Paradise Cove at Malibu, California

[Kings Gambit]

So, have any of our Southern California sailors anchored overnight recently in Paradise Cove behind Pt. Dume at Malibu? Has anyone anchored there in winter? Thinking of making it an overnight stop travelling to Marina del Rey from Ventura Harbor later this month. Have not stopped there for several years and then only during summer.

 

[Stu Jackson]

KG, how are the water conditions down your way lately. With the Pacific High retreating for the first time in four years, we're getting some heavy weather, although much appreciated with rain, from the PNW storms that are finally getting here. Some of that may make your it down your way. Some containers dropped off a ship here yesterday while it was taking on a pilot in some atrocious sea-state conditions. I'm sure you're already aware that that place looks open to any high stuff coming around that corner.

Happy Holidays and have a great cruise.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Thanks, Stu!
Yeah, we saw some nasty stuff in Ventura last weekend where very high surf was hammering the beach, the seawall protecting the harbor entrance, and the pier, causing damage to it. I did not ask the Harbor Patrol if the entrance to Ventura Harbor had officially been closed, but I cannot imagine anyone in a sailboat, at least, trying to enter the total mess past R2--the sea buoy at the head of the channel. On Friday morning I could see from more than a block from the beach and over the berms the crests of breaking waves heading to shore. The boardwalk was soaked, muddy, and had had 2-lb beach rocks (at least) thrown up on it. KTLA News 5 from Los Angeles had a news team and van there to film the carnage. It was awesome!!

No, I don't think Paradise Cove would be safe with the ocean kicked up that way even if coming from the WNW, as it was. It's not so remote a place, however, that one could not run, downwind, to safe harbor at Marina del Rey, assuming that you could (or would) even go in there.

 

[Kings Gambit]

KG, how are the water conditions down your way lately. With the Pacific High retreating for the first time in four years, we're getting some heavy weather, although much appreciated with rain, from the PNW storms that are finally getting here. Some of that may make your it down your way. Some containers dropped off a ship here yesterday while it was taking on a pilot in some atrocious sea-state conditions. I'm sure you're already aware that that place looks open to any high stuff coming around that corner.

Happy Holidays and have a great cruise.

Stu,
Check out the current swell model for Paradise Cove; looks OK so far. Zone forecast for today below.

PZZ655-232315-
INNER WATERS FROM POINT MUGU TO SAN MATEO PT. CA INCLUDING SANTA CATALINA AND ANACAPA ISLANDS- 847 AM PST WED DEC 23 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT
TODAY
W PORTION...NW WINDS 25 TO 30 KT. ELSEWHERE...N WINDS 5 TO 10 KT BECOMING NW 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. COMBINED SEAS 7 TO 10 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 11 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W PORTION...NW WINDS 20 TO 30 KT BECOMING 10 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. ELSEWHERE...NW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING N 15 TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. COMBINED SEAS 7 TO 9 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 11 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 5 TO 7 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 11 SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT.