by Jeff Asbury
INTRODUCTION
Join a transplanted Puget Sound sailor, my intrepid little Ericson 27, and me as I investigate the waters of the southern California coastline. We'll nose into some of my favorite marine nooks and crannies to explore the charms of sailing in warm, hospitable waters at long last.
Sailing in Southern California is relatively new to me and quite different from my sailing experience as a child and a young man in the waters of the Pacific Northwest. A big difference is that sailing in So Cal is, generally, ocean sailing, outside of than day-sailing in the inner harbors of San Pedro, Long Beach, Newport and San Diego. Those areas have a lot going on with organized racing. They offer great day-sailing but can be quite congested with commercial and pleasure craft during peak seasons.
I have been more interested in longer cruising because that's what I most enjoyed in the Pacific Northwest. I like checking out the different harbors along the coast and the offshore islands. The biggest difference, from my Northwest sailing experience, has to be the weather. Sailing is a year round sport here. I sail at least every month of the year. No one has to worry about winterizing boats in So Cal. Except for Santa Anna wind conditions and short-lived winter storms, I can find no history of hurricanes hitting the coast of So Cal. Our waters are just too cool for that.
CHANNEL ISLANDS
I sailed my first two and a half years out of Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard. Channel Islands Harbor is only about 12 nautical miles from the closest Channel Island, Anacapa. Oxnard is bordered by Ventura only 20 minutes north by car. Ventura harbor is a beautiful harbor that is also a great jumping off point for cruising to the Channel Islands. Ventura is also the location of the information center and museum for the Channel Islands. The Channel Islands are comprised of five islands Anacapa, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands. The Channel Islands are a National Park and are some times referred to as the Galapagos of the north because of their location, with the convergence of cool northern currents meeting the warmer southern waters. This gives the area a rich diversity of sea life, and some species found nowhere else in the world.
To explore these islands you should be aware that there are no fuel docks, no fresh water sources, no stores and no moorings for rent. In cruising these islands you should know how to anchor and have your boat well stocked with fresh water, fuel and provisions for the length of your journey. You should research the need for permits and landing procedures. I highly recommend visiting the Channel Islands National Park web site for more detailed information at: http://www.nps.gov/archive/chis/boating.htm.
I have only visited Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands myself. I did not land on Anacapa but I found a comfortable anchorage at Frenchy's Cove. There is a somewhat rocky bottom but with a good holding. Frenchy's Cove is on the mainland side of the island and landing is not recommended. There is a landing dock on the other side, but it is for unloading purposes only. Anacapa is a great place for a day sail and an anchor-down lunch.
Santa Cruz Island has anchorages that are much more protected but landing can still be challenging. The first time I landed at Santa Cruz at Smugglers Cove I had a very wet landing in the surf in my inflatable dinghy. Smuggler's Cove is a very nice anchorage in about 35 feet of water with a sandy bottom. On the shore you will find picnic tables, BBQ pits and out-houses, provided by the park service. I have visited this cove about five times and have seen as many as 20 boats anchored there.
The other anchorage I have visited at Santa Cruz Island was Little Scorpion. This is right next to the main Scorpion Cove which has a pier for unloading. I have not explored much else than the shoreline at these two locations on Santa Cruz because I am always concerned about dragging-anchor. It is always a good idea to leave someone on the boat to stand anchor-watch. For me, the real appeal of the Channel Islands is not just the islands themselves, but what's under the water. I am also an avid snorkeler. The kelp forests are some of the best on the Pacific Coast.
CATALINA
Catalina has to be the most popular cruising destination in So Cal. Catalina has something for every one. There are several well-protected harbors, including beautiful and historic Avalon, at the south-east end, and the more rustic and less-populated Two Harbors, located at the isthmus near the west end. Two Harbors hosts many organized events for sailors and boaters including the now famous Buccaneer Days and Latitudes and Attitudes magazine's "Cruiser" weekend, to name a few.
Several yacht clubs sponsor racing to and around the island. Cat Harbor, which is also located at the isthmus, but on the back side of the island, is a large well-protected harbor, and gives a sense of real isolation. Catalina is an absolute jewel of a sailing destination. Approximately 80 percent of the island is protected and controlled by the Catalina Conservancy. With the Conservancy's careful protection and monitoring of the island's ecosystems, the island has been preserved for the most part in its natural state.
It is amazing that a place like this exists in such close proximity to the megalopolis that is Los Angeles. The waters are clear and the air is fresh.
MAINLAND HARBORS & MARINAS (Santa Barbara to San Diego)
Starting at the northernmost part of the Southern California coast we have beautiful Santa Barbara harbor. Santa Barbara is another jumping off point for the Channel Islands, as are Ventura and Oxnard, which are located only a few miles south.As you head farther down the coast past Point Dume and Malibu, the next major harbor would be the large and famous Marina Del Rey. Marina Del Rey is a large man-made harbor, located just south of the city of Santa Monica. This harbor is dedicated to the harboring of pleasure craft. Marina Del Rey is nice because it has every amenity you can imagine such as easy access to fine restaurants, hotels, transportation into Los Angeles and marine services.
The next harbor, just south of Marina Del Rey, is King Harbor. King is located in an area that boasts some of Southern California's most beautiful beaches, near the city of Redondo Beach. King Harbor is also a pleasure craft marina, but is much smaller than its counterparts to the north.
Once again, heading south passing Point Vicente and rounding the Palos Verdes Peninsula, you come to San Pedro and the Los Angeles harbor. The combined Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors comprise one of the largest seaports in North America. This said, commercial shipping traffic can be very heavy here, and should be treated with great respect. San Pedro has several nice marinas located at the base of the Palos Verdes hill near Point Fermin in an area known to locals as "Hurricane Gulch." Due to the topography, being at the end of a point and the base of a hill, afternoon winds are regular and often blow in excess of twenty-five knots. This makes for some very exciting sailing. Races are often held inside the break-wall for smaller class boats and just outside for the larger racing boats.
San Pedro harbor is also the closest harbor to Catalina Island. Catalina is only twenty-two nautical miles from the Angles-Gate light house at the San Pedro Harbor entrance. Deep inside the Los Angeles Harbor more marinas can be found up the main channel in the City of Wilmington. These marinas offer a very protected area but are in the middle of the shipyards.
Both San Pedro and Long Beach Harbors are inside a very long breakwater that extends from San Pedro all the way south to Alamitos Bay. If you are apprehensive about sailing in the ocean, you have a very large protected area in which to sail. Just south of Shore Line Marina in downtown Long Beach, (home to the Queen Mary) there are several man-made islands that are actually disguised oil wells. Many cruisers like to anchor in the lee of these "islands" and you can spend all day sailing in this protected area.
Alamitos Bay is Long Beach's version of Marina Del Rey. This is a large, dredged harbor that actually has canals that extend into residential areas, for those lucky enough to have a home with their own dock. South of Alamitos is Huntington Harbor, another man-made harbor near the famous surfing area of Huntington Beach.
Now we come to the West Coast's sailing Mecca, Newport Beach. Newport and Costa Mesa are still home to many manufacturers of production sailboats. This near Santa Anna was where Ericson Yachts were produced. There are many yacht clubs, sail lofts, sailing outfitters, boat yards and sailing schools here. Newport harbor has some of the most valuable real estate on the West Coast, including Balboa and Lido islands. You can find organized racing year-round in Newport, including the annual Newport to Ensenada race.
Dana Point would be the next port of call on our journey south on the California coast, just past the community of Laguna Beach. Dana Point offers a small, beautiful, well laid-out marina that borders Doheny State Beach, just south of San Juan Capistrano. This is a great halfway stop over between Los Angeles and San Diego.
Now on our journey to San Diego we have come to a section of coastline that really has no protected anchorages until we get to Oceanside. We pass some isolated stretches of beaches, including San Onofre Beach, some residential areas and high cliffs. Oceanside harbor near Camp Pendleton Marine Base is rather small and not nearly as developed as places like Dana Point. It has a quaint small town feel.
Last, but far from least, San Diego is another sailing Mecca. Rounding the vast kelp beds of Point Loma, we enter the large San Diego harbor with the beautiful aquamarine waters and sandy beaches of Mission Bay; the doglegged harbor almost extends down to the Mexican border to the community of Chula Vista.
Once again we have year round sailing both inside and outside of San Diego Bay. When it is clear you can see the Coronado Islands to the south near the border. San Diego is home to the Naval Ship Yard but has many well-maintained marinas.
This mini tour of Southern California sailing opportunities provides a cursory look at a world of marine beauty and shoreline exploration adventures that can enrich any curious and dedicated explorer.- Jeff Asbury