How do you launch from Cowells in Santa Cruz?

I put a few crab traps out in about 100ft of water this afternoon. Have had some luck with rock crab but probably not deep enough for the dungeness.

I've paid the harbor a number of times, but $10. to launch a kayak is a little silly. I've seen a number of people on here have launched from Cowells beach. I'm thinking of launching from there tomorrow but never done it before. What's the surf like? Where's the best place to park? Metered/non-metered parking? Any tips or advice?

Thanks in advance.

cowells is just like any place else - it depends on the surf - it can be easy ankle slappers, or a big shore dump. 

Parking meters don't kick in until 1000 AM.  If you want to do a early on/ early off, you can beat the meter maid.  Otherwise, your stuck pay for parking at the wharf, or spraining your ankle to get a handicap placard from your sympathetic family doc, so you don't have to pay the meter 

An alternative to launching cowells is to put in at Mitchell Cove.  no meters = launch/land at your leisure.  them stairs is a real C-U-Next Tuesday.  but if you were heading north from cowells anyways, MCove saves you 25 minutes of paddling!

$5 all day parking at Cowells Beach surf shop. Dont know for sure if they raised the price....

Or why not just park at Aldo's and launch from the harbor? It's not much of a paddle from there to cowells.


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Gharkey St. Past Cowell St Doesn't require a permit during the weekend.


Peace