South Bay fishing when ocean is too rough?

I'm curious where there is decent fishing, within an hour or so drive of Santa Cruz, when the ocean is too rough. The caveat is I don't think my kayak could pass a mussel inspection, because I can't reach inside enough to dry the water out. I looked up sites I saw mentioned, but didn't find anything nearby w/o inspections.

In order to pass inspection this weekend I washed my kayak inside and out Sunday evening and then drained it out and wiped dry what I could. Then I left it in the garage with all hatches open overnight and ran my wife's hair dryer in the hull Monday morning until it was bone dry. I didn't know if a hair dryer could run for over an hour on high or not but apparently it can. That is one way to dry it out even though you can't reach all the way to the front or back inside. That doesn't answer the question or where to go but it may help you pass inspection anyways. After all that I got to Shadow Cliffs and when the guy picked up my paddle water came dripping out. I thought to myself you have got to be kidding me... I will fail on a few drops from inside my paddle. He let it slide since I was there the previous weekend and had the inspection form with from the previous weekend. 

Not sure if it would work in this application,  but alcohol might help with the drying

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The shadow cliffs inspectors have been pretty cool so far.  i believe almost all the southbay lakes require inspection now, so your choices are limited. maybe Bushy's pond in santa cruz?

If its not too windy and you can handle a tide, a launch out of alviso slough for sturgeon, redwood city for sharks, etc might work as well. the bay can as dangerous as the ocean though so make sure you think you can handle it.

If its not too windy and you can handle a tide, a launch out of alviso slough for sturgeon, redwood city for sharks, etc might work as well. the bay can as dangerous as the ocean though so make sure you think you can handle it.

Ben, I would caution the Alviso Slough, unless you are really experience and have a back up plan. I almost go stuck out there once. The tide changed and was pushing out hard, and the wind came up. The sun was going down in 1.5 hours and I couldn't make any progress against the tide and wind. Had a fellow boater help me in. I haven't been back since but that was me, and i can do noob things like that from time to time.

To answer the man's question-- Maybe try the Salinas river for stripers. Those scumbags down there have figured that place out. Lol.

Its no too close but the delta is a good place to go. No inspection. But why don't you make a mop type tool to wipe the inside and use a hair drier to evaporate the moisture.

Not sure if it would work in this application,  but alcohol might help with the drying

Sounds great, but how much alcohol do I have to drink to pass inspection?

Not sure if it would work in this application,  but alcohol might help with the drying

Sounds great, but how much alcohol do I have to drink to pass inspection?

Well, if you dry up your bottle, you can certainly present the bottle as your floating method of choice!

I usually fish Calero and Lexington.  20 minutes from home. Caught many bass, crappie and a few trout.  Calero is open all year.  The only downside are the water skiers and jet skis at Calero.  Lexington was going to stay open on weekends.

Not sure if it would work in this application,  but alcohol might help with the drying

Sounds great, but how much alcohol do I have to drink to pass inspection?

Drink the alcohol and figure out the inspection later. 

better yet give the person alcohol and soon they will forget and let you through

I usually fish Calero and Lexington.  20 minutes from home. Caught many bass, crappie and a few trout.  Calero is open all year.  The only downside are the water skiers and jet skis at Calero.  Lexington was going to stay open on weekends.

Lexington is closed to boating until mid-April.

Not sure if it would work in this application,  but alcohol might help with the drying

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It may not help with the drying but the whole job will be more fun....