HEllo Sven,
I enter the gate about 15 times per year, almost always in races, and as you know that means under any and all conditions. I would agree, for least turbulence slack water on a emerging flood would be the calmest. You get similar conditions at the transition to ebb, but then you are fighting the ebb. The worst would be on a strong ebb with NW winds. Those conditions are fondly known as the toilet bowl as you get big tide induced swell off bottom deformations plus wind friction building up the swell. It isn't too hard to roll the boat 40/50 degrees in that slop (with a kite up). If your going out to the the light ship (SF Buoy) you are being really really conservative, especially this time of year when the swell is normally way down. Of course the swell could come up from a early gale way to the north, but you will know that from the bar report.
So, in races we often cut the south corner pretty close, as close as inside all the channel marks. But that is risky as I am sure you can see from the bottom contours (in flat swell not really). When I return from HMB on a summer day, or at night, I often round the channel mark nearest lands end on the south side, I believe this is about 4 miles out. Let the swell be your guide. Expect tidal turbulence on the way in. Play the south side to catch favorable flood as it starts. As far as shipping traffic, if you just stay along the buoy line along the south or north edge there are no issues.
Watch for a fishing boat going in, those guys have been out there a million times and know the quickest tidal solution for entering under all conditions.
Monitor channel 12 as Vessel traffic announces ship traffic every 15 min. Also, if you have any doubts just give them a call, they are great folks.
If at all rough teather up, freak swells and tide can sometimes really toss the boat.
Good luck getting in the Bay, it really isn't hard, but the wave action can be surprising in rougher conditions if you have not experienced it.
Thanks Brian, we'll consider moving once we get there. Our reservation at Emery Cove is open ended so we're not committed to staying.
Now we're trying to figure out the best time to enter. I'd assumed that going in with the flood tide was good enough but some folks down here in Half Moon Bay have said that we should time the bar crossing for the slack just before the flood to minimize turbulence ?
We're coming up through the south channel and Charlies Charts say to stay outside the 7 fathom line, but that's waaaay off shore right in the middle of the commercial convergence circle that he also tells you to avoid.
It will be interesting to see how the traffic compares to a busy day down around Los Angeles.
-Sven