Neah Bay to San Francisco, Harbor Hop or Offshore? Options

[Steve Van Slyke]

Are you planning to head south, or have you done it before? Are you planning to harbor hop your way down or take the offshore route? Why?

I've done it twice, harbor-hopped both times.

It's my feeling that the offshore route (75-150 miles out) is a hold-over from the "olden" days when sailboats did not sail well to weather (lee shore fear) and did not have powerful or reliable auxiliary engines (same fear). I understand that schedules sometimes require a quick passage; e.g. crew considerations etc. But are you taking crew BECAUSE you're taking the offshore route?

Anyway, tell me what you think about these two options. Let's hash it out.

Steve Van Slyke
s/v Kavenga
Gig Harbor & Puerto Vallarta (currently)
Author of "Sex, Lies & Spinnakers"
http://kavenga.home.att.net

[s/v Someday]

[quote name='Steve Van Slyke' date='Jan 2 2010, 05:17 PM' post='312']
Are you planning to head south, or have you done it before? Are you planning to harbor hop your way down or take the offshore route? Why?

I've done it twice, harbor-hopped both times.


Steve Van Slyke
s/v Kavenga

Just my 2 cents worth. I've made numerous trips from Brookings Or to Neah Bay, and south of Brookings on several occasions, and currently am in Boca Chica, Panama on s/v Someday.
All sorts of factors govern your route south. If the Pacific High is set up, then there is a prevailing NW wind, everywhere within about 50-80 miles of shore, and a favorable south flowing current. There are counter currents (north flowing) closer to shore, which can be ridden north, but will be a negative heading south.

Another factor is Logs and Crab Pots. Generally,. though there are exceptions, the major log problem is withing 3 weeks appx after a heavy rain, worse if it was a higher rain for the season. It takes up to 6 weeks for logs to make it back to the beach, and some never do. but [u]most[/u] are within 3 miles of shore within 3 weeks after a heavy rain. The crab season runs from Dec 1 to August, but the peak of it is over by May. Before that, expect crab pots within the 120 fathom line, and possible further out. Most of them that far out have been pulled by mid may, but some are stuck, or a crabber's boat hasn't let him get back to them or??? In any event, there are crab post all summer inside the 30 fathom line. Also, there are the errant ones mentioned above, and this situation has traditionally been worse south of the California Border (different USCG district), though I've been gone now since 11/06.

Major shipping generally stays outside about 5 miles off a point to point route rarely within 3 miles off Blanco, except of course near the Straights, the Columbia, occasionally Coos Bay and SFO. Inside that you are sharing space with commercial fishing boats, other recreation craft and Tugs with tows. If the comm'l boats are fishing, you must stay away from them and they will rarely respond to the radio, if not fishing, they are probably bored and happy to talk on the VHF. Tugs with tows have [b]No[/b] maneuverability, but are moving slow and easy to avoid, also usually happy to acknowledge your VHF. Stay well clear, as their tows will swing way wide of the tow boat on occasion.

For what its worth, coming south I usually go about 4-5 miles out to maximize the current and wind advantage, but stay away from the major shipping. If I were going direct from Neaha Bay to SFO, while I have not done it, I would likely go out about 40 miles and just go.

Ports to consider along the way; Grays Harbor, Astoria, (but watch the tides, and only enter on the flood, and do not cut the corner if coming from the North). Newport Oregon is excellent, Coos Bay, Brookings, or Crescent City CA (Brookings is the better choice as you don't have a 10 mile reef to go around, easier and a lot cheaper to provision and fuel) Eureka, Bodega Bay, and then San Francisco. There are other options, but they are not as good. Personally, I would avoid Quilliute in Washington, Depot Bay, Umpqua River, Coquille River and Rogue River in Oregon. I'm familiar with them all, and they are dangerous unless you can get a local fisherman to lead you in. If you are insecure in getting into any port in USCG dist 13, radio the coast guard they are happy to assist you.