Rockaway Beach in Pacifica?

MavicPeter · Aug 4, 2020

Has anyone flown here before? Specifically, I'm talking about the outcropping here to the south, it looks like there is short trail that goes out near the cliff:

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The area appears clear according to AirMap as that area is not part of GGNRA:

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Has anyone been here? Do they have any prohibitions on landing/takeoff/operation in the area? Would appreciate any advice, thanks!

pelagic_one · Aug 5, 2020

Great question! I’ve been looking at the same outcropping for a year now, as I once saw a Phantom above the surfers, but no one was visible with a remote controller...so we figured he/she was sitting up that hill somewhere. It appears to be an open flying spot though, so let me know if you won’t mind others joining you.

MavicPeter · Aug 5, 2020

That would be great to put together a group especially when the morning fog/clouds start to clear later in the year. My availability is a little limited now due to family commitments so I can’t usually commit to a specific time but that should hopefully get better in the next few months. In the meantime I am planning on where to visit and enjoying the experiences posted by others such as yourself.
For this location I will try to stop off on my way back from SF one day to scout the area and see how suitable it is.

usaken · Aug 23, 2020

Seems I read somewhere that Pacifica is not drone friendly except the pier. Dont take my word for it, maybe a local drone pilot can chime in

pelagic_one · Aug 29, 2020

usaken said:
Seems I read somewhere that Pacifica is not drone friendly except the pier.

There are spots in Pacifica from which to fly. Rockaway Beach is one spot that extends down to the overlook, but you can fly over the surfers at Pacifica State Beach. As always, you won’t want to fly above people and moving vehicles, so you’re stuck with flying a picturesque view instead.

From that elevated spot north of the surfers, I flew over the water, captured video of the surfers from beyond the surf break, then ascended above the rocks on the southern point. The sun was about 30 degrees off the horizon that evening, so I was treated to yet another great view.

MavicPeter · Sep 7, 2020

I was able to make a trip out here over the weekend and went to pretty much the exact spot I posted above. The parking lot near by at the bottom of the paved switchback trail was closed so I parked north on Old County Road. From there it was only a 10-15 min walk but mostly uphill. When you get to the top of the paved switchback section there is a short dirt trail to the outcropping where you have a good view south over Pacifica State Beach and north over Rockaway Beach. I didn't encounter a lot of people there, only 1-2 people when I was there around 9 AM on the weekend. Bring a landing pad unless you're comfortable with hand takeoffs. I imagine it's pretty windy here normally but because of the high pressure system this weekend the wind was almost non existent.

Things to note:
- There can be some people fishing on the rocks below the cliff, so be careful not to fly over them.
- There were some small low-flying propeller aircraft in the area, probably flying out of Eddie Andreini Sr. Airfield in Half Moon Bay. (Saw the ADS-B AirSense alert around the same time I could hear/see the aircraft) As long as you stay low (shouldn't need to fly that high if taking off from the cliff) it shouldn't be a problem but just something to be aware of, you have to pay attention to your surroundings. Always be ready to descend lower if necessary.

I made a short video of the days clips:

Little bird · Sep 7, 2020

MavicPeter said:
I was able to make a trip out here over the weekend and went to pretty much the exact spot I posted above. The parking lot near by at the bottom of the paved switchback trail was closed so I parked north on Old County Road. From there it was only a 10-15 min walk but mostly uphill. When you get to the top of the paved switchback section there is a short dirt trail to the outcropping where you have a good view south over Pacifica State Beach and north over Rockaway Beach. I didn't encounter a lot of people there, only 1-2 people when I was there around 9 AM on the weekend. Bring a landing pad unless you're comfortable with hand takeoffs. I imagine it's pretty windy here normally but because of the high pressure system this weekend the wind was almost non existent.

Things to note:
- There can be some people fishing on the rocks below the cliff, so be careful not to fly over them.
- There were some small low-flying propeller aircraft in the area, probably flying out of Eddie Andreini Sr. Airfield in Half Moon Bay. (Saw the ADS-B AirSense alert around the same time I could hear/see the aircraft) As long as you stay low (shouldn't need to fly that high if taking off from the cliff) it shouldn't be a problem but just something to be aware of, you have to pay attention to your surroundings. Always be ready to descend lower if necessary.

I made a short video of the days clips:

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Very nice, was enjoyable to watch.

pelagic_one · Sep 10, 2020

MavicPeter said:
I was able to make a trip out here over the weekend and went to pretty much the exact spot I posted above.

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Huge thanks for sharing your experience and the gorgeous view. I’ve swam, fished and surfed that water for years. Now I cannot wait to fly there, too!