SC/Capitola 10-14

hey guys, my son and I want to try SC or Capitola on 10-14 about 0630, never launched from there.  Any one interested or have suggestions for launching & parking?

The harbor is the easiest place to launch from. I usually launch from the "A" dock, which is next to Aldo's. If you pay $10, you can park 1 car in the lot, and you can launch up to 2 kayaks. There is a self-serve pay station by the booth (nobody will be in the booth if you go out early, so you'll have to do the self-serve). You can park in the metered spots---although they say something  like "Aldo's customers only". Be sure to put the self-pay stub on your dash. You can park on the street for free, but if you launch 2 kayaks, you won't save any money (if you don't pay for parking, there is a $5/kayak launch fee), and it'll be more difficult.

Another good place to launch is the Capitola wharf (as you face the ocean, you can launch on the right-hand side of the wharf). There's temporary spots where you can unload by the wharf and there's (expensive) meters nearby, and free parking in the residential area on top of the hill.

If you go out from the harbor, the mile buoy is a popular area. Lighthouse point (west of the harbor, beyond the Santa Cruz wharf) holds a lot of rockfish. I was out  today, and there seemed to be a lot of rockfish near Pleasure Point (an easy paddle from the Capitola wharf, but a fairly good distance from the harbor).

Feel free to PM me if you need any additional info.

thanks for the info

jan