Santa Cruz Harbor entrance closed - no vessels

  I haven't seen this info on the forum - the SC Port District website says that the Coast Guard closed the entrance from the opening to the gas dock to "all vessels".  I think there's enough water there to paddle through, but it would take some care if large swells were running - probably why they closed it completely. 
   If you've just got to get out, consider Capitola. Or perhaps Cowells (Don't know it that's legal, but people have done it.) or a beach launch from the State beach to the west of the harbor a little west of Seabright Ave. - near the Natural History Museum (The Cement Whale.) - no signs forbidding it, though I've never seen anyone do it, and it would be quite a haul over the sand (Beach re-built because the jetties were constructed.).
    I think it will be at least a month before the harbor is opened.  There is a huge amount of sand in there.  There have been a lot of large swell days this winter.  Think of the poor bastards with large powerboats who can't get out.
   

Thanks for the heads up Fuzzy Tom! you would think they would start dredging the area.

   They have been dredging, but for a while, several times, the dredge was broken (They're getting a new one, but it will take time to arrive and put together.), and then they'd make a little headway, then another big swell would come in.
    I just went by the hand-launch ramps, and there are signs saying the entrance is closed, though I guess you can paddle inside the harbor.   I also noticed that the lower San Lorenzo River near the Boardwalk up to beyond the Riverside St. Bridge is also full of sand - so if a it gets washed out by heavy rains, I think I know where it's headed. The Sentinel said the entrance has been closed before, if I recall, about 10-15 yrs. ago.

Closed.  I don't foresee it opening in time for April opener.  Some really unhappy boat owners in that harbor right now.

Great.....monterey is going to be a zoo opening day for both salmon and rockies. I may hold off for a mid week trip.

  I haven't seen this info on the forum - the SC Port District website says that the Coast Guard closed the entrance from the opening to the gas dock to "all vessels".  I think there's enough water there to paddle through, but it would take some care if large swells were running - probably why they closed it completely. 
   If you've just got to get out, consider Capitola. Or perhaps Cowells (Don't know it that's legal, but people have done it.) or a beach launch from the State beach to the west of the harbor a little west of Seabright Ave. - near the Natural History Museum (The Cement Whale.) - no signs forbidding it, though I've never seen anyone do it, and it would be quite a haul over the sand (Beach re-built because the jetties were constructed.).
    I think it will be at least a month before the harbor is opened.  There is a huge amount of sand in there.  There have been a lot of large swell days this winter.  Think of the poor bastards with large powerboats who can't get out.
 

I'm not 100% sure but I believe it is against the rules in Santa Cruz to launch from the beaches. I don't know if that is State parks or what. I lived there for a year and seem to remember that being the case.

I'm not 100% sure but I believe it is against the rules in Santa Cruz to launch from the beaches. I don't know if that is State parks or what. I lived there for a year and seem to remember that being the case.

Only illegal if u gitz popt!

As a Santa Cruz native, harbor employee of two different marine business, and a 25 foot north harbor slip renter; yes just about every person involved with the harbor is extremely upset with the current situation and lack of oversight by head office staff. The dredging crew has been working effortlessly on the sand build up in the mouth. They had an extremely late start to the dredging season even knowing an El Niño was rolling in. I could rant on for days but the new situation basically sets the harbor up for new funding from other agencies. The harbor was forced to close by order of the coast guard, not by choice. So hopefully now they can get some people in there who know how to run a harbor and can rebuild a realistic budget.

On the kayak launching from beaches question, I do it all the time. On the west side or east side of town and never had anyone look twice at me. BUT if you are beach launching from a beach with life guards and they're flying a black ball on a yellow flag, that means no hard objects in the surf i.e. Surfboards, small crafts, kayaks.

There's a ton of fish out there right now. I've been diving about once every other week and have been doing very well. So I expect a good opener for rod and reel guys!

Good luck out there on the opener!

Can't confirm, but I read that the harbor has reopened.

read it where?

update...thread in the CA regs section

Who would want to launch outta SC anyways?

read it where?

update...thread in the CA regs section

I read it on the Coastside Fishing Club forums. It was second hand (now third hand) info from the staff at Bayside Marine.

Thanks for the info. The last couple times I was by there, it looked rough. So a beach launch might be safer anyway...

http://www.santacruzharbor.org/announcesafetyclosure.html



Edit: contact harbor master on 9 for access permission. 


Harbor looks to be breaking mildly earlier today.

https://www.santacruzharbor.org/harborCams/harborEntrance.html

http://www.santacruzharbor.org/announcesafetyclosure.html



Edit: contact harbor master on 9 for access permission. 


Harbor looks to be breaking mildly earlier today.

https://www.santacruzharbor.org/harborCams/harborEntrance.html

Hmm... Looks like a nice little right hander rolling off the jetty..