Local Resources
Helpful information for boaters, sailors, and visitors.
It is important for all boaters, recreational and commercial, to be knowledgeable of the areas in which they intend to operate. Therefore, we are providing information as a resource to boaters regarding San Diego’s waterways. This information is by no means comprehensive, but is instead an excellent launching point from which boaters can begin learning the local features, conditions, and amenities around San Diego. An excellent resource for boaters in San Diego Bay is the Port Authority’s San Diego Bay Boaters Guide. It is our recommendation that all boaters familiarize themselves with local conditions and this guide is an invaluable resource for boaters.
Wind, Tides, and Weather
All sailors, and all boaters for that matter, should be familiar with the expected weather and sea conditions for the day(s) and time(s) they intend to go sailing. Much of this information is available free via the internet. Below are some of our favorite and most trustworthy resources when looking for detailed information on weather, tides, sea conditions, and more. We suggest regularly checking these when planning, as well as the day of your trip.
- Windfinder: a one-stop resource for winds, tides, wave reports, and more. Very detailed information.
- Weather Underground: not just a weather forecast site, Weather Underground offers marine condition forecasts worldwide.
Anchorage Information
San Diego Bay
- Recreational/commercial anchorages: (619) 868-6227
- Recreational vessel mooring buoys: (619) 291-0916
- Transient slips at Shelter Island: (619) 686-6227
Anchorages
- A1 La Playa Cove
- A1-C Shelter Island Roadstead
- A2 America’s Cup Harbor
- A3 Laurel Street Roadstead
- A4 Bay Bridge Roadstead
- A5 Glorietta Bay
- A6 Naval Amphibious Base
- A7 Crown Cove Anchorage
- A8 Sweetwater/South Bay Anchorage
- A9 Cruiser Anchorage
Mission Bay
Guest slips are available at Islandia Marina (619) 224-1234 and Marina Village. You may also anchor at Bonita Cove in Mariner’s Basin for up to 72 hours.
Pump Out Facilities
San Diego Bay
- Recreational/commercial anchorages: (619) 868-6227
- Recreational vessel mooring buoys: (619) 291-0916
- Transient slips at Shelter Island: (619) 686-6227
Mission Bay
- Dana Landing Fuel Dock: (619) 224-2513
- Islandia Sport Fishing Fuel Dock: (619) 222-1164
Hazards to Navigation
A good source of boating and navigation information for all boaters is the U.S. Coast Guard’s Local Notice to Mariners.
Point Loma
At the entrance to the San Diego Bay there are several areas to watch. To seaward of Point Loma and the lighthouse are thick kelp beds, which run for about 1.5 miles south of the point. While the fishing is great, it’s very easy to get kelp caught in engine intakes. Just inside the kelp line, there are breakers near the tip of Point Loma. To the east of the San Diego Bay entrance is a submerged jetty that runs for approximately 2 miles offshore; rocks are visible at low tide. This borders the Zuniga Shoal, further to the west. (source: U.S. Coast Guard’s Local Notice to Mariners.)
North Island
At approximately 32° 41′ 10.2″N 117° 13′ 40.7″W, near North Island, is a submerged jetty.
Shelter Island
There are shoaling waters near the entrance to Shelter Island. Be careful when entering near the southern tip and follow the marked channel.
Coronado
There is a shoal just west of the Coronado Ferry Landing and east of the carrier basin on the Coronado side of the bay. Another shoal is just at the first dogleg heading south on the south side of the Coronado Bridge heading towards Chula Vista and the entrance to the Sweetwater Channel. One more shoal is between the #1 green buoy and the amphibious base southeast at the entrance to Glorietta Bay. It can be trouble on average tides and to smaller vessels at low tides.
