it is a mellow launch.  Obviously if the swell is up it's a different story.  On big days there is an all time surfing wave in the cove, 1.5x overhead and reeling, with vicious shore pound and long shores pulling you into the rocks.  Always check conditions as NowhereMan says.  Both before hand on the web and in person with a good long observation of the surf.

The beach *usually* doesn't entirely disappear in summer even at high tides as the sand is *usually* built up, but it does disappear regularly at high tide in the winter when storms strip the sand, and this can happen in summer too so good to be aware.

Anyway, sounds like you decided against Mitchells, just wanted to follow up my statements re: conditions for launch landing safety so future readers are not lead astray.