Returning to Ventura Harbor in rough weather

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surf

Ventura Harbor probably won’t get as bad as it is in this clip, but it is more likely to give you a scare than Channel Islands Harbor.

On one occasion last winter, we saw surf breaking in the channel near R N”8″ (Red Nun buoy#8).
Ventura Harbor If it’s breaking that far in, it’s best to wait for the tide to rise a bit or to look for another harbor. Give the Harbor Patrol a call and get their opinion on conditions before venturing in.

But the real danger when entering Ventura Harbor is there every day. It’s the temptation, when arriving from the south, to cut the corner. The harder you get pounded, the more tempting it is to shorten the route.

In fair weather, it’s an easy approach, but a quick look at the chart shows that you’ve got to thread pretty small needle to stay clear of the breakwater, the shoal water and the jetty.

The prudent sailor always goes all the way to R “2V” – the sea buoy, particularly in bad weather. It’s a straight shot from there – 030M – right up the channel, and it keeps you as far from the shoal water as you can get.

It must have taken a great many groundings and close calls to precipitate the installation of R N “4″, which lies about half way between the sea buoy and the breakwater. It’s there mostly for the impatient and is not the place to start an approach in foul weather – either rough seas or low visibility.

In low visibility, I would not attempt to enter the harbor unless I could find the R “2V”. Sure, I trust my chart plotter and radar, but I trust my eyeballs even more. If I can’t locate the sea buoy using chart plotter, radar and listening for the whistle on the buoy, it’s just too rotten to press on. I’m going to remain in deep water sounding my fog signal and listening for other’s until I can gain a visual on the buoy, make a close pass and establish myself on 030M.

14 thoughts on “Returning to Ventura Harbor in rough weather”

  1. Anyone sailing to Ventura please don’t fixate on looking for whistle buoy R “V2″ indicated in the blog because it doesn’t exist. Rather read your chart correctly and you’ll see R “2V” is the correct label as shown on the blog chart image. It is a Flashing Red 2.5 sec buoy with a whistle. There is usually a number of sea lions resting on it. There have been many groundings in the past to vessels entering the channel by paralleling the shore near the end of the jetty at the Flashing Red 4sec 26ft Beacon “6″ HORN. According to Harbor Patrol and the nautical charts the average depth of the main entry channel is 30 to 35 feet and a contract exists with a dredge company to keep it that way. No problems for most of us at that depth. Additionally, Harbor Patrol Officer George Kabris, “does not remember a single capsizing of a vessel due to breaking surf in the entry channel in his ten years of service with harbor patrol. There are nearly 1500 vessels that berth in this harbor and many great night spots and eateries. It’s an easy entry with common sense, so go in and enjoy this wonderful harbor. If you’re not berthed in this harbor don’t forget to call the dock master to inquire about a temporary slip for a couple of hours while you visit. The dock master can be reached at (805) 218-4888. If you are reading Fagan’s Cruising Guide c2002 some of the information is outdated like phone numbers and depth data so due your due diligence and know before you go.

  3. Well Done Captain … Thank you for correcting your typo. Now your readers will be better prepared on what buoy to look for …. R “2V” is accurate. Glad to see you read the comments. Now let’s try to make scary sailing into fun sailing. Most of us are not capsizing, sinking, falling overboard, drowning or getting knocked down thanks to your excellent training. It’s time to put up some positive blogging and make sailing fun, keep everyone on the water gaining experience and improving. Scaring everyone with pictures and stories of idiots only infers that you don’t have much confidence in your students. No one wants to be tied to the dock in fear. I took your course and I am completely confident that what I learned has made me a safe sailor. In the few months since I graduated from your thorough training I have sailed from still to shrill and calm to frothy without an issue. With your training I have the confidence to assess and go. So I want more fun … and your blog focuses on too rough, too shallow, too windy, too dangerous. Can we have more articles that make us want to untie the boat and have fun sailing. Thank you Captain.

  4. Mike, I think if you scroll through the last couple of years of blogs you’ll find many “untie the boat” topics.

    I believe the relevance of this topic coincides with our weather this time of year. This blog doesn’t scare me, it makes me think, plan and assess. You sound like you’re as addicted to sailing as I am, and if you are you’ll be out in not so perfect conditions, like I am. We don’t need to dwell on worst case scenarios, but we do need to remember that conditions can change in the blink of an eye and we must always think, plan and assess our situation.

    I know the Captain will hate this analogy but sailing is a lot like golf: It’s not how good you are on a good day, it’s how good you are on a bad day.

  5. Seems to me that being wary and having fun are not mutually exclusive. Being prepared for contingencies builds confidence and adds to the enjoyment of being out there, at least for me.

    Monitor your VHF on any weekend, and you will hear multiple calls to Vessel Assist, and one or two the the Coasties for help. Reading between the lines, it seems that many of these folks were unprepared or did something dumb. Those scenarios are not fun. Getting back to the dock after a great day and successfully dealing with any challenges IS.

  6. Phew! Thanks so much Mike, for pointing out this error in buoy nomenclature. I could have just seen myself motoring around the Ventura Harbor entrance for hours, probably running out of fuel, looking for the “V2″ buoy. Never in a million years would I have ever thought it might be the one marked “2V.” No doubt countless lives will be saved by you catching this egregious error.

  7. Contrary to some opinions voiced here, I would like to thank you for the warnings we receive in this blog. It benefits local and visiting sailors alike and keeps our sailing adventures happy and safe due to the knowledge we receive. We can all untie the boat, but the info in your blog insures the fact we bring the boat back to be untied another time. Keep the Blog just the way it is because the ocean floors of the world are strewn with the boats of people who didn’t want to read articles about “too rough, too shallow, too windy, and too dangerous”.

  8. Wow Captain! Call out the Life Vest Calvary to save you from a little constructive criticism and a view held by many others who remain anonymous and do not wish to face the attack of your supporting entourage. The names I hear floating on the waves and the dock are Captain Scarecrow, Captain Life Vest, etc. The easy solution is not to offer any constructive feedback as your ego and those of your entourage have more hot stale air than the tropics. If you cannot accept, tolerate or respect others suggestions, or simply balance your safety blogs with your fun blogs then keep blowing your hot air or respond positively to your readers suggestions. How many accidents have we had besides your getting knocked down inside the breakwater. I’ve been out in 30s to 40s and 10 to 25 feet without incident. It’s probably better that the rest of you stay inside the breakwater. Quien es mas macho?

  9. Hi Everyone I’m retracting all of my comments above and offering my apologies for writing anything negative. Human behavior, not surprisingly, nearly always escalates these things into battlegrounds that have no constructive purpose. My initial remarks were to correct the typo and Capt Dan fixed it. My second comment was simply that the last several entries focused on danger and I love to read Captain Dan’s stories about Eagles, etc. It seems I struck a nerve with my remarks and then I came under attack from those of you that clearly value and benefit from the superb instructional content that Dan offers. I shouldn’t interfere with the things you value and appreciate from the same guy that certified my wife and I as Sailtime members. For that, I offer my apology and declare a truce. I also offer my thanks to Dan for all of the other great blog entries he has shared with us and from which we have all benefited and learned. Please accept my regrets and apologies for getting caught up in the moment and the words. Keep sailing, keep learning and be safe. Captain Dan keep writing and keep teaching … you are the best and I value your opinions. With Respect to all …. Mike

  10. Mike,

    I was going to just let this die without comment but you know “human behavior”…

    I do apologize if you believe that I was attacking you, I was not at the time. I am also sorry if you believe I was blindly defending Dan. I owe Dan a lot of things but blind faith is not among them. I apoligize if there are “many others who remain anonymous” who are too intimidated to post on this blog. Do they realize that they could remain “anonymous”? I’m very sorry if you feel as if you can ramble off a paragraph of you know what and excuse it with “I’m retracting all of my comments above”. The only one who can retract it for you now is Dan by pulling it off the blog. In my opinion he should because this garbage doesn’t belong here but you know what? It’s Dan’s blog and he can do with it what he pleases. Last, I’m very, very sorry but you don’t get to “declare a truce”. You may offer one but you don’t get to declare it.

    Rob

  11. As a member of the “Life Vest Calvary,” I should like to add that contrary to what was implied (note, Mike, not inferred), my opinions are my own. I was not enticed, coerced, or cajoled by Capt. Dan in any way.

    Finalmente: La pregunta no es “quien es mas macho,” pero, “quien es mas estupido.”

  13. Never assume Randy…

    Sincerely,
    Shirly

    P.S. I’m scheduled to be cajoled next week.