Crew Wanted: San Francisco to Portland, Oregon (area) APRIL 22 Depart 4/22

[llamadingo]

Originally Posted by Bowdrie

If "Albion/Elk" is one of your 22 places I would erase that one.

Ho Bowdrie - Sounds like you've had some experience with that one. Here is my intell on that location Albion Cove Inlet, which indicates several specific hazards and approach guidance. It appeared there may be some protection from Northerlies. Comments are dated though (2007) with no new updates.

"Albion Cove affords good shelter in N weather. The S point at the entrance rises to a knoll 179 feet high; low rocks extend nearly 500 yards W of the point. The N point is a rocky islet 80 feet high lying close to the point which has the same elevation; both are bare. Small visible rocks lie 200 yards W of the islet, and covered rocks, showing breakers in a moderate swell, extend out more than 500 yards WSW from it. The principal danger in the approach is a covered rock, usually showing a breaker, 250 yards S of the islet. Mooring Rock, in about the middle of the cove, is 30 feet high, pyramidal in shape, and marked by a light and a seasonal fog signal; small rocks extend from it to the N shore."

What has been your experience? Would appreciate any additional data points. Thanks

[llamadingo]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

I've been tracking weather in that area because I had a delivery planned from Santa Cruz to Anacortes. A few days ago it looked like there was a window opening ... it looks like you may be good from Monday to Friday evening, depending on model.

Hi donradcliff - yes and agree on window. I keep watching for changes regularly for sure. I'm seeing what you're seeing right now - an agreeable window this week. Today I observed a northerly wind at 20 kts starting Wed at Cape Mendocino/Mattole Canyon area. It's 200 nm N of San Fran so I anticipate (goal) being north if it by then.

Since you do deliveries up the sane route, any stop points you prefer/ recommend from an access or protection perspective?

I'd appreciate your valued feedback.Thanks

[llamadingo]

Originally Posted by Cari Laut

Check the NOAA buoy along the coast. Many will provide you actual weather data (wind, gust, wave height) as opposed to predictions. Once you click on the buoy, select “SAR Data” for the best info.

Additionally, I would check with the local Coast Guard stations for bar reports prior to any entry. If you don’t know the appropriate Station, you call the Sectors on CH 16. Sector Humboldt Bay for N Cali, North Bend for CA/Or border to Cape Kiwanis, and Sector Columbia River for Cape K to Puget Sound. They can provide you the most recent bar report, or direct you to the appropriate station for a current condition report.

Hi Cari Laut - good advice on using the
NOAA National Data Buoy Center (NDBC)
https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov

I'll be sure to cross reference.

There is also a more user friendly user interface via a free mobile app "NOAA Buoy Reports".

I appreciate the USCG sector regional areas so I know to whom to direct the calls. Thank you

[llamadingo]

I thought I would also post this from my notes in case this is any use to anyone:

Here is the USCG and NOAA bar report if you have internet and don't want to call each USCG station individually. It posts all bars and the information is updated every four hours or when local bar conditions and/or restrictions change.

https://www.weather.gov/pqr/AllBars

Also, moon is currently a half moon (a waxing gibbous) so currently experiencing neap tides (meaning the difference between the high and low tides is small (weaker tides vs. strong Spring tides during full/new moon)

If you have any other useful info or links, please feel share. Thanks

[Montanan]

Are you planning to bar hop all the way up the coast?

[llamadingo]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Are you planning to bar hop all the way up the coast?

"Bar hopping" LOL! hahahah love it, Montanan!

well sorta, kinda, sometimes. Clear enough? Seriously, I'll follow the weather windows. I should be able to get several windows to minimize stops (weather dependent, of course). Mother nature will help decide the plan adjustments

[Montanan]

The west coast is inherently challenged as to having places to duck into.

Going out for a day fishing charter from Depoe Bay [the smallest harbor in the world] can be quite exhilarating to depart and to return. The rock lined hole that one must run through with swells pushing one about 75 feet in width.

When one gets back to the dock, locating a bar to have a drink to settle one's nerves is common.

When the weather becomes nasty, my favorite bar is bar none. Better to just run out at sea and bob about like one's uncle, instead of approaching an unsafe harbor.

Hope you have a wonderful early Spring trip north. Still a bit chilly this time of year.

[llamadingo]

Originally Posted by Montanan

The west coast is inherently challenged as to having places to duck into.
...

When the weather becomes nasty, my favorite bar is bar none. Better to just run out at sea and bob about like one's uncle, instead of approaching an unsafe harbor.

Hope you have a wonderful early Spring trip north. Still a bit chilly this time of year.

Montana- yes it's a tad on the cold side for sure! Definitely wearling my foul weather gear, gloves and insulation for so prepared. Feet could be warmer!

As planned, I departed Monday morning from San Francisco during a window (after gale force northerly winds and associated waves on Sunday.) As forecast, a low depression formation gave me 10-15 kts southerly winds pushing me north along the coast. Sails up all Monday and Tues to the evening with a favorable sea state. Today (Wed) arriving in Oregon at Port of Brookings (Chetco River) in the afternoon. Will duck in here for the night as planned to avoid predicted strong southerly winds tomorrow (Thursday) approx 12:00 to 18:00.

As predicted by forecast and confirmed by Chetco Bar report as of this AM:
AT THE CHETCO RIVER ENTRANCE BUOY CALM, MAIN CHANNEL TO SALMON ROCK CALM,AT THE TIPS OF THE CHETCO RIVER JETTY CALM.WINDS ARE LIGHT AND VARIABLE AND VISIBILITY IS 4 NAUTICAL MILES.THE CHETCO RIVER BAR CURRENTLY HAS NO RESTRICTIONS.

There is also a live webcam of Chetco Port of Brookings Harbor, OR
https://www.portofbrookingsharbor.co...ar-camera.html

To your point Montanan, I'm refueling at Port of Brookings and after the weather passes Thurs afternoon/early eve, the plan is to depart and take the lighter southerly winds and continue north. I'll have enough fuel to make Brookings/Chetco my last stop and jump point to Nanaimo, B.C.

Maybe not "bar none" (due to Port of Brookings), but perhaps, " bar ONE!"

Appreciate your helpful comments
Best,
Kevin

[Bowdrie]

Good show.
Brookings is one of my favorite places, we refer to it being the "Banana Belt" of the Oregon coast.
Albion/Elk?
Only did a "swing by" reconnaissance thru the glasses in calm weather.
Decided it was not a good place to go without local knowledge.

[llamadingo]

Originally Posted by Bowdrie

Good show.
Brookings is one of my favorite places, we refer to it being the "Banana Belt" of the Oregon coast.
Albion/Elk?
Only did a "swing by" reconnaissance thru the glasses in calm weather.
Decided it was not a good place to go without local knowledge.

Bowdrie - Hearing Brookings. Is one of your favorites is good to hear. Sounds like (and looks like from the web cam) a good bar entry.

Thanks for following up on Albion/Elk as well!

[llamadingo]

ALL- I'm still relatively early on my journey, but a quick THANK YOU to all of the generous commentary on this thread from communiry members.

Your comments also helped me decide to get 5 more 5 gallon fuel canisters prior to departure. This gives me 50 more engine run hours which should be more than enough to complete the entire route to Nanaimo, B.C. This way I could make DECISIONS to stop rather than HAVE to for fuel. This should keep me out of the bars altogether as need be. Will continue watching weather.

Again thanks all. I welcome any additional info or comments.

Best, Kevin

[donradcliffe]

Bookings is described as one of the last bars to close out, but I've never gone in there. If I was looking at southerlies under 35 knots, I'd keep going.

I agree on the extra fuel jugs. I have left piles of full and empty jugs on my arrivals in the north, because they gave the option of not stopping.

[llamadingo]

Donradcliff -

Yes when I looked at multiple days of bar closures, Bookings and Humboldt (just south) seemed to remain openn(or open longer.) It also appears that Cape Blanco is a milestone and wind patterns pick up southbound.

Appreciate your comments on your practices with your fuel cans. No harm either in leaving full ones. Much better to have and not need for sure.

[Cpt Mark]

Have you ever done this trip before? Doesn't sound like it.

Cape Mendocino is far worse IMHO that Point Conception and you're going the wrong way. Last time I went by it at 1nm per hour hour I was getting hit by the main swell, then 2 more all from different angles. Going up the coast we were running between storms and while we had "x" number of days we could go North we didn't have enough time to get get into safe harbors that the BAR was open. Not unusual to have several in a row be closed so now your 60 nm becomes a lot more. Took me 6 weeks to get from SF to Astoria.

As far as weather sources look at the buoy reports and the bar reports far up the route and track what is coming down. I use surf reports too. Those guys are looking t swell formation from thousands of miles out.

Lastly. Noaa predictions. When they say from point A to point B the prediction is for winds of xxx and waves of xxx, what they mean is that this is the average over the entire area. Meaning some areas can be vastly different than others. Again, Cape mendocino is a prime example of this.

Summertime, flat water yeah, you might make it in your time frame. This time of year unless you are very lucky I would plan on at least doubling it.

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by Cpt Mark

Cape Mendocino is far worse IMHO that Point Conception and you're going the wrong way. Last time I went by it at 1nm per hour hour I was getting hit by the main swell, then 2 more all from different angles.

Haha, yes, in my logbook I wrote, "Sea very confused, swells from all directions at once, no pattern".