Tomales Bay

Conditions on Tomales Bay

By Jeff Burton

Waves: Conditions on Tomales Bay are characteristic of a “sea”, meaning wave intervals are very short (around 2 seconds) and waves are very small at around 1 to 3 feet.  Fetch is very short because the Tomales Bay entrance is narrow  and therefore not a lot of wave energy makes it down the bay. 

Wind: Wind increases throughout the morning as the temperatures rise inland and then decrease as the inland temperatures drop.  The hilly terrain on both shores

(Inverness Ridge on the west, Bolinas Ridge on the east) help to create a wind tunnel effect. A SW wind in the morning will typically shift to NW in the afternoon and will be mild.  In contrast, a NW wind in the morning means a strong NW wind in the afternoon.  March, April, and May are the windiest months of the year when the wind blows consistently out of the NW, down the bay.

Water: Tomales Bay is very shallow and the water temperature is always warmer than the ocean. An ebb tide will oppose the prevailing wind and create bumps.

Weather: The season determines the weather.  Spring is generally windy and cool. Mornings can be glassy calm while mid afternoons can blow your socks off with gusts reaching nearly 40 mph.  For your first few runs, look for wind building to about 10-15 mph from the NW. Fall is calm and warm, Winter can be calm or rainy.  Summer can be all of the above.

Conditions in the Summer can be good for downwinding though you might get a more westerly wind which will blow you to the eastern shore.  You should try to hug the western shore where the water is deeper. In addition, all of the nice beaches are on the western shore if you need to take a break.

How long is the run?

The full run from Nick’s Cove to Chicken Ranch Beach is about 8 miles.  For about a 4 mile run, launch in the town of Marshall near Blue Waters Kayaking.

A Typical Downwind Run on Tomales Bay

Nick's Cove to Chicken Ranch Beach (approximately eight miles)

•         Go to Nick’s Cove/Miller Boat Launch and put-in at the beach at Nick’s adjacent to the little pier.  If low tide, it will muckville here.  For less muck, go to the end of the parking lot at the turn around.  I like to put my board on the hay bales while I get the rest of my gear.  Watch your footing here as it’s rocky.  If this lot is full (unlikely if it is windy) you can park up the hill in the trees.  Always remember to get a parking permit from the kiosk near the bathrooms.  Parking is $5 per car. 

•         From Nick’s Cove (if the wind is not too heavy), you will head out to Hog Island and try to go around the northern end before heading down the bay.  Many times, you will have to knee paddle this section to get through the wind.  This is the worst part of the run due to the wind gap at White Gulch (west of Hog Island).  It’s also very shallow between Nick’s Cove and Hog Island.  I've gone overboard while knee paddling here!  The north and east side of Hog Island is very grassy at low tide.  Note:  If Nick’s is too blown out, you can drive down Hwy 1 a couple of miles until  you reach Clark Rd.  From there drive about another half mile and look for a little pull out on the right and put in there at Grassy Point.  If the wind is really good, you will see kite boarders parked here.  There is a short but steep path from the parking area down to the water.  The beach is rocky.   Note:  I have never tried this before, but for a longer run, you can also launch from Lawson’s Landing. (near Dillon Beach).  Be sure to head west across the bay first

before making the turn to go downwind.  There are two large mud flats that you will want to avoid.  You will want to keep Hog Island on your left while going down the bay. 

•         As the wind builds in strength and duration, the waves will become bigger and more uniform.  They start to get more defined as they move south of Pelican Point.  Pelican Point forms a sand spit that goes out to the channel marker, keep the marker on your right side as you go down the bay. This is a wildlife area so don’t stop here.

•         Bumps will dissipate and rebuild themselves as they move down the bay.  By the time you get to Marshall Beach and Lairds Landing, you can start to find some nice runners.  Just past Laird’s Landing you will see a gulch on your right where you might get some cross chop or weird current.  Just stay with it.  It will get better.

•         Stay lose and relaxed as you paddle down the bay.  Don’t work too hard, let the wind do the work.  You just need a maintenance stroke to keep your speed up and to provide stability.  Consciously keep pushing yourself to your right to hug the western shore.

•         By the time you get to Hearts Desire Beach, you will be in the thick of it.  You will have a good chance to catch nice runners here also near Shell Beach.  Just north of Chicken Ranch Beach, you will see some very nice, very catchable bumps.

•         Keep angling west toward Chicken Ranch for your takeout.  If low tide, you will have to walk through some mud and gravel.  If you miss Chicken Ranch, head for the beach at the Tomales Bay Resort (you will see Blue Waters Kayaking there).

•         If you miss all this (or if you are just having too much fun to care) head for the grocery store and shipwreck in Inverness, you can’t miss it.

•         If doing a shuttle, the drive from Chicken Ranch Beach to Nick’s Cove takes about 40 minutes.

•         On your way through Pt. Reyes Station, stop at the Bovine Bakery for a slice of pizza, a bear claw and cup of iced tea.  Café Reyes has a good selection of hand-tossed pizzas.  If you like fresh oysters, there are several places to stop on your way back to Nick’s.

Potential Hazards on Tomales Bay

•         Mudflats north of Nick’s Cove and south of Chicken Ranch Beach.

•         Oyster beds all along the eastern shore especially near Nick’s Cove, Marshall, and across from Chicken Ranch at Tomales Bay Oyster Co.  These beds are very shallow.  Oysters will cut you to shreds and damage your board.  There are metal stakes within the beds, AVOID these areas.

•         There can be considerable boat traffic near Nick’s Cove/Miller Park and near the Inverness Yacht Club and Tomales Bay Resort.  North of Pelican Point, boats will be always be near the western shore, in the channel.  There are no channel markers south of Pelican Point.

•         The north and east side of Hog Island and Duck Island are closed.  Pelican Point is closed.  Most of the beaches on the western shore are public.

•         Stay clear of swimming zones near Hearts Desire Beach, Shell Beach, and Chicken Ranch Beach.  You will sometimes see swimmers outside of the marked areas.

Tomales Bay Trivia: 

•          Approximately 13 miles long and 1 mile wide on average.

•          Average depth 15 feet – Exposed areas and mud flats at low tide – Deepest spots 60 feet.

•          Average tidal movement 6 feet.

•          Water temp is a bit warmer than the ocean.

•          The San Andreas fault created Tomales Bay and runs under right under it.