Info Sought on Pacific Coast USA Bar Crossings

[SomeGuyInaShirt]

I cut my Neah Bay to San Francisco passage short due to unfavourable conditions and will take a few days off here in Newport Oregon.

I'd like information on the Bar crossings into Coos Bay and Bandon if possible. Is there anchoring in Coos Bay? It doesn't look like there are many ideal spots but I've been wrong before. I have a 26' twin keeled sloop that can take the ground if necessary although I prefer to remain afloat so as not to stress the keel hull joints any more than necessary.

How are the Bar crossings into these and other ports further south? Not a lot of good info. Would appreciate advice from people who've done it.

Also curious about the state of ports from here in Oregon (unaffected) to those further south which were hit by the storm Hilary and the earthquake.

I've just gotten in from offshore so I'm out of the loop other than the basic stuff the regular news reported on.

[desodave]

One of our members Stu Jackson brought his boat from San Francisco to BC about 7 years ago, hopping along the coast, and recorded his trip in a blog;
http://aquavite224.blogspot.com/2016...umbia.html?m=1
He describes many of the bar crossings in it ... might be worth browsing it for the ones you're interested in.

[SomeGuyInaShirt]

Originally Posted by desodave

One of our members Stu Jackson brought his boat from San Francisco to BC about 7 years ago, hopping along the coast, and recorded his trip in a blog;
Travels with Aquavite: San Francsico Bay to British Columbia 2016
He describes many of the bar crossings in it ... might be worth browsing it for the ones you're interested in.

Thanks Dave, I'll give it a look. ✌🏻

[ksanders]

The USCG puts out a really good bar report. Heed their warnings.

South of you Bandon is a wonderful seaport, with a pretty easy abet narrow bar to cross.

Plan on low slack and if you are a bit late it's just fine.

you could anchor in the river at Bandon but the harbor generally has space available, and is inexpensive.

[SomeGuyInaShirt]

Originally Posted by ksanders

The USCG puts out a really good bar report. Heed their warnings.

South of you Bandon is a wonderful seaport, with a pretty easy abet narrow bar to cross.

Plan on low slack and if you are a bit late it's just fine.

you could anchor in the river at Bandon but the harbor generally has space available, and is inexpensive.

Thanks, I saw a YouTube video of a cruiser anchored in the river near Bandon and thought it looked beautiful but the person said they "never wanted to do that again" regarding crossing the bar and gave no further details. I'm probably overthinking it.

[JPA Cate]

This is a generalization, but usually you're okay going in 3 hours into the flood till slack water of the high. So plan accordingly, even if you have to slow down a lot in the last hour before entering. Slowing down is tedious when you'd rather be flying along, but waiting for the tide is a VERY GOOD idea!

For your entertainment, You Tube has some very scary videos of what can happen when you do not plan your entry carefully.

For San Francisco Bay, there is a bar there, too. Go in along the edge of the shipping channel, that is where the deeper water lessens the motion of wind against tide entries.

Ann

[Bowdrie]

Although any/all the bars can get nasty, when things start going south along the Oregon coast the bar at Coos Bay is usually one of the last to close.
Further south in Ca. the bar at Humbolt is a short ride but opens into a really nice harbor with amenities within walking distance.
You DO want to time the Humbolt bar, it does have a mean reputation.
As we progress further towards winter you gotta be more careful, the weather windows become fewer and shorter.

[mvweebles]

If your engine is under-powered, you will want to pick your weather carefully. Most of the bar entrances are exposed to a swell and will move your boat around a bit as you enter - Coos Bay and Humboldt (Eureka) are two. You need to study the charts carefully before you approach - there are range lights to keep you in the channel. Really helps to have a second person keep an eye on the range lights while you manage the helm.

Definitely manaegable, but a bit nerve racking the first couple times.

[Don C L]

Check this social group, there may be a thread in there that you will find helpful.
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...t+sailors.html

[Lepke]

I was a commercial fisherman and crossed most of the bars many times and still cross the Columbia bar. The trick to bar crossings is the weather. Before the bar is closed, there is a period where the bar is dangerous to small boats. So if it looks like the weather is turning bad, don't wait to head in. Once the bar is closed, it's closed, you stay out.

Swells get bigger and closer together as they approach shallow water. So the best ride is slack water, high tide. I had a friend in a 40' commercial boat that crossed the Eureka Humboldt Bay Bar at low tide. Even though the depth is listed 30'+ when a following swell lifted his stern, the bow touched the bottom and the boat pitch poled into the harbor. Otherwise know as ass over teakettle. So high tide. At low tide, the swells and probably the wind is coming in and the water coming out making even bigger, steeper swells.

[wefleenor]

On my way down I stopped at Bandon rather than Coos Bay simply because I knew how pleasant the town of Brandon is. From there I went to Eureka, which was the coldest July 4th I have ever experienced. Then I stopped at Bodega Bay before heading to SF Bay. None of those bars are terrible. SF can be bad just due to the volume of tidal flow, but the others have little bay volume and not much flow either.

Bill

[Stu Jackson]

Thx Dave for linking to my story.


When the CG closes any bar, there is a good reason for it. Even the smallest ones can be dangerous.