Candlestick improvements coming, input from regulars reqst'd

[jpopton]

A representative from the Coastal Conservancy has contacted the SFBA. There will be funds available in the future for upgrades to the bay area access trail which may include improvements to the launch and parking areas at Candlestick. The SFBA is looking for constructive input from regulars who frequent Candlestick regarding general use issues that could be improved upon. Contructive and realistic input is requested asap. Thanks .

[ctuna]

If you could get rid of the sharp rocks that would be nice. I'm sure the barefoot crowd would like a carpet to the water. Be careful not to mess it up when modifying it . Several coastal projects in Santa Cruz resulted in less parking spaces in the name of making things look nice.

[sergem]

Thank you for for being on top of this!

I am not a regular (5 times last year).

1) It is really hard to tell if it is OK to park along the street on non-game days. Everybody does it, but it would be nice to have this reflected on parking signs.

The rest is probably not reasonable:

2) Anything we could do for parking on game days?
3) Crap in the water - can't be healthy, right?
4) Trash plant stink from upwind?

[ctuna]

They will probably start handing out tickets if you mention the parking. The point previously mentioned are probably unreasonable. What about that study on the high rise buildings they were planning messing up the wind is any of this even reasonable in the current environment. Access on Ball game days is a total dream.

[girsang]

I'm not a regular now, but I was a few years ago.

Those sharp rocks have to go. Both the small rocks that line the beach and those large hidden ones that you can't see unless it's low tide. I never hit them myself, but I have seen others smash into them.

It would be nice to have a grassy rigging area and not so narrow paths from rig to beach. But it's mainly the rocks that keep me from sailing there.

[GGSkater]

Probably the worst thing about Candlestick are the shards of broken glass in and around the circular parking lot area. This area is CA state parkland as is the rigging area between the road and the water for quite a distance towards 101 past the football stadium. http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/519/files/CandlestickPt.pdf
(Since the Giants departed to AT&T Park, the game day conflicts are fairly minimal as the 49ers have only a handful of games on Sundays in the fall, which is late season anyway.)

Several responses mentioned the rocks near the waterline, which are indeed sharp compared to other sailing sites in the Bay Area. I'm not sure about a solution--while smooth pebbles could be "imported", they may wash away each winter (although this area is somewhat of a cove so perhaps they'd stay put for a few seasons?). If the tide is ebbing, I've seen barefoot sailors wear flip-flops and remove them by the waterline, and if flooding, place them on a rock. A carpet would get really ratty and there is already enough ratty garbage at Candlestick (see the 4/4 cleanup post on this forum).

Besides the glass and sharp rocks, a suggestion might be to improve the strip of land between the road and the launch area where people tend to rig. Nice grassy rigging area? Clean out a little of the brush? Right now this area is a combination of grass, weeds, gravel, and dirt.

[mac]

This is Jim McGrath, on the USW and SFBA Board's, and the one that got the original call from the Coastal Conservancy. I've passed this link on to their staff, and suggested that they consider restoration of a sandy beach there because it is the optimum launch for windsurfers and kayaks, and has substantial habitat value. However, between summer thermal winds and winter storms, I'm not sure that wind waves wouldn't drag the sand offshore. In such circumstances (high energy at the shoreline), my recommended solution tends to be large, rounded gravel. River run, so it isn't sharp, and large enough so it will stay put. Keep the suggestions coming!

[SWE106]

I sail stick 20+ times a year so here's probably a recap of most items already mentioned, but nevertheless:

* improve main rigging area: use grass, astro turf, or other alternatives
* enlarge main rigging area in front of launch; due to tidal/wind wave action it seems become smaller and smaller each year and it also creates a steep ~1ft drop (safety issue!)
* remove or improve/clean-out bushes
* more (secure) recycle -glass, paper, other- garbage cans: less glass on the rigging area
* relocate or remove some of the large sharp rocks lining the main launch
* improve launch: sand, large rounded gravel, concrete slab, sand bags, or other alternatives (large gravel prob best, maybe in combo with some nice sand!)
* a few more (pick nick) benches so people, incl windsurfers, have somewhere to sit, relax and enjoy the action.

* keep up the good work! the stick rocks and is a great place for everybody to sail of every level!

[ctuna]

What about the just subsurface fin breaking rocks.
Also which are a potential danger to your body as well as your board.
Is it possible to remove the really big ones?

[kevinkan]

-sand bag the launch: maybe akin to what they do in the delta.... heavy concrete filled bags covered w/ softer gravel-filled bags. These won't get swept away.

-remove some of the large hidden rocks: there are several hazardous rocks that lurk right below the surface at lower tides. One just on the upwind side of the launch and one about 50ft out and just a little bit downwind of the launch (can see this one at very low tides)

-grass rigging? that would be nice.

-make sure the shower stays on! it would be a shame if the park budget gets cut and the water gets turned off... this is one of the best showers EVER!

I'm most interested in the sandbag launch and the shower... everything else would be gravy.

Any other windsurf sites that would be covered? Embassy or Haskins?