outside set breaking on the south jetty

Bayocean Spit

(Barview South Jetty) - North Oregon Coast

Hard to get to, but regularly sailed by kiters and surfed by the local crew. Getting there is tricky. Kiters & Surfers will park on the North Jetty and paddle across the channel with their gear. Sailing this place requires planning, so if you don't have time and curiosity on your hand, you should pass on this spot.

The wind is good and steady. As usual, water is smooth next to the jetty but don't sail right next to the jetty or you'll struggle with the wind and the eddy, Leave the jetty waves to surfers and kiters. Usually, there are multiple bars on the inside making it a fun place to sail. Know the tides, and know your limits because you'll need to rest before crossing the channel back to your car.

Getting there

Three options: paddling across the channel (read below), boating, bycicling.

Paddling accross the channel ~ 10-15 mn

The channel is 350 yards wide, which means it will take you 10 to 15mn to cross; or more depending on what you are towing. The coast guard at the tower will watch you and will radio all boats entering the channel that you're in there, making it safe for you to cross. 

Surfers will cross faster that kiters. Kiters have a backback and a have a heavy board with straps, all contributing to a less efficient paddle. Consider unscrewing the straps to ease the paddle. Everything else goes into the backpack, water, snacks, screwdrivers, cell phone, kite and repair kits.

Timing the tide is everything. Avoid outgoing tides, but if you must, then start way inside of the jetty. Paddle perpendicular to the current and towards the other jetty, but don't try to reach a specific point. It's faster to paddle perpendicular to the current and just reach the other side, as opposed to getting tired trying to reach a specific point upstream or downstream. Time your paddle on slack tides, or incoming tides. Currents are strongest in the middle of a tide swing. Unless you plan to sail or surf there for 5 to 6 hours, chances are you will paddle through a tide swing, so just watch it.

Outgoing tides are dangerous, and to give you an idea the Garibaldi Marina won't rent crab boats during an outgoing tide in the Tillamook Bay. The fact surfing or sailing during an outgoing tide is sub optimal adds another reason to avoid it.

Boating

From far the safest thing to do, but also requires access to a boat, jetski or renting a crab boat. Renting a crab boat costs $80 for 3 hours, and $10 for each extra hour they won't rent during outgoing tide, so plan it well.

Once you get to the other side, secure the boat on the beach, then get ready to walk 500 yards with your gear.

Biking with a trailor

Park at the end of Bayocean Dike Road. Then you have two options:

One, ditch the jetty idea and walk straight to the beach, there's a path that takes you there, it's a 400 yards walk with gear and has better wind than the jetty. If you don't want to walk, you could try sailing at the town of Cape Meares, but the cliffs at the south may interfere with the north winds.

Second, put together your favorite bike trailor contraption and ride to the jetty. Count 20 mn for the bike ride. Any SUP carrier should to the job and is cheap (~$90 to $150) these days, so this may be a good viable option, except you now have to put a bike in your car. But for the triathlon athletes out there, may be worth it. Heck, if the wind dies, you'll have a good workout to look forward to :)

History

The history of the place is interesting, there used to be a town called Bayocean built in early 1900 that eventually fell into the sea. http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/bayocean.html

Wind Report: http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=tlbo3 

Map and Directions