New to San Fransisco Bay Area

Oz_kid · Joined: 21 Mar 2016 Posts: 4

My job is moving me to Foster City, CA and my wife & I are looking for a place to live. I am an intermediate widsurfer and would love to live somewhere I can windsurf. Any thoughts, suggestions?
Thx

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10588

You're in luck. Check out this recent thread.

http://www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=24626&start=0

SwellRipper · Joined: 21 Apr 2009 Posts: 193 Location: Channel Marker 11

You could move to Foster City! But be aware, for California, it's a relatively cool and windy town, your wife may not like it! You on the other hand...!

carl · Joined: 25 Feb 1997 Posts: 2674 Location: SF bay area

Lucky you! Couldn't be better. Very Happy

For Windsurf: Coyote Point and 3rd Ave are very close. Coyote is probably
better for intermediates and easier weekend parking. Plus there's a WS shop right inside the park for lessons or equip. Candlestick is not that far either and has very flat water.
Live in San Mateo, Foster City, Belmont, San Carlos or Redwood City (it gets warmer going south) all very close to work or play. Where are you moving from?

damel · Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 247

The San Francisco Bay area has access to every windsurfing condition you can imagine. Here is a useful website/map of sailing sites in the area SFBA Sites.

Some launches have no current and flat water while others have tons of current and huge swell. Get a good wetsuite the water is cold and a vhf radio if you are planning to go to some of the more intense sites.

If you are going to be working in Foster City 3rd ave site has some of the best winds around and you can get flat water on the inside or crazy swell outside in the channel. I work in San Mateo and live in SF and while I love sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge or catching some waves at waddell 3rd ave is my favorite spot for sharpening skills and maximizing the number of days I get in a season.

Palo Alto and San Mateo are some good neighborhoods to check out if you want to live near Foster City. As I mentioned I live in SF and it is a great city but really expensive especially when you drive 30 min to work each day.

Oz_kid · Joined: 21 Mar 2016 Posts: 4

thank you for all the info! we haven't made a decision yet. but, I am very excited to see all these sites close to work at foster city!
yeah not sure how much my wife will like the weather...we are currently living in StLouis, Missouri (last 10 years!). only lake sailing here.
before, we were in Chicago and breifly we lived in south Brazil and Aegean cost of Turkey...etc I just had a chance to sail little bit in Turkey, which had great conditions.
I believe my wife will prefer SF over STL as long as its not freezing. She likes to ride her bicycle and enjoys outdoor activities.
I think I will be able to sail more on weekends, maybe some on weekdays as well... looks like renting a house/apt will be a bit pricey ... but, being close to work seems to be a good option (traffic, ..etc)
How different is it going up north from san mateo vs. south towards red wood city?

thanks,
chad

carl · Joined: 25 Feb 1997 Posts: 2674 Location: SF bay area

Don't think-just move!
I used to live in Chicago so I know (and STL is not much different for wind or weather).
Look at the wind archives of Coyote Point. You can almost pick any day between April and October and it's sailable and not rainy. Even on the unsailable days at Coyote, you could probably find wind somewhere in the bay area. The rain only happens in Nov thru March (except for a freek rare day) and it never snows, except in the mountains (where you want it for skiing). You won't need A/C anywhere on the penninsula but it's almost always sunny and warm in the afternoon unless you're right on the bay.
Working in FC, you really could get off work at 4:30 or 5pm and go sailing til 7pm many days.
You CERTAINLY can't say ANY of that about Chicago or STL!!!

As for traffic, At the 5 pm commute most cars are trying to go FROM the penninsula TO Hayward across the San Mateo bridge. So both directions of Hwy 101 funnel towards the bridge on Hwy 92. Foster City to either San Mateo or Redwood City would (generally) be reverse commute on HWY 101 or 92.
There are alternatives to hwy 101 also, depending on where your going.

ctuna · Joined: 27 Jun 1995 Posts: 1126 Location: Santa Cruz Ca

During the current heat wave nationaly I would say
We have the best weather in the nation.
Also it never snows here although SF can be quite foggy and a little
cold compared to the surrounding community's.

victor · Joined: 03 Aug 1998 Posts: 581

SF itself can have a lot of fog but the Peninsula not nearly as much. It's cool but never nearly as cold as Chicago or St. Lousi can be, nor as hot.

If you can stand year round 50-70 you'll be able to suffer through the relatively few days that go beyond those temps.

Your wife will enjoy the bike path from around Foster City past a couple of the best windsurfing launches in the bay area while you're out on the water. It's part of the SF Bay Trail Project which will eventually connect 500 miles of trails along the shoreline. Now that I think of it the majority of launches around here have a bike path that you have to cross to get to the water.

victor · Joined: 03 Aug 1998 Posts: 581

Also: Keep in mind it's the fog that drives our wind machine around here.