Santa Cruz harbor reopens, but not really

I was in Santa Cruz today and I can verify that the launch ramp is open...  If you happen to have bought a season pass before it closed.

I'm usually a fairly mild-mannered person, but seeing that, I wanted to throw things into the harbor, and generally go berserk.

https://www.ksbw.com/article/santa-cruz-harbor-hopes-to-reopen-boat-launch-ramp/32325350
 

I drove through there too. Everything looks opened. 👍

I drove through there too. Everything looks opened. 👍

If you think everything is open, you didn't read the fine print...

You also have to have it dry-docked and be a county resident in order to be able to launch. I have a pass for Oyster/HMB but wouldn't be able to launch if they had the same requirements (SC county resident, boats parked SC instead of San Mateo County).

Great way to get it started to get the process down in order to open it up to all. Otherwise, it'd be a cluster-eff if everyone were allowed on the salmon opener and it woulda been shut down by this past Sunday since it would be the only ramp open.

If you wanted to launch your AI, there are other places (mbay->soldiers/mulligans). I thought of busting out my AI and launch from one of the mbay beaches but decided to make the long trek with the boat instead.

I drove through there too. Everything looks opened. 👍

If you think everything is open, you didn't read the fine print...

I didn't mean everything but I drove at the hand launch dock and it looks like you can pay for parking and hand launch. I did see some recreational kayakers going out.

 There are a fair number of kayak fishermen getting on the water in Santa Cruz now. You can launch legally from the hand launch areas on the West side of the harbor. You can also launch from Mitchell's cove off of West Cliff, or from the beach to the right of the Capitola wharf. It looks like the beaches are open for walking, running, or as access to the ocean for surfing etc. Just don't congregate or settle in...keep moving. That's my understanding anyways.

You also have to have it dry-docked and be a county resident in order to be able to launch.

I don't think that's correct. What I read on the signs at the launch ramp is that you need to have purchased an annual launch permit, and that's also what they say in the video posted above. Some people were certainly launching at the dock from trailers.

There are a fair number of kayak fishermen getting on the water in Santa Cruz now. You can launch legally from the hand launch areas on the West side of the harbor. You can also launch from Mitchell's cove off of West Cliff, or from the beach to the right of the Capitola wharf. It looks like the beaches are open for walking, running, or as access to the ocean for surfing etc. Just don't congregate or settle in...keep moving. That's my understanding anyways.

How's the beach launch difficulty at Capitola? Looking to try it this weekend for the first time.

You also have to have it dry-docked and be a county resident in order to be able to launch.

I don't think that's correct. What I read on the signs at the launch ramp is that you need to have purchased an annual launch permit, and that's also what they say in the video posted above. Some people were certainly launching at the dock from trailers.

"Renewed launch ramp use in Santa Cruz will be limited to county residents that have previously purchased an annual launch permit or whose boats are currently in dry storage at the Santa Cruz Harbor."

https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2020/04/30/santa-cruz-harbor-is-allowing-limited-access-fish-rap/

Might have gotten both requirements wrong from another thread, but it's not open for those who didn't have the above prior to the change.

The Capitola beach launch is a sandy, often rutted, steep, maybe 30 ft long jeep trail from the land end of the wharf down to the beach, then about 30 yards across the beach.  So for my Prowler 15 ("60 lbs"), fully loaded (another 20 lbs ?), on Wheeleez, it's pretty easy going down.  But it's about all I can do to get it back uphill wet and loaded.  My 50 years younger self would probably have looked at it as fun, like I used to think loading hay bales was just a fun day in the sun.