Catalina island Santa Ana’s in January

[cruisin123]

Was thinking of sailing over to Catalina sat/sun but now it’s looking like there will be some Santa Ana early sat morning… is this a no go now? Also can any SoCal sailors explain to me the meaning behind the popular advice if there’s snow on the mainland mountains and Santa Ana’s are forecasted, don’t go? Thanks!

[Tayana42]

Take Santa Ana predictions very seriously for Catalina island. Avalon can become a death trap. Two years ago several boats were sunk and two lives were lost there. Although the predicted winds aren’t terribly strong for open waters they can funnel into the harbors and the waves build dramatically and dangerously. Isthmus Cove is at least a little easier to escape from but certainly not a safe place to be during Santa Ana winds. The only safe harbor for Santa Anas is Cat harbor around the back side of the island.

[Windpilot]

We are also cautiously planing going this weekend.
Here's my take this evening, predict wind shows strong, up to 35
K gusts, out of the LA, long Beach southern area very early only on Saturday.
It all seems to dissipate starting early 6am.
We leave out of Marina Del Rey and should not be effected at all, in fact, we'll probably need to motor. We're going to two harbors but could/would deteor to cat harbor if conditions give us concern.
It's sunny, warm and we have a free weekend, we'd like to make the best of it, that's why we're considering it.
For now we'll keep watching the weather predictions.

[cruisin123]

Originally Posted by Windpilot

We are also cautiously planing going this weekend.
Here's my take this evening, predict wind shows strong, up to 35
K gusts, out of the LA, long Beach southern area very early only on Saturday.
It all seems to dissipate starting early 6am.
We leave out of Marina Del Rey and should not be effected at all, in fact, we'll probably need to motor. We're going to two harbors but could/would deteor to cat harbor if conditions give us concern.
It's sunny, warm and we have a free weekend, we'd like to make the best of it, that's why we're considering it.
For now we'll keep watching the weather predictions.

My thoughts as well, thanks for the reply.

[davil]

Originally Posted by Tayana42

Take Santa Ana predictions very seriously for Catalina island. Avalon can become a death trap. Two years ago several boats were sunk and two lives were lost there. Although the predicted winds aren’t terribly strong for open waters they can funnel into the harbors and the waves build dramatically and dangerously. Isthmus Cove is at least a little easier to escape from but certainly not a safe place to be during Santa Ana winds. The only safe harbor for Santa Anas is Cat harbor around the back side of the island.

===================================
Best comment you can have!!!!

Since I am bored out of my mind and ran out of WWII movies, here is my take.

First. If you have to ask for an explanation on the Santana Winds conditions sailing in southern California, you are not prepared to sail in Santana conditions. Period

Second. most sailors get in trouble scheduling a trip, I know you disclosed to wait and see, that is the most logical and safe approach to sailing/cruising.

Apologize if unintended sound rude, just sailing off the coast to Catalina in a forecasted Santana gives me shivering.

There is always another weekend.

[PippaB]

Originally Posted by cruisin123

...Also can any SoCal sailors explain to me the meaning behind the popular advice if there’s snow on the mainland mountains and Santa Ana’s are forecasted, don’t go? Thanks!

Moderate Santa Ana’s can make a rollicking sail out to the island. The downside is that everybody already there, and everyone heading over is headed to Cat Harbor. There aren’t many options. And you have to be prepared for conditions to be worse than the predictions. Still, not undoable, more “proceed with caution”.

Cold air to the east exacerbates Santa Ana winds. It is denser, and tends to flow down the mountain slopes anyway. When you combine the downslope winds with the high pressure driving the Santa Ana’s ...

[cruisin123]

Originally Posted by PippaB

Moderate Santa Ana’s can make a rollicking sail out to the island. The downside is that everybody already there, and everyone heading over is headed to Cat Harbor. There aren’t many options. And you have to be prepared for conditions to be worse than the predictions. Still, not undoable, more “proceed with caution”.

Cold air to the east exacerbates Santa Ana winds. It is denser, and tends to flow down the mountain slopes anyway. When you combine the downslope winds with the high pressure driving the Santa Ana’s ...

Great explanation, much appreciated thanks!

[Don C L]

The Santa Anas lately have been fairly mild and it LOOKS like that will be what's coming up. If I were going I think I'd be ok with these forecasts. I see a forecast that shows them dying down later on Saturday morning. But Santa Anas can be rough AND you can get stuck out there unable to return when you might like to. Wait till Thursday, or better yet Friday, to make the call IMO.

Who woulda thunk it, Santa Anas in January!

[davil]

Originally Posted by Don C L

The Santa Anas lately have been fairly mild and it LOOKS like that will be what's coming up. If I were going I think I'd be ok with these forecasts. I see a forecast that shows them dying down later on Saturday morning. But Santa Anas can be rough AND you can get stuck out there unable to return when you might like to. Wait till Thursday, or better yet Friday, to make the call IMO.

Who woulda think it, Santa Anas in January!

and that is the problem, forecasts are now quite difficult as we are witnessing weather changes very, very sudden and extreme.
I live now on the east side,NC and there is a warning for ICE STORM, starting tomorrow!traditionally we will have a short period of cold and snow, but a severe ice storm is not the usual stuff.
This past May,got clobbered by Ana tropical storm in MAY!! near Bermuda, it originated mid-Atlantic, out of nowhere.
Bottom line, don't mess with the weather and take forecasts with an eye on safety first, not worthy to risk your life.

[zeehag]

is la nina..anything is possible..even great sailors with many decades experience get screwed in santanas. they are dangerous and they are deadly and they are fun to sail in the right boat but i would stayhome, so woul dmy friend who damnnear got sunk in one, even with decades of sailing experience. funny how same weekend profligate dragged anchor and a kids training ship also came to difficulties mid santa barbara channel..
ps the winds arenot named after santa ana they are a wind called santanas. look it up.

[davil]

Originally Posted by zeehag

is la nina..anything is possible..even great sailors with many decades experience get screwed in santanas. they are dangerous and they are deadly and they are fun to sail in the right boat but i would stayhome, so woul dmy friend who damnnear got sunk in one, even with decades of sailing experience. funny how same weekend profligate dragged anchor and a kids training ship also came to difficulties mid santa barbara channel..
ps the winds arenot named after santa ana they are a wind called santanas. look it up.

like always
you are right

[Bill Seal]

Sorry Zee, if you look at a topo map, you'll see that the down-slope winds starting in the Great Basin and heading to the Pacific Ocean, come through Cajon Pass, across the Chino valley, and the only out, the Santa Ana canyon.

Ripped off from Wikipedia:

Santa Ana Canyon (Spanish: Cañón de Santa Ana), or the Santa Ana Narrows, is the water gap where the Santa Ana River passes between the Santa Ana Mountains and the Chino Hills, near the intersection of Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, California.
I'm pretty damn old, and I remember my parents , who were born in 1906 and raised in the orange groves, laughing about how some furriner journalist came up with the "santana" moniker.

[Don C L]

Well, they do often blow through the city of Santa Ana.
But there is this:
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Talk:Santana_wind
Hard to argue with Richard Henry Dana!
That reminds me, where is my old Abraxas album?

[davil]

Originally Posted by Bill Seal

Sorry Zee, if you look at a topo map, you'll see that the down-slope winds starting in the Great Basin and heading to the Pacific Ocean, come through Cajon Pass, across the Chino valley, and the only out, the Santa Ana canyon.

Ripped off from Wikipedia:

Santa Ana Canyon (Spanish: Cañón de Santa Ana), or the Santa Ana Narrows, is the water gap where the Santa Ana River passes between the Santa Ana Mountains and the Chino Hills, near the intersection of Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, California.

====================
my usual disclaimer, been bored out of my mind.
just for the heck of arguing the fine print of nothing.

"The original spelling of the name of the winds is unclear, not to mention the origin. Although the winds are today commonly called Santa Ana Winds or Santa Anas, many argue that the original name is Santana Winds (or, more correctly in Spanish, Satanás Winds). Both versions of the name have been used."


oh no,Don just beat me to it

[Letterkenny]

Appreciate the tips here!