Beaches near SJ?

[mstnghu2]

I never get it when people say SJ is "very hot" or even "hot" at all. We do get some occasional heatwaves throughout the summer where temps hit the 90's or even more rarely can get over 100. Even the average July/August temps are only in the low 80's with almost zero humidity...that's hardly "very hot". I'd have to say SJ's temperature is near-perfect. The average overall summer temps are high 70's to low 80's. You want very hot? Head to the central valley or even inland East Bay locations. There are numerous locations in California with far hotter temps than SJ. LA and San Diego both have higher overall average temps than SJ.

Personally I love "hot" weather and that's the way summer is supposed to be!

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by mstnghu2

I never get it when people say SJ is "very hot" or even "hot" at all. We do get some occasional heatwaves throughout the summer where temps hit the 90's or even more rarely can get over 100. Even the average July/August temps are only in the low 80's with almost zero humidity...that's hardly "very hot". I'd have to say SJ's temperature is near-perfect. The average overall summer temps are high 70's to low 80's. You want very hot? Head to the central valley or even inland East Bay locations. There are numerous locations in California with far hotter temps than SJ. LA and San Diego both have higher overall average temps than SJ.

Personally I love "hot" weather and that's the way summer is supposed to be!

They're used to ****ty coastal weather. Frisconians say it's hot all the time, too.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by coyoteskye

You don't think what?
I swim without a wet suit and so do many other people throughout the summer.
The water is often perfect.
Kids play in it, people body surf, etc.
Like vdy1985 said .... it can be a shock at first but once you're in, no problem.
And there have been days when it's really quite warm ... easy to get in and stay in.

If it's not at least 70, forget it. And unless you take really cold baths, I wouldn't consider 70 even close to bathwater.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by formerfire

I am from South Australia and it would be fair to say the water is pretty darn cold here, but on a hot day who cares.

Thanks for all your input....it sounds like if we are after a beach lifestyle Santa Cruz is the better option, I cant imagine myself driving through mountains every week to get to the beach. I will do a bit of research on Santa cruz and see what i can find.

I am guessing a fair few people might live in Santa Cruz and travel to SJ for work?

Yes, quite a few people live in Santa Cruz and commute "over the hill" to San Jose and adjoining cities for work. It's not what I would want. But going over the hill once a week to be at the beach is fine.

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

They're used to ****ty coastal weather. Frisconians say it's hot all the time, too.

What ***ty coastal weather?
Hardly.
Do you guys even spend time in S.C. county?
I assume you do but your perceptions are interesting regarding the weather ... as my perceptions regarding San Jose must seem to you.
Anyway, it's silly to argue about something so subjective.
With the exception of fog which sometimes hugs the coast but often doesn't, the weather in the entire county seems similar to San Jose but just a bit cooler.
If you live anywhere that's just a bit inland in the county the fog, when it is around, burns off by mid-late morning (sometimes sooner) and may or may not be around again in the late afternoon / evening.
And there are many, many fog-less days.

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

If it's not at least 70, forget it. And unless you take really cold baths, I wouldn't consider 70 even close to bathwater.

O.K. ... you don't like to swim in water that is lower than 70 degrees.
It's not like bathwater ... it's not the Carribean but many people like to jump into cold water on a hot day.

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

Yes, quite a few people live in Santa Cruz and commute "over the hill" to San Jose and adjoining cities for work. It's not what I would want. But going over the hill once a week to be at the beach is fine.

A few years back, I had the day off and went for a drive down McKean/Uvas Road to Hecker Pass. When I reached 1 in Watsonville, I was a bit shocked to see rush hour traffic. It does seem insane that people would do that all the time.

Originally Posted by coyoteskye

What ***ty coastal weather?
Hardly.
Do you guys even spend time in S.C. county?
I assume you do but your perceptions are interesting regarding the weather ... as my perceptions regarding San Jose must seem to you.
Anyway, it's silly to argue about something so subjective.
With the exception of fog which sometimes hugs the coast but often doesn't, the weather in the entire county seems similar to San Jose but just a bit cooler.
If you live anywhere that's just a bit inland in the county the fog, when it is around, burns off by mid-late morning (sometimes sooner) and may or may not be around again in the late afternoon / evening.
And there are many, many fog-less days.

I didn't say anything bad about Santa Cruz except that it lacks ideal beach weather. I like the place otherwise.

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

I didn't say anything bad about Santa Cruz except that it lacks ideal beach weather. I like the place otherwise.

oh i wasn't saying you were saying anything bad about s.c.
i was just saying our perceptions of weather in the others community is interesting.
next summer when there's a beautiful beach day (ideal ... 80's, not too windy, tide out and water warm) i'll send you a private message so you can drive over and have one of those perfect beach days on the monterey bay.

[treedonkey]

From San Jose, here are your main water-sports options:
Sailing/Boating (20-30 minute drive) - If you have a launchable craft or a larger vessel with a slip there are marinas in Redwood City, Coyote Point and northward along the peninsula. You really cannot sail much further south than Dumbarton bridge (too muddy and shallow) but if you sail North into the mouth of the Bay it can be really quite scenic and excellent for sailing.
Surfing/Beaches (40 - 60+ minute drive) - Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay, and Several spots along the Monterey bay have decent beaches, some even have sand, but the water is very cold by most peoples' standards, and the surfing is hit and miss.
Fishing (10-90+ minutes) - You could fish in the bay or in one of several reservoirs, or you could go surfcasting, deep-sea fishing or even crabbing out of SF or Monterey Bay.
Wind-Surfing/Kiteboarding - Some world class spots along the northern part of the Peninsula and of course under the GG bridge... but you better be an expert or don;t even think abut it.
Paddling (10 minutes- to several hours' drive) - There are many lakes, reservoirs, rivers, bays and ocean spots to paddle a sea or touring kayak. Get Tom Stienstra's book on CA Lakes and Rivers to know all you will ever need to know about such places.
Scuba Diving (60-90 minutes) - Monterey Bay has some very highly rated diving spots (although I've never tried it there) but you better have a 6-mill suit or a dry suit for it, even in the summer.

I think that about covers it. Central and Nor CA has some very scenic coastline and the Bays can offer a lot for watersports, but the water is generally cold and it is often not most folks' idea of 'fun in the sun'. IMO, the best places for waterports in the USA are:
1) Hawaii - goes without saying, it has it all, but it's expensive there and island life is not for everyone.
2) San Diego, CA - the water is not as clear or as warm as in the tropics, but it's about as good as it gets on the west coast of the lower 48.
3) Florida - I haven't spent a lot of time there, but it's surrounded by warm Caribbean and Atlantic waters, so it obviously has a lot to offer for watersportsmen.
4) Lake Tahoe, CA - Actually, if you can do without the surf and sea life, and if you don't mind converting to a ski bum for half the year, this could be the #1 spot. There's no place like it. No place. Gets crowded as a result though.