Boats could maneuver in and out of the Santa Barbara Harbor through a narrow channel Monday, which was welcome news for vessels forced to stay put over the weekend because sand clogged the harbor entrance. 

The mouth of the harbor was so blocked last Thursday that the U.S. Coast Guard declared a safety zone, meaning boats couldn’t go in or out without permission or an escort, according to Waterfront Facilities Manager Karl Treiberg. 

That designation was still in effect Monday, but dredging crews were able to clear a narrow channel pathway by Sunday afternoon.

Condor Express whale watching tours were canceled over the weekend, and operations were on hold at Santa Barbara Sailing Center as well — both of which were able to reopen Monday when the harbor was enveloped in fog.

“Even though we haven’t gotten the rain, we’ve gotten a lot of big west swells,” Harbor Operations Manager Mick Kronman said of El Niño winter storms.

“There is a channel open now, but mariners should be cautious.”

He said boats can make it out on the south side of the channel if they stay between the red buoy and the green buoy. 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers crews began dredging the harbor channel a week ago, according to Treiberg. 

The U.S. Coast Guard (whose Blackfin boat is seen here) declared a “safety zone” at the Santa Barbara Harbor late last week, encouraging boats that didn’t have to go out to stay put. A narrow channel opened to boat traffic Monday, and officials hoped the full channel would be cleared by Thursday.      (Gina Potthoff / Noozhawk photo)

The crews typically dredge up sand caught in the bottom of the passageway twice a year in the spring and fall. Treiberg said the spring cycle started about five weeks sooner than usual because so much sand already accumulated.

The last time the harbor was this clogged was in March 2014, he said, when a winter storm closed the harbor and sidelined all vessels for days. The buildup was worse that time because the city hadn’t been able to dredge the previous fall.

“We’ve been escorting boats over the weekend,” Treiberg said. “It’s prudent for people to give us a call if they’re not familiar with the harbor. We’re trying to get the word out.”

He expected dredging to conclude by Friday or Sunday at the latest, noting it could be longer because crews were planning to remove more material than normal.

The north side of the harbor channel should be dug up and open by then, too, he said.

— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.