when to go?

[Mr.Kitch'nPass]

Going down to b-10 tomarrow, :smile: looks like low tide is about 11:15am. Would you cross the bar early while the tides still going out? or wait till afternoon when its comming back in? :whazzup: If weather holds would like to go into the blue. Anyone else headed down ?
Thanks Dave

[Uglygreen]

The bottom of the ebb tide (Just before low slack) is the most dangerous. Cross at low slack and return on the flood (high) tide is the normal routine.

The time of the tide is not the ONLY factor.

Also consider:

Height of tide: large swings betwen high and low are more dangerous than small swings. WORST is bottom of the ebb on a big minus tide.

Wind: East wind is better than west on the ebb, West wind is better than east on the flood. Summer is usually (not always) a west wind, especally when it is hot in the wilamette valley.

Ocean swell: smaller is better than larger, due west swell is worst, swell makes more of a difference on the ebb than the flood.

Am I missing anything anyone???

Remember, if it is safe to go out on the low slack, if will nearly always be safe to cross back at the high slack.

On a perfect day even the worst crossing times can be no problem, On a $h*tty day even the best crossing times can be dangerous, use caution.

UG.

[Pilar]

Well said Uglygreen. Avoid the time between mid ebb tide and the the low slack as this is always the roughest conditions.

You can attempt a crossing at low slack but expect some rough conditions between Hammond and Bouy 10. It always gets pretty stirred up there on the ebb. If you don't like the conditions wait a while till the flood starts. This almost always causes calmer conditions.

The only thing I can add that is not a rehash of the above is that it is always ok to turn around and wait for better conditions.

Have fun and be careful.

[Mr.Kitch'nPass]

Thanks guys, sounds like using some common sence is also key here. Really appriciate the info
Thanks again, Dave