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

Permits may be required at certain anchorages. Permits are available through the Port of San Diego by calling (619) 686-6227 and can be obtained up to 90 days in advance in many instances. You must contact the port prior to anchoring anywhere. Call the San Diego Mooring Company at (619) 291-0916 to inquire about ayn type of mooring ball situation.

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.