Taking refuge in a port during a storm

[Adelie]

On the US west coast most of the OR and WA ports are river entrances which bar up. In heavy weather you do not want to cross a river bar in bad conditions, especially at night.

The only reason to try it would be the boat was taking on water already. In which case call the USCG for help, trying to cross the bar would likely make the situation worse out wouldn't make it in, you might make the leak worse with the pounding and you would now be in a more difficult position for the CG to render assistance.

[guyrj33]

Captain Scot, next time your headed North in Massachusetts Bay and need to duck into a harbor, you might consider bypassing Plymouth and traveling on to Scituate which is much easier to enter and navigate.

[River Cruiser]

On Lake Michigan and Huron if the weather kicked up and it was tiring I would head to the closest bay where I could get out of the weather and drop the hook. I really hate coming into a unfamiliar marina in the dark, if I did I would do as someone else suggested and land at the fuel dock or I would do a end tie to a dock that way I'am not in someone's slip who may return.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by chuckr

asking forgiveness is preferable to asking for permission in these cases

I'm with this. If you have decided that the conditions of staying out are worst than the risk of coming in screw what is "right".

[Scot McPherson]

Originally Posted by guyrj33

Captain Scot, next time your headed North in Massachusetts Bay and need to duck into a harbor, you might consider bypassing Plymouth and traveling on to Scituate which is much easier to enter and navigate.

Duly noted, in this case. It had already gotten bad 50kts, I was up for too many hours already and was starting to see things....it was time to drop the anchor. We did the best and safest thing we could do in the moment.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Another perspecitve:

Many boating accidents occurr when landlubbers mistakingly assume they must get inland to ride out bad weather...and take unecessary risks to run jetties etc in bad conditions...when they would have been safer offshore. Plenty of YouTube videos documenting some of these bad decisions.

If you've got a well prepared seaworthy boat, and know how to handle it in foul weather, you will be just fine offshore in anything shy of a hurricane.

Very true. During our trip up the Pacific Coast from SF to Vancouver Island, from Oregon north were a series of harbors only available for entry at certain states of tide & current. As the rivers drained into these "bars" they became impassable except at certain times, and if the ocean state was heavy the bars were outright dangerous and impossible to get through.

At one point we had to anchor overnight four hours south of the next bar, which had been "closed" for the prior two days. It was an uncomfortable night. We had to leave the anchorage at 0600 to "make the bar" at the next favorable tide the next morning. Just as we arrived the standing waves at the entrance literally stopped on a dime and we were able to get in.

Lots to learn.

Good luck.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Jason Flare

First, try to get in before the storm. Going into a harbor entrance can be hairy in high wind.

If going in late at night, find a place to drop an anchor, preferably a place well protected from the forcast winds.

You can grab a spot at a marina, usually on a face dock that might be their fuel dock. Be prepared to pay in the morning for the night you just spent there.

I wouldn't just take one of their slips without asking. With my luck the rightful owner of the slip would pull in five minutes after I tied up.

The fuel dock as mentioned is generally not a problem and be prepared to pay for a night. Dock masters are generally nice people, in my experience. If it is going to be a big blow finding a sheltered anchoring spot may be better depending on your ground tackle. At times fuel docks are the most exposed thing at a marina.

[toddster8]

If I somehow got stuck in storm conditions and the bars were closed, I would be heading out to gain sea room. Not trying to anchor on a lee shore. But for coastal cruising, one would pay attention to the weather forecast and find a port well before that storm came along, anyway.

(I do carry a sea anchor for possible use in the event of that unlikely scenario.)

[sailing_gal]

a64Pilot:
I'm with you- that is what I do. Oversized ground tackle, never enter a strange port at night- especially in bad weather. I have anchored in 60+ kt winds (my instruments stop at 60kts) off a beach and held nicely.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Jdege

Provided, of course, you have sea room.

...part of knowing how to handle it in foul weather...dont get trapped on a lee shore to start with.

[belizesailor]

Also...increase your weather knowledge. When todays weather forecasting resources are used properly it is rare to get caught unaware by sustained foul weather

Local squalls are harder to predict, but you can at least get a general idea of likelyhood/strength potential. Local squalls will likely be short lived and you can just ride them out rather than risking an entrance.

[Sunsetrider]

Currently taking the CPS Seamanship Course - just learned that if you want to anchor in the shelter of an island or shore, the calm is located 7 times X where X is the height of the wind-blocking land mass to windward.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Sunsetrider

Currently taking the CPS Seamanship Course - just learned that if you want to anchor in the shelter of an island or shore, the calm is located 7 times X where X is the height of the wind-blocking land mass to windward.

....[up to] 7x....(or 8 depending whose book you read...and local factors...can be near 0x with katabatic winds).

[zeehag]

call in advance via vhf, and ye can just about get away with anything. if you need check in--it will be arranged.. with bad enough storms, bending over backwards happens. just be polite, nice, and try to speak the local language--not their patois. is formal until business over. then friends.
DO know the weather--it can save your life, the boats and crew too.

[Rivatar]

Seek the safety of deep water