Reading the San Diego "LOG" and the cover photo shows a 24ish foot sailboat being towed into what I assume is Mission Bay Harbor thru a large breaking wave. Man does that look scary!! What you may not be able to see is the person on the bow of the sailboat laying down and hanging on for dear life!
San Diego Heavy Surf
- Thread starter rfrye1
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Assumed that was Mission Bay but it was
never identified in the article that I could find. Over the last 2 weeks Mission Bay, Oceanside and even Marina Del Rey have been closed at various times because of waves breaking across the entrances. Lots of fun to sail in big swells.
never identified in the article that I could find. Over the last 2 weeks Mission Bay, Oceanside and even Marina Del Rey have been closed at various times because of waves breaking across the entrances. Lots of fun to sail in big swells.
Stay in the middle.....
Depth is about 20 feet, but sand often gets washed in when the surf's up. Sometimes the waves will break.....but they kind of roll, rather than crash. Like the difference between doheny and the wedge. It can be intimidating when coming back in like the picture. Waves look huge when their coming up behind you. The irony is that the tow boat can't pull the sailboat any faster than it could probably make under its own power (remember the hull speed thing) but the tow probably kept the guy from broaching. I myself would never call the towboat unless something was broken..... Just stay in the middle and go for it. The wave breaks, but quickly but flattens out, because it gets deeper past the entrance and the energy is lost. There's often another sand bar build up about 150 yards further in on the south side. A few weeks ago the lifeguards had a marker bouy there to keep folks in the middle or north side. It was cool. I try to surf those waves in my C 27, it's not that dangerous.
Depth is about 20 feet, but sand often gets washed in when the surf's up. Sometimes the waves will break.....but they kind of roll, rather than crash. Like the difference between doheny and the wedge. It can be intimidating when coming back in like the picture. Waves look huge when their coming up behind you. The irony is that the tow boat can't pull the sailboat any faster than it could probably make under its own power (remember the hull speed thing) but the tow probably kept the guy from broaching. I myself would never call the towboat unless something was broken..... Just stay in the middle and go for it. The wave breaks, but quickly but flattens out, because it gets deeper past the entrance and the energy is lost. There's often another sand bar build up about 150 yards further in on the south side. A few weeks ago the lifeguards had a marker bouy there to keep folks in the middle or north side. It was cool. I try to surf those waves in my C 27, it's not that dangerous.
O'side
just a comment, if you try to come into Oceanside in heavy surf, aim for the sea bouy and make your approach from there. Almost every year the North County Times has a picture of someone coming in from the south who trys a line from the end of the pier to the entrance, and ends up on shore at the San Luis Rey River mouth. Waves just shove the boat ashore before you can turn away.
just a comment, if you try to come into Oceanside in heavy surf, aim for the sea bouy and make your approach from there. Almost every year the North County Times has a picture of someone coming in from the south who trys a line from the end of the pier to the entrance, and ends up on shore at the San Luis Rey River mouth. Waves just shove the boat ashore before you can turn away.
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