Sailing Conditions: Ventura - Oxnard - Channel Islands

Current Warnings
CLICK FOR FULL, REPORT

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY

EAST SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL FROM PT. CONCEPTION TO
PT. MUGU INCLUDING
SANTA CRUZ AND ANACAPA ISLANDS-
1000 AM PST FRI MAR 18 2005

HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM SATURDAY
 6 PM MONDAY..

LARGE SWELLS  WILL ARRIVE IN CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.
DURING THE PEAK OF THE EVENT, THE INNER COASTAL WATERS
WILL LIKELY EXPERIENCE WESTERLY SWELL OF 6 TO 10
FEET WITH A PERIOD OF 12 TO 14 SECONDS. THIS WILL
TRANSLATE INTO BREAKERS OF 6 TO 10 FEET WITH LOCALLY
HIGHER SETS ON WEST FACING BEACHES. AREAS THAT COULD
EXPERIENCE PARTICULARLY LARGE WAVES INCLUDE
VENTURA AND CHANNEL ISLAND HARBORS...MALIBU...
AND MANHATTAN BEACH.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR 
SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA.

.DAY ONE.. TODAY

A PACIFIC STORM WILL AFFECT THE AREA TODAY
THROUGH THE WEEKEND..
BRINGING RAIN AND SNOW TO THE AREA. THE
HEAVIEST RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TONIGHT AND
SATURDAY MORNING. TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS
THROUGH SUNDAY ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE
FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES ACROSS COAST
AND VALLEY AREAS...

Outlook -
You'll need your foulies for weekend sailing
 900 AM PST FRI MAR 18 2005

TODAY...HIGH AROUND 60
WIND VARIABLE 10 KT OR LESS...BECOMING
SE 10 TO 15 KT,INCREASING TO 15 TO 25 KT in AFTERNOON.
COMBINED SEAS 3 TO 5 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 13 SECONDS.
RAIN COMMENCED IN OXNARD AT 0950 AND PREDICTED TO CONTINUE.
RADAR PLOT INDICATES IT WILL BE LIGHT, BUT IT STRETCHES
AS FAR AS THE RADAR CAN SEE.

TONIGHT...SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. COMBINED SEAS 4 TO 6 FT DOMINANT
PERIOD 12 SECONDS. RAIN.

SAT.....High upper 50's
WIND VARIABLE 10 KT OR LESS...BECOMING SW 10 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 TO 8 FT AT
12 SECONDS. RAIN.

SAT NIGHT...S WIND 10 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING
VARIABLE 10 KT OR LESS. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS.
W SWELL 7 TO 9 FT. SHOWERS LIKELY.

SUN...High High upper 50's
WIND VARIABLE 10 KT OR LESS...BECOMING W 10 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 TO 10 FT.
CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

SUN NIGHT...NW WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 3 FT. W SWELL 8 TO
10 FT

Local Notices to Mariners (download complete notice)
updated 15 March 05
Ventura Marina:
The dredging operations at the entrance to Ventura Harbor will be finishing
up late Friday afternoon.  The dredge will then move into the Stub Channel
at the entrance to Ventura Keys at approximately 2:00 a.m. Saturday morning.
They will remove materials that flowed out of the Arrundell Barranca during
the January and February rains. The Port District portion of the job will take
approximately 36 hours.

The City of Ventura has contracted the dredge to continue dredging the City's
portion of the Stub Channel. It will likely take several days to remove the newly
deposited spoils, which will benefit the residents of the Keys and other
boaters that transit the area.

All boaters should exercise caution around the dredge and the floating dredge
pipe.

For passing information, contact the dredge "Ryan W" on channel 16.

Caution: crabbers in small boats and kayaks near harbor mouth. Most
carry no lights

Fixed:
Channel buoy #8 watching properly
Channel buoy #9 watching properly

Local Observations-
Storm debris persists off Ventura coast, including partially submerged logs and
areas of small, filter-choking crud are still heavy out to
three miles. Litter from the storms is visible near the islands.

Ultraviolet (UVI) - moderate