Here is a picture of the Coast Guard 47 footer kinda buried in one going out of Humboldt bay...
and here is one where they decided to go over the top rather than through it...
Since I only have a 150-CC I prefer to only go out if the swells are less than 10 feet and the wind waves less than 5'.
The bar here at the entrance to Humboldt bay can get a little snotty from time to time. Depoe bay in Oregon is worse though, you just gotta be plain nuts to run that place when it's rough.
I got caught outside one day when it lumped up to 12-15', caught the tide change just right and sailed into the bay with no problems
But I'll tell you it was more like surfing in on a 15' motorized surfboard than a boat and no I don't want to do it again any time soon.