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 Northern California / San Francisco Bay Area
Related Links: Back to Sailing
Sites
SFBoating
Links Page, San
Francisco Windsurfing Association
San Francisco Bay and the nearby coast have some of the most consistent winds in the
country, and there are plenty of sites to take advantage of the
prevailing conditions. There is sailing year-round in California, but summer is the
main season. The wind is generated by cool coastal air rushing
inland to replace the fast-rising heated air of the valley,
producing reliable winds May through September. Spring and fall
are excellent too, but windy days are a less frequent.
Winter sailing is possible but often it is in the rain.
The wind machine here is a product of the fog. The fog is pulled inland as far as
Sacramento on summer nights, then as the sun
climbs heating the land and the fog burns off to the city or
coast. Each day is different as there are days of all sunshine
and days of all fog. The rules for where to sail are based on the
fog’s location, the valley temperatures, and the tides. While
the fog “creates” the wind, it also shuts it off as it
proceeds east, overrunning sailing sites and killing the wind along the way. This
is especially important at places like Crissy Field where there
are strong currents to deal with. When the
city is fogged in, go sailing at the south or east bay sites. When
the east and south bay fogs in, go to The Delta.
Crissy Field,
The Delta and Third Avenue are not good venues
for sailing at max flood tides, as the current flows with the wind
and is is just too strong. Fortunately, those 3 sites tidal
flows do not parallel each other, in fact, the Delta is almost
opposite of Crissy Field. You will want to sail where the
combination of wind and tide is the best. Tide books that show the
tidal flow data in an easy to understated
“dot” format are widely available in the area. There
are also strong northwesterly clearing winds that follow passing
storm fronts throughout the year.
There are 3 general types of sailing and conditions in the area:
1. Bay Sailing
2. Coast / Wave Sailing
3. Inland / River Sailing
The Bay
The San Francisco Bay is the center of windsurfing action in
California. The bay has a variety of launches that make it
possible to sail there any day there is wind. And there is wind.
4.2-5.5 being the norm for much of the summer windy season. The
area is broken up into four geographic areas – Golden Gate
and Marin County sites (west bay), South bay, East bay and The
Delta. West Bay
The western edges of San Francisco Bay offer some of the
best and most visually spectacular sailing in the area. These sites work better
outside of the core summer months as the fog does not clear to
the coast as often then. Marin County - Strong
northwesterly winds are ideal for these sites, making for great
sailing with side to off shore winds. Rod and Gun
at the west end of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge is best on
higher tides, as the bottom is deep, slimy mud that sticks to you
and your gear and is unpleasant to wade through. 4.5-6.5
sails and flat water are the staples of sailing here, but there
are a few nukers throughout the year. Just east of the
Larkspur
Landing Ferry terminal is another popular spot. Much of the
sailing is done in front of San Quentin Prison, a quarter mile
further east. There is little fetch for the wind to build up much
in the way of chop at both locations, so the water remains fairly flat. Watch out for the ferry boats coming and going at
Larkspur as well, but their wakes can make for some fun pseudo
wave sailing. Some people sail from the Marin Headlands Coast
Guard Station out to the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. On
hot summer days the north tower is often the only sailable place,
but comes with lots of hassle and risk. First, you must walk out
on the breakwater (potentially illegal) and swim to the windline.
Then on the way in, you must shoot the same stretch of dead air
and strong current to hopefully land near the breakwater, where
you must climb out onto the large, slippery boulders carrying your
gear. Most sailors
opt to swim into the small marina there instead of climbing out on
the rocks. The wind on these days shuts off quickly, the current
is very strong, and no one can really see sailors so for many the
risks and hassles are too great.
Crissy Field
lies at the base of the San Francisco marina district. It has nice
grassy rigging, restrooms, joggers, cyclists, frisbee enthusiasts and a sandy launch right into the bay
with side shore wind. It lies adjacent to St. Francis
Yacht Club, the Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Point, making it one
of the most picturesque sailing venues imaginable.
However, the wind line is often 50 to 150 yards off the
beach making “getting out” tricky. On the days that the
windline is far offshore, take a floaty board. Knowledge of the tides is more
critical here than most bay sites. Ebb tides (westerly current)
make for great bump-and-jump conditions, but if you break down or the wind dies the current can sweep you out
of the bay. This has happened before and sailors have spent the
night on their board, so be safe. On flood tides the current
rushes into the bay making for great smooth water fun. Be sure to
have enough fin and power to stay upwind or you’ll end up taking
a taxi back to your car. There is also an incredible amount of
traffic on the water here. On any given day there are windsurfers,
kiteboarders, sailboat races, motor boats and ocean-going
freighters all using the same body of water.
South Bay
Candlestick (3Comm Park), Coyote Point
and Third Avenue
are the best known spots on the Peninsula. Candlestick has a rough
launch and side-offshore winds and is the closest to San
Francisco.
Heading south, the next spot is Coyote Point. One of the most
popular sites on the bay, Coyote Point has is an easy gravel launch, grassy
rigging area, consistent winds and more chop than
Candlestick. Coyote is also the site of Windfest each spring. Third
Avenue is at the base of the San Mateo
Bridge
and has some of the best bump and jump conditions in the bay. Best
sailed on the beginning of an ebb tide, there are huge port tack
ramps out in the channel a ½
mile or so into the bay. The inside area is a mud flat, so
sailing at low tide is a messy affair and not recommended. The
water here is the warmest in the bay as it does not mix with the
Pacific much due the shape of the bay.
East
Bay
Most
of the windsurfing in the east bay is done at Alameda, Berkeley Marina
and at the Pt. Isabel dog park. Alameda has a
nice sandy beach and side onshore winds that are lighter than the
other spots in the bay. It is a great place to sail the strong
southerly winds that accompany winter storms. Berkeley
Marina is the most popular site along the
east bay. There are multiple places to park and launch, and the
conditions are usually 4.7 to 5.5. There is a strong contingent of
racers who sail regularly there, racing each other to
points in the bay and back. The wind is side shore but if you are unable to stay up
wind a rock wall awaits you downwind. Other than that it is a
fun, easy place to sail. There are also sailing clubs that have
gear for use by members. Point Isabel is about 2 miles north of
Berkeley Marina off highway 580. Many days Pt. Isabel is good
when Berkeley is not and vice versa, so it is wise to check them
both before heading out. Since the launch is located at a doggie
park watch your step and your gear at Pt. Isabel.
Treasure
Island
This is THE place to launch from to sail in the bay. It is
located in the path of the best and strongest winds, but it may
not be legal to launch there. The legality of sailing form T.I.
has flip flopped over the years, so be sure to get the low down
about sailing there before you go. Whether you sail legally, or do
the Rig&Run, the place is awesome. Launching right into the
strongest, steadiest winds of the bay and into the rolling swell
the conditions can't be beat. On the northeast end of the island
is a low rock jetty that is perfect for speed runs. If you are
really daring, head north on a speed run and hit the swells as
they wrap around the island for some big jumps. However,
breaking down here can mean a long swim as the area is tidally
affected and you are in the middle of a large body of water
without many others around, so be safe.
The
Coast
 The
stretch of coastline from Santa Cruz to Bodega Bay hosts a
bunch of wave sailing spots in addition to a healthy white shark
population. The Farallon islands make the third and final point of
the infamous “Red Triangle”. Some locations don’t seem to have
many “locals”, while others have reputations that make you want to stay on the beach,
so you will need to decide for yourself.
As for the coast and the beaches, the water is cold, the
current strong, and the waves are often powerful and unforgiving,
so stay within your limits.
Spring and fall have the best winds on the coast, but
depending on the year the summers can be good too. If the coast is
fogged in, it won’t be windy, and there are days when the fog
burns off and still there is no wind on the coast. One local trick
for coastal winds is to listen to the morning buoy reports. 8mph
or more from the west-northwest by 8:30 am at the Pidgeon Point
buoy almost always means a
good day for wind. Waves are the biggest and most consistent
during the winter, but there is some surf almost all year, even
south swells that make for some of the best conditions of the
year.
Waddell
Creek Possibly the most famous of the central California
wave sites, Waddell Creek / Big Basin State Park offers up
some of the most consistent sailing on this section of coast. A
long sandy beach that has lots of room for everybody and picks up more wave action than other places
on this section of the coast. Located just south of Ano Nuevo
State Park, it is more exposed to west and north swells than some
of the other breaks in the area. This means that Waddell has surf
of some kind almost all the time.
A little farther south are the sites of Scott’s Creek and
Davenport Landing. These spots require a higher skill level
than Waddell. Both sites have tricky launches into considerable
shore break, a reef bottom and flukier winds than
Waddell. Davenport also has “The Cave”. If you are
unfortunate enough to lose your gear and it washes around the south
point it may end up in The Cave where it will likely be
severely thrashed by the surf and rocks. That said, these two
sites do have waves of better shape and length than Waddell.
Scattered along the coast north of San Francisco along the Marin
County coastline are other breaks and sailing spots. “The
Rock”, Stinson Beach, Bolinas, Tamales Bay and Dillon
Beach in Bodega Bay are all sailed regularly and can be epic,
but first hand local knowledge is a good idea at some of the sites
as there are tricky launches and hidden hazards.
The
Delta
Ahhhh, The Delta. Also known simply as “Rio”, the warm
winds and fresh water of Rio draws all sorts of recreationalists
each summer. Time doesn’t matter much in The Delta, soeverything slows down out there,
everything except the
sailing. The Sacramento River delta is tidal with a flood and ebb
each day. The wind usually comes up in the afternoon and lasts
until mid-morning the following day. The best tide pattern is to
have an ebb in the morning and again in the evening to coincide
with the best winds. Ebb tides blow against the flow of the river
setting up steep starboard ramps all over the place. Not as big as
The Gorge but still lots of fun, and part of the reason so many
people call Rio their favorite place to sail.
The closest site to the town of Rio Vista, is Windy Cove
which has a grassy rigging, bathrooms, shade trees, and a sandy
launch. Across the levy road is a campground and boat launch as
well. The wind here is not as strong and the swells not as large
as some of the other sites on the river. To reach the other main
sailing sites travel West along state highway 160 until you reach
Delta Windsurf Company, situated at the junction with Sherman
Island Levy Road, and turn off the main road and back into time.
There are several sailing sites along the narrow levy road, some are
more popular than others for reasons of access and sailing
conditions. Some of these are free to camp at as well. The first
of these sites is Powerlines located at the first set of
overhead lines. This
used to be “the spot” but is now relatively uncrowded as
others have been developed. For the biggest swells around
launch here on the beginning of an ebb tide and head downwind to
Deckers Island. The further you go the better it gets, and the
current will help you back upwind. The next popular
spot along the levy road is The Sign, located at a large
sign notifying boats of underwater cables. There is now a large
camping area at The Sign, a sandbagged launch and big swells. Towards
the end of the levy road are a few more launches, the last
being the Sherman
Island Access at the end of the road. There are a
number of camping and launching options there, so pick one that
suits you. The wind and swell are good at the end of the road,
sometimes quite a bit better than at Powerlines if the thermal is
weak. There is also a new RV park and campground located between
The Sign and The Access for those with bigger vehicles or wanting
more amenities.
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