Bean 9/1 - pea soup

Arrived at 6.30am to find Mooch stopped by and talking w/Ramon (kayakito) and Kurt (Curt?) roadside.  Mooch was just there to try to scare us again, apparently, as he took off to prep for a New Brighton trip.  So it was just us 3.

Launch was a "wait for the window" affair for a change.  All made it out fine - props to Ramon for overcoming some dodgy swells in his window, on his 2nd surf launch.

If you went out without GPS or VHF today, it was NOT your lucky day.   Whiteout, big time.  Visibility maybe 50 yards at best.  Wind and swell were there but not really a factor, though worse with the fog, cold and damp, less than comfortable.

I paddled out to find my terminal tackle needing changing, which took awhile for 2 rods OTW, and then my FF batteries died.  GPS got us in the neighborhood, but as soon as any of us hooked up - poof - we were split - split pea soup style.

Hooked up fast in hali terrritory, big fish, got it up near the surface, water was so dark, couldn't see a thing, then the fish suddenly dove, bent my rod tip into the water, and poof, gone... Sawed off the leader - no tackle left, not even a knot wrinkle.

Tried poking around the GPS spots, but not knowing what the bottom was, ended up mired in snags and birdsnests most of the morning.  Ended up with a decent verm, copper, and 2 smaller blacks.

K/Curt and Ramon may want to tell their stories, because we were out of each others' loops about 30 minutes after launch.

K/Curt thanks for carrying up my fish and rods.  Ramon, thanks for the note on my windshield - glad you made it back and sorry you had a tough day!

Nice seein you guys - hope we can do it again, just not blind and deaf!

That fog was a beast.  Never let up.  I didn't even recognize the hollow until I got into the jaws.

Thinkin about trying tomorrow tho!  3-day weekends rock.  Charging FF batteries....

Hey Craig - sorry to hear the tough day. Good to hear you came back safe.  6 of us hit Carmel - Spanish bay. The condition was snarly too. See details in the other thread. So don't feel alone. I was wondering how you guys did at BH, when driving back home. Thanks for the report.

Tomorrow's condition at BH seems similar or a little worse than today. Did you check?

Eric, thanks..   I am heading over to your report now.

Conditions tomorrow appear same as today (forecast was improved today), just don't know about the fog.  I heard it was sunny and clear just a couple miles down the road, so who knows?  Guess Bean's # came up with the fog.  Otherwise it was decent - landing was easy, launch OK with a good window.

The fog didn't bug me (as much as the lack of FF).  I woulda worn my splash jacket tho, for warmth, if I had known it wasn't gonna burn off.

The two dudes without GPS and/or VHF's - another story I think!

Well, geeezzzzzzzzz, I have been waiting for a report all day since I really wanted to be there this morning, and just knowing that the report was going to relate an epic day on the water. Too bad for the fog, it sure does change the mood of a place. If everyone found there way in and put it on the sand keel down I'd still call it good.  Better days are just around the corner.

Hi All

Got up at 4:00 am with a nice clear sky and my Little truck already loaded ready to go....... it was clear from my house all the way to Ponponio Beach after that, it was foggy, I said, well that is nice I wont have to deal with the early sun bright light but for my surprise, fishing that area in the fog with out GPS Man..was sucks!!
Kirk, Craig and I were hanging together, I was trying to stick to the buddy system but the damn fog was thick, when I lost Craig and Kirk
I just freaked out trying to figure out how  to get out of the water, I paddled the closest to breakers trying to find the launching spot almost for 2 hours but all I was able to see was huge waves and big rocks but no landing spots until finally found a beach close to the lighthouse like three miles down from Bean Hollow, my landing was terrible, I flipped over, I lost my two poles, tackle box, sun glasses, and I got a free drink   When I was walking on the side of the highway a truck stopped and gave me a ride back to the amazing BH.   I probably have never mention god so many times in two hours

( Mooch, I should listen to your advice, stay together!!!!  )

Man I am glad every one is safe.  I had the same thing happen to me once at Coral St.  Where it was so foggy I could not find the place to land.  That time I was a little seasick so I just paddled outside the breakers until it cleared enough to see the landing.  It took over an hour and I did have my GPS.  I just did not turn it on until after I was on the water I so I did not have the launch marked.  Radios and GPS really help when conditions change.  See our Asilomar post from yesterday.  And conditions do change it was amazingly different from last week yesterday.

I am going to hit the Monterey Bay Regge Fest for some serious Footbag (Sack) and Irie music today  and then try for some more fishing again on Monday around Monterey somewhere conditions willing (yak) 

If Mooch wanted to scare anyone, he would bring his apron. The reality of it is, he just doesnt want people to die. Pea soup, no vhf, beginers going against the better judjement of a real pro, and people getting seperated, its probably going to happen. Just my 2 cents.

Ramon and Criag,

Great paddling with you yesterday.  Sorry about the disconnect and rough landing Ramon.

I had a nice takedown, then landed a Vermillion - when I got it on the stringer - I didn't know where you were - or where I was.

Intersting fishing in the fog!

Thoughts from the experience:

- Radio is key equipement - more so than GPS or fish finder.  I'd rather be swamped or lost in the fog talking to fishing partner - that swamped by myself knowing exactly where I was, knowing what depth, and how many fish under me.

- I tried using the whistle - but it is freakin LOUD.  I blew it - then had ringing ears and couldn't hear anything.  Not so good for 2 way communciation.

- It would be good to talk through what is plan if we get separated. How long folks are planning to stay out etc.

- It was clear and breezy 3 miles down the coast.  It could just as easily get foggy on a clear day (bad) as get clear on a foggy day (good).

Lets do it again.

Gordo (Kurt)

Ramon, glad you got a lift and a drink!  I am sorry to heear about your gear, though.  At least that stuff can be replaced (yeah, it costs, but it's fun doin that shopping anyway!).  Check out ebay or craigslist, Cabelas bargain cave too.

If you get lost in fog, it helps knowing how you're drifting (S drift yesterday and most days, so paddling back would be a paddle North), and if you can't make out where the sun is, you can watch the predominant swells (usually NW-ish) and get bearing and heading that way.

Yeah Kurt - I couldn't even hear boats til I could see them going by.  Man that was some dense fog.  Good thought about the float plan too!

Ben, yeah Mooch is all heart!  Actually I was referring to last time he came to watch, and successully beckoned a shark with his bellowing call!   Gotta get him to yell "Halibut!!"  next time maybe.

Yeah, let's hook up again.  Next weekend looks swelly - I'll see, if it lays down, might go then on Sunday.

Yeah, dont get me wrong, I think Bean Hollow is just about the best action Ive had and will do it many times again, but its a force to be reckoned with. Sometimes its a good thing to decide not to go out, even if you've woken up at 4, had to drive 2 hrs and all the other crap. Just with ab diving. Maybe Im over-cautious...

I'm with guitarzan on this one. people are forcing it.

Do something long enough, you get spanked a few times, learn there are limits.

Well , all I can say is that I was lucky, very lucky, the guys who gave me the ride back to my truck told me that the next beach was a few miles south from the spot where I landed. I assumed the fog was going to go away like after nine or so. Any ways, nobody got hurt, I learned something new now is just a matter of getting new fishing poles, radio, and GP$  to go back for some fish. I'm glad my FF survived the scramble Next time I will be definitely more carefull.

Gordo, Craig, Was nice to meet you guys......let's do it again!!

~ramon~

   Ramon,   Sorry to hear you lost your gear. First and foremost you wern't hurt! I'm thinking you probably don't want to hear this, but when you get your new poles, perhaps you can consider some kind of leashes for them?  Either purchased or made.
    Untill I lost my fav trout pole, I had the ropes I use for leashes on deck, but, was lazy and didn't use them.  Well I snagged while trolling, and before I could reach back and grab the pole, PLOP it went! I watched it sink slowly!        Gone.
    Maybe the conditions were such that leashes wern't approiate? Not sure what could have been done for the tackle.  Don't know, wasn't there.  I've read a motto here in this site quite often, "Leash it or loose it" 
Anyhow, your out there doing it, me I'm sticking to fresh water for now.  Again glad your ok!

Troy

I too am really glad everyone got out ok. As for the lost gear, I read this in TSJ yesterday:
"if you can buy it with money, its cheap".
I scoped out Davenport Sunday with the intention of heading to BH if things looked good. They did not, so I stuck closer to SC.
Bean Hollow is a good teacher, but that place can play rough.

I'm glad you all made it back safe 

Stay safe my brothers! With all the near-mishaps that has happend at the Hollow in the past, let's hope that the authorities are thinking of putting a sign up saying "NO KAYAK SURF LAUNCHES ALLOWED IN BEAN HOLLOW".....  That would truly suck