They are probably 14-20' swells and there is a big bar outside the
"channel". That area has ate a lot of ships over the years. Under the
middle of the Gate it is deep. 33+ fathoms. But on both sides of the
channel there are big bars. The slowing water from the bay carrying silt
drops it. The North bar is easier to watch from the Marin Headlands and
when big seas are happening, it is great to go out and watch the breakers on
the bar. And the average depth of the bar is 4-5 fathoms.
Bill

"Brian D" wrote in message
...

Why is there breakers and big waves if the water is 4 to 5 fathoms deep?
Normally, breakers from normal (or even large) swells don't roll over
until
the water is closer to 20' deep or so. The way the water was rushing out
in
front of the breaker in the sequence of photos, it looked very shallow.
Any
clue why this is happening in that spot?

Brian



"Calif Bill" wrote in message
nk.net...
If you sail very near the rocks it is deep enough most of the time. It
is
actually about 5 Fathom on the charts. NOAA chart 18645 I actually use
Waterproof Chart #84 which is the reproduction of the NOAA chart. There
is
deep water on both sides of the South Tower but the swell comes in on
that
side. The surfers at Fort Point (under the south side of the bridge)
are
there most of the time. The problem at the gate is the 2 banks outside
the
channel. the North one is the Fourfathom bank and we crab there on nice
days in about 70-90 feet of water. On bad days we do not go out. As
the
swell can be breaking on the bank.

"Brian D" wrote in message
...
I'm surprised the charts still indicate a channel if there isn't one.
I
was
also surprised at how the person in the boat (can't seen person #2) was
sailing into a nasty situation and not even looking around. Certainly
the
beach and rocks, along with the very high possibility of shoal water,
was
evident right in front of them? And to just sit there and not even be
concerned? Must've been VERY new boaters...

Brian


"Calif Bill" wrote in message
ink.net...
Depends. But since this is the South Tower of the Golden Gate bridge
and
Baker Beach, the ocean will make it into very small pieces. They
probably
read the chart and saw the South Channel designation and used it.
There
is
no South Channel and not for a lot of years. You can get through if
lucky
and a calm day. They should of gone through the middle of the gate,
using
the commercial ship channel. Still can get rough but lots more water
underneath and the waves do not break normally. And lately the seas
have
been big swells. 10'-15'ers.
Bill

"Pierre" wrote in message
. ..
Do you have to retreive that boat, or can the owners just leave it
there?

Must be expensive to retreive

?




"Brian D" wrote in message
...

I like how the fool in the boat is sitting there like he's sipping
tea
while
a big breaker builds up behind him. In the latter photos, you can
even
see
through the shallows and see the shore rocks looming in the
foreground.
This guy never read Darwin, but should've... waste of a nice
little
boat
tho'

Brian D




"thunder" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 15:38:03 -0400, P.Fritz wrote:


What the hell were they thinking?

Uh, my guess is that they weren't. ;-)