Muir Beach, Round 2 - 7/7/12

From crabbing there earlier this season I think a so so landing spot is left of center ( from waters perspective).
Look for a camper size rock formation on beach and come in to the right of it)

I rolled 2/3 times on launching there. I was packing 3 crab traps so I was too top heavy. Pack lite.

Definitely wear wet/ dry suit there, Not waders there.
Pay attention to sets and you'll be ok. In an emergency recovery you may consider exiting via beach on north side just to get on land but then you ate on wrong side of rock formation. You'll have to hike  around neighborhood streets back to parking lot.

Is it easy landing at Muir Beach?
I went to Capitola 3 times last year. 2 of them my kayak capsized when I was landing at the beach of Capitola wharf. Is there any special technique for landing at beaches?

I pretty new at this too, I would also like to know the answer to this question.

Practice makes perfect. Either go with someone with enough experience or take a class (well worth it from my experience). I didn't have anyone to go with or teach me then so I took a class. Picked up a thing or two that I didn't learn from just reAding how-tos. It's money we'll spent.

If its over a 5ft swell it might not be the place to try your first surf launch. But if you do, make sure someone on the beach has a camera for us. OK?

Lol, Vince and I were just talking bout launching there as first timers. I told him I don't think so buddy.

If its over a 5ft swell it might not be the place to try your first surf launch. But if you do, make sure someone on the beach has a camera for us. OK?

This!

My name is on the list of photo documented Muir victims.

Sat: Nw winds 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. Nw swell 3 to 5 ft. Sw swell 3 ft. Patchy fog.

If its even fishable on Saturday, it's definitely wetsuit conditions. I'm still keeping my eye on it. Hopefully it'll lighten up as the week passes.

I'd give anything to have a video of the time I rolled three times trying to get out there. I must have spent 10 to 15 minutes on the beach between the second and third time looking at 2 foot breakers. I tried it again and found myself surfing backwards on six footers. It was early, but I'm sure someone got a good laugh. 

I need to work on controlling my direction when surfing backwards.

Where people usually go to look for ocean conditions?

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) -- weather.gov

Click the map to zoom in on where you want to go.

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?map.x=146&map.y=149&minlon=-124.5&maxlon=-119.3&minlat=35.65&maxlat=39.65&mapwidth=354&site=mtr&zmx=1&zmy=1

Forecast is improving.  A little more swell, a little less wind.  It should be plenty fishable in the morning.

Sat: Nw winds 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. Nw swell 4 to 6 ft. Patchy fog.

Where people usually go to look for ocean conditions?

Like Alex said NOAA is where I check first, surfing sites next, like surf forecast, basically if it sucks for surfing it's good for yaking! I love dial-a-buoy as well, can't get much more real time than that- search it

It's looking doable

I check on swellinfo.com, it says that swell will be around 2ft-2.3ft @ 16sec. Wind will be under 5mph before 12. Hope I'm looking at the right one lol, I'm looking at the ocean condition for marine county. Is that the right one?

That looks like the SW portion of the swell, anyway.  South swells in the summer usually have long periods (greater than 10 seconds), as they are generated by storms far away down south. The 4-6 foot NW swell that you see on NOAA is likely more of a locally generated wind swell with a short period of 10 seconds or less.  Long period swells have more energy, and CAN actually create much larger breaking waves than similar sized short period swells. The "wind waves" I guess you could say are VERy locally generated, by the wind happening near you when ou're out there.

They all interact, add and subtract in ways that can create some pretty interesting conditions sometimes.

Interesting, thanks for the info.

Points system is always good too, if Wind + Swell = 20 or more, it's a no go, and that pertains more to protected launches than surf launches. Short period, and over 5 ft generally not good for surf launch unless your Dave the wave! Mixed Swell ie washing machine can also be a good show stopper even if things seem doable. Can last for days after conditions improve, if something is churning out there far off.