Bail outs beteeen San Juan Straits and San Francisco

[carstenb]

Next autumn, on our way south from Alaska we will be sailing from San Juan Straits to SF. We habe a 7 ft (2.1 meter) draught, but since we are a fully loaded cruiser, let’s call it 8 ft or 2.3 meters

What bail out harbors are there on that stretch where we can make it in, even at low tide and with a sea running?

We are also 40 feet long 13 feet wide

[Paul L]

Crescent City makes for a good break. When you say seas running, then it all depends on how big and the tidal flow.

Along the Oregon coast the main harbors you would consider going in all have Coast Guard stations. You can hail them on VHF and ask for current entrance conditions.

[Lepke]

The only good, any weather places are Crescent City, Bodega or Tomales Bay, and Drakes Bay.
Many of the bars can be crossed, depending on how bad the weather is. Fishermen cross any time the bar isn't officially closed. La Push is closed if the weather is coming from the SW.
Keep an eye on the weather and start in before it's bad.

[Dsanduril]

You may find this LNM Bar Descriptions document useful, it covers the bars in WA and OR. As noted, Crescent City is the most weather reliable (but even it is not 100%). For typical NW I also think Yaquina Bay can be pretty good, but I have not been in/out in really nasty conditions. Its entrance faces more SW and the approach water is a little deeper than some of the other small ports.

FWIW we just made the passage down from Port Hardy as that puts us ~100 miles offshore along the US coast. Much of the summer/fall there's a fair amount of wind/sea around Cape Mendocino and down to Pt. Reyes. For our trip the weather folk said 2.5-3m waves at 3-4 seconds, but offshore we never saw anything close to that (don't really know what it was like inshore, we weren't there). Keep an eye on the forecast and make your decision, but if you haven't been down this coast before that's an area I'd try to get a feel for for a couple of weeks before the intended passage. If you're coastal sailing you can generally hide in Crescent City for a good window headed south, the "washing machine" along that section of coast can be unpleasant if you time it wrong.

[wingssail]

There are many harbors along the coast. The https://www.pacificarea.uscg.mil/Por...-20-135950-980 document is quite thorough.

The problem is that many of these harbors are difficult or dangerous to enter just when you'd wish you could get in (bad weather already happening).

You need good weather information and need to get in before the bars kick up.

We came down this coast in August and September in our 43' boat with 8' draft. We took shelter in Yaquina (Newport Ore), Eureka California, and Bodega Bay before sailing under the Golden Gate. The trip was uneventful. We've also been in at the Columbia River on other occasions.

So, focus on weather information and make decisions early. These ports are interesting and you may never pass that way again. Don't be afraid to stop and see them while you have a chance.

[JPA Cate]

Carsten,

A whole lot of this is about timing when you leave AK, and if you're happy to winter over in Puget Sound, or not, plus whatever visa and/or Customs limitations are on, as well.

One thing to consider is going outside far enough to be off the continental shelf (the seas will be easier) and out of most of the shipping.

Fwiw, on the bars, the low water times come before the runout stops, and your entry to any of the barred rivers is easier when the tide and the wind are going in the same direction. I'm not familiar myself with any of the ones you will pass, but here in Oz, the sweet time is halfway through the tide cycle on the incoming tide.

As others have said, keep an eagle eye on the weather and act proactively: head in before the wx gets tough, or plan to stay out and tough it out. It is often foggy, particularly in Northern Calif., so hope your radar's working well.

Ann

[wefleenor]

Just made the trip last month in my 49ft, 23ft beam, 4ft draft power catamaran from Portland to SF. Stopped in Newport OR, Bandon OR, Crescent City CA, Eureka CA, Bodega Bay CA, and then SF. Clearly draft is not my concern, so not a good source on that, but found all the bars manageable. Tried to hit them all on a late flood or slack after. Tend not to go far offshore but stay within 10-15 miles, just far enough to get beyond the crab traps and shorten the trip. Seas were generally 1.5-2m plus with periods of 6-12sec. Obviously the 12sec periods very welcome. Winds generally on tail at 10-15knts.

[Paul Howard]

In late September we went from Neah Bay on the Olympic peninsula to Drakes Bay, north of San Francisco, were we could enter and anchor during the dark and then catch the tide into SF Bay the following day.
We went well offshore according to the instruction of Don Douglass and Reanne Hemingway Douglass in their Pacific Coast guide. We had winds to about 35 knots, but from the NW and not a problem sailing well off the wind.
I did not want to try to enter any of those harbours where the bar can create a danger.

[sv_pelagia]

We have done this passage 2x, both times nonstop to Drakes Bay. Timing was September, 2012 and 2013.

The first time, we stayed within 65nm of shore (usually about 30-40), and had an excellent passage. Two othef boats who left Neah Bay at the same time stayed >100nm offshore and said they had an unpleasant passage with high winds. (FWIW, we all arrived SF within 2 hours of each other.)

The second time, we ended up between 70-110 nm offshore and had gales and "dangerous" steep seas (as per NOAA forecast) and a terrible passage. At same time, NOAA forecasts for areas within 30nm of coast were all about 10kn less wind, with no "dangerous seas" forecast.

IF I were to do it again - - not likely - - I would stay within 30-60nm of shore (making it easier to head to port with a storm forecast for 24-48hrs later) or even "harbour hop" (for a change).

Just a sample with N=2... could be very different at other (future) times.

PS Both times, Drakes Bay was a great stop (especially the 2nd trip....)

[Cpt Mark]

I used to deliver yachts up and down this coast. Mostly it was SF to Seattle or the other way around nonstop. The last trip I did was late in the season on my new to me catamaran, draft 2.5 feet. Left in October and 6 weeks later made it to Portland Oregon. Had some engine issues which only showed up after the sun went down. Dense fog, picking my way into harbors and across bars by radar. Not fun.

Weather was a huge issue and having to wait for a small window to make the next hop. Got the living snot kicked out of me going around Cape Mendocino. People always fear and complain about Pt Conception which I've had glass smooth days flying a spinnaker going past. Mendocino? Every time I get the snot kicked out of me. Heading south in late September. Will be 60-100 miles offshore.

Spoke to NOAA station who provides the forecasts we rely on. Did you know you can walk up to a station 7/24, tell them your a mariner and they will give you a custom weather briefing? It's very nice. Not sure how it works in Covid times. They told me the "forecast" is the average for the area. So some areas may have no wind and others lots. After talking with me they were considering adding a special forecast just for Cape Mendocino. Hope they did it. Forecast was 6-8' seas. I got 12-15' seas from 1 direction, 8-10 from another and 7' from yet another direction.

If you transit this coast in August it's easy. September, probably easy but may get sporty. October, probably sporty to nasty. November......

Mind you this was going North against everything.

If you do choose the coastal/harbor hop in between the Straits of Juan De Fuca and Astoria (Columbia river mouth) there is supposed to be a narrow highway of crab trap free zone for the tugboats to run in. The crabbers agreed to this. then of course the crabs figured it out and moved there so you get some crabbers tossing pots in there now. More of crab reduced area.

Bars. NOAA has a web page where all the bars are depicted in red, yellow and green. Constantly updated so you can see immediately the state of any bar. I keep an eye on this page and am always looking ahead to see what the upper bars are doing/changing so I know what to expect.

[Sand crab]

I think you can add Greys Harbor-Westport, WA to the list. It has to be really sh**ty before they close it. Westport is home to the largest commercial fishing fleet in Washington and really large freighters go in to Aberdeen.
https://www.pacificarea.uscg.mil/Por...-02-162011-543

[GWilly]

I think you’ve got all the info you need, so my ‘suggestion’ is that you thoroughly document your trip and report back to the forum on your experiences. I’m sure many of us would greatly benefit on how it went, and would be curious to know what you’d do differently with the benefit of hindsight. Thanks, and best of luck!

[carstenb]

Thank you all - we won't be making this run until next year (have to go to Alaska first).

Anyone have thoughts on how far out we should be? Many say that the run should be made 100nm out (no need for bail out possibilities then - too far out) as the seas etc are calmer and more regular beyond the continental shelf.

Others say 30-60nm out stays clear of the crabbers, smaller fishing boats etc and gives you a possibility for bailing if the weather decides to turn nasty.

Vinni and I are not afraid of blue water (we've seen lots) but neither do we want to sail 100+nm out unless there is a good reason.

Weather forecasts are generally reasonably accurate the first 2-3 days and we should have made about 350-400nm in 3 days.

I'm inclined to stay 30-60nm out - we can pull a GRIB file down any time so we can stay on top of the weather.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by carstenb

...I'm inclined to stay 30-60nm out - we can pull a GRIB file down any time so we can stay on top of the weather...

That is what I'd do, but I'd go in to a few ports, I might never have a chance to visit them again.

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by carstenb

I'm inclined to stay 30-60nm out - we can pull a GRIB file down any time so we can stay on top of the weather.

See our experiences in #9 above.

I would stay 30-60nm, not 100+.

(Note: 30-60nm, from our experience, you can even listen to VHF forecasts...)