SHELTER COVE

Photo: Penguin

From the 1600 foot Launch

WORKS BEST: Spring and Fall, Pre-Frontal SW-S

Spring means March to June, Fall is September to end of October, though it can work through the winter as well. Check out Just Another Day In Paradise. Summer usually finds it fogged out. This site was pioneered by hang gliders over 20 years ago. Paragliders found it in the early 1990's. Prevailing breeze is usually N to NW on the north coast - but pre-frontal storm conditions swing it around South to South West, and this is the place. There are two sites: a 1600 Launch and a 450 msl launch. The 1600 is preferred, but it can be a long way to the LZ (that far point in the photo above), and blown out when the lower launch is still OK. Or the 1600 can be fogged out and the lower launch is fine. We have had fun off both.

Requirements/Regulations

Fly Safely, have a good time.

Shelter Cove is an unregulated site. No USHGA or ASC membership required.

All private property - respect it please. The LZ is at the South end of a working runway. Don't linger there after landing - move it out (East) to break down, pack up.

This is not a beginner's site. Neither launch is very forgiving, although the lower launch is a bit more forgiving than the upper. This is very definitely not a place you want to blow back on - trees, canyons, power lines - ugly for landing. But it is a beautiful site to fly when it is working. A H-3 or P-3 equivalent is a reasonable requirement, or a H or P-2 with guidance.

How to Get Here

From 101, take the Garberville/Redway (if northbound), or Redway (if southbound) exit some 70 miles south of Eureka. In Redway, take the Briceland-Shelter Cove road west 18 miles to Shelter Cove. Scenic. Curvy. Check out the Shelter Cove Restaurant and boat launching ramp, and the southwest facing cliffs by the launch ramp - nice ridge soaring possible. Check out the LZ area south of the runway, just north of the little general store.

The 450 Launch: From the General Store/Boat Ramp, head back up and over the first little hill. There is a dip before it starts up again. Right at the bottom of that dip is a road south - Landis Court. Take that out about 500 yards to Bay Court. Turn left into and go 50 yards or so to the end.

The 450 Launch

Photo: Penguin (399 KB)

The 1600 Launch: Go all the way back to the top of the main ridge. (You can also go in Toth Road from the bottom, but I can't remember all the twists and turns). At the very top of the ridge, just past a wide turn-out, take a right on Toth Road and proceed about one mile to Wood. Take a left on Wood and drop down about a block, take a right onto Blue Ridge. Proceed about 300 yards to a right sweeping turn around the point. That's the place. It doesn't look too much like a launch, but you should see some old flags on brush down the hill.

The 1600 Launch

Photo: Penguin (175 KB)

Weather Links

It's a long drive to get there, so I try to get as much information as I can before I head out.

Sometimes a few hours behind, but specific, is Weather Underground

For general NOAA weather, check the Eureka site. I also check what is coming in via the GEOS satellite. For the GEOS satellite info converted to a weather map (takes a while to download) check the Pacific Hi-Low from U of Hawaii. These links can help you plan a few days ahead of time.

If that much looks good, I check the buoys. The most critical one that I pay the most attention to is the Point Arena Buoy 46014 . I also check the next Buoy North: Buoy 46030, Blount's Reef buoy off Cape Mendocino. These buoy links are to the Florida State University site. If that site is down, try the NOAA National Data Buoy Center site - just change the last two numbers of the Buoy on the address line to get the buoy you want.

Emergency Contacts

Forget about cell phones - no coverage out here.

Hams can try the Shelter Cove Repeater: 146.940 (-600 offset). If all else fails and you have a business band or bumped 2-meter, try the CDF local frequency: 151.250 - but make sure it is a real emergency...some of the VFD folks monitor it, so even if no one answers, put out the info.

Shelter Cove has an excellent VFD well-trained in rescue.

CAUTIONS

Mind the tides. The beach is a fine bail out possibility, unless the tide is in. It comes all the way into the logs up against the cliffs. A downwind landing on the bottom of the boat ramp is no fun.

Watch for air traffic when you break for the LZ. The occasional weekend pilot that does come in here is not watching out for you - trust me on this. And the LZ is right at the South end of the runway. On a nice-weather weekend, there can be a surprising amount of air traffic.

Watch the fog. During certain warmish pre-frontal conditions, a small wisp of fog along the beach can turn into a blanket of zero visibility at the 1600 within 5 minutes. Watched it happen, was *real* glad I didn't launch...

Check the penetration often, especially if you are getting up off the 1600. Nobody has ever blown back here - and it is a real good idea to keep it that way.