It appears my guess regrding the nature of the subject fault was correct. It is woth noting that there are always large subordinate thrust faults associated with these major strike-slip fault zones. Apparently, north-coast people got lucky this time.
There has been lots of crazy speculations on the radio regarding the potential for impacts on the coast of California, including a statement by a geologist that a tidal wave could make its way up the Sacramento delta. Not true!
Places like Fort Brag, Crescent City, and Eureka, with west-facing coastlines and broad low-lying inhabited areas are at greatest risk. Beaches south of Santa Barbara might be hard to impact from a big north-coast earthquake because much of the southern California coastline faces generally southwest. The Hunting beach, the Balboa Peninsula, and Laguna Beach would be in serious trouble if there was a major earthquake in the offshore region south of Santa Catalina. Watch out Kobe!