Santa Cruz 5/2

Slowmo and I are planing to launch at Mitchel's Cove (foot of Almar st.) Friday morning and fish out from Natural Bridges. We will be cliff side to check it out at 5:45 and if conditions are a go were in straight away. If conditions (surf) are not what we like we will slide on down the road to the harbor and head out from there. Happy to help any that show up in getting your yak down/up the stairs. We plan to be out a few hours and then head back in so Slowmo can make it back to school for an afternoon class. Getting down and up the stairs is a team effort requiring two people. Just means we need to all come in together or in pairs anyway.
Rocketman

I am guessing you cant launch from the Natural Bridges beach?  I think I saw a pic of someone hauling their yack up a crap load of stairs by way of rope and wheelez, maybe it was here?   

I'm a little up in the air, but if Thursday gets cut short due to weather, I may head over to SC harbor Friday.  But talk of MBK has convinced me to maybe give that a try as well.  So, dunno, maybe see you out there!

I am guessing you cant launch from the Natural Bridges beach?  I think I saw a pic of someone hauling their yack up a crap load of stairs by way of rope and wheelez, maybe it was here?   

You can launch at Natural Bridges, but it's a trudge across a big expanse of sand and the beach is more exposed to the surf.
The stairs at Mitchel's Cove are a piece of cake in my mind and parking is only a 100' away. Easy deal with 2 people capable of lifting a yak over their head to negotiate the turn in the stairs. Like I said we are more than willing to help any that want to join us. From Mitchel's Cove it is a short paddle out and then we work our way north as we fish and then drift back as the wind turns.
As it stands now we will probably just go out of the harbor since we have to go to 41st ave after fishing to rent Slowmo a tux for the high school prom. He should be a real hit in the tux shop after fishing all morning.

I thought you couldn't launch from beaches in SC...?  In any case, I wouldn't want to launch from NB.  The walk across the sand would suck.  Nice to know about the Mitchel's Cove launch.

There are only a few select beaches in SC where it is legal to launch a kayak. Mitchell's is one of them.

 Kayak Connection used to have a cool little brochure that showed all  of them (but there are only 2-3 I think).

I have been launching out of Santa Cruz and Capitola for some time and was not aware of these restrictions? Could you reply back and I will also go to KC for the map. I launch from 35th in Capitola as well as the capitola beach on the west side of the pier, and also from New Brighton beach.
I may head to Del Monte on Friday if the weather and swell hold, there is a new SW swell on the way and still a decent NW in the water. The tides are swinging pretty big too I think?

Mike

I have been launching out of Santa Cruz and Capitola for some time and was not aware of these restrictions? Could you reply back and I will also go to KC for the map. I launch from 35th in Capitola as well as the capitola beach on the west side of the pier, and also from New Brighton beach.
I may head to Del Monte on Friday if the weather and swell hold, there is a new SW swell on the way and still a decent NW in the water. The tides are swinging pretty big too I think?

Mike

I'm not an expert, but, I was told by Golden at KC that the only restricted beaches for launching a yak is city of santa cruz only.

The others controlled by capitola, soquel etc are ok for launch.

Stoggie

The lifeguards will bug you if you try to launch from Twin Lakes, Cowell's or the Main beach up to Seabright. The only spot they allow launching is right next to the wharf on the left side. You can generally launch at other beaches where there aren't any lifeguards.

I'm heading out of Capitola (NBSB) a bit later (9:00) after I drop the girls off at school.

Targeting halibut, dragging squid until I catch bait.

Company welcome if the stairs don't work out.

Joel (the other one)