Big Waves Return to Bay Area Coast

If you’re planning to sail out the Gate today, be advised that the Coast Guard 11th District has issued a warning to "vessel owners, operators, and beach-goers of high surf and winds affecting the Bay Area."

The advisory originally called for waves of 16 to 22 feet from Point Reyes south to Big Sur. That’s been moderated somewhat to a west swell of 15 feet, with northwest winds up to 25 knots. A small craft advisory for hazardous seas means that "waves will be steep enough to create a potential hazard to smaller vessels and inexperienced mariners. In the event that your vessel or someone aboard your vessel is in distress, call the Coast Guard on VHF/FM Channel 16 or the Coast Guard Sector San Francisco Command Center at (415) 399-3451."

Visit the National Weather Service at www.wrh.noaa.gov for the specific times and locations these advisories are in effect.

The OYRA’s Lightship Race will kick off the YRA’s ocean season tomorrow. Looking at the forecast for Saturday, we see that both the wind and the waves offshore are predicted to calm down. But the OYRA’s president, Andy Newell, is concerned that the wind might calm down too much. "With very light wind even 8-ft swells can be very sloppy," he said. We’re planning a report on the Lightship for the May issue of Latitude 38.

The OYRA’s policy is that if NOAA issues a gale warning or hazardous seas warning for offshore waters the race committee can use an alternate in-the-Bay course. Last year, Principal Race Officer Bobbi Tosse canceled the final race of the series due to gale warnings both inside and outside the Bay — unseasonable for the first weekend of October.