Sunset Sailboards San Francisco

Tubamancha:  what/where the hell is that?  This seldom-sailed spot is neither secret nor stealthy; obscure is a better description.  "Tuba" is actually a surf-sailing break at the mouth of the Drakes Estero in the Point Reyes National Seashore, located between Limantour and Drakes Beach.  Non-specific forecasting, blustery offshore winds, a two mile hike, a reputation for great white sharks, and lots of uncertainty make this spot fall far off the radar for most Bay Area windsurfers.  With the advent of wind forecasting, webcams, and real-time wind reports, most windsurfers opt for the sure thing, hedging their bets and going to where you know you won't get skunked.

Some days you just feel a little more adventurous, craving that uncertainty and the prospect of new experiences.  Throw in a few eager friends, a willingness to work for your turns, and a few extra dollars for a bridge toll and the long drive north, and see what you end up with.

This was my third trip to Tuba.  My first trip wasn't so successful; I was totally OP'd on a 3.7 and 62l wave board... I never made it more than a few hundred yards upwind from the Limantour Beach launch, a mere fraction of the two-mile upwind trek to the breaking waves.  "Spooked" best describes my experience on that day.  There is so much wildlife in the water.  You can see tons of seals and birds galavanting around, but it's the sea life you can't see that's most intimidating and recalls imagery of National Geographic Blue Planet commercials... you know, the one where the shark breaches and snatches a bird out of the sky.

My second trip to Tuba was similar.  BHO (barely hanging on) conditions on a 4.2, grinding upwind for half an hour just trying not to get catapulted and get converted into a link in the food chain.  At least that time I made it all the way to the break, got some waves, and survived to tell the tale.  An experience for sure, but not epic wave riding... more like survival sailing.

The wind was a little lighter this trip, and there were great waves and tons of familiar faces.  I was still overpowered and spooked at times, but there was enough positive energy internally and in the air that I had a great time.

Pics below are courtesy of Joyce Luu via The Human Catapult.  Check out his account of the journey here.  Also, I posted an old clip of Tuba below the pics.  This is an excerpt from one of my favorite windsurfing videos, Quake on the Gold Coast, which is also posted below.