California
San Francisco Bay · Channel Islands · San Diego
Destinations (10)
Marinas (17)
Anchorages (12)
Articles (8)Destination Guides
Detailed cruising guides for California
Catalina Island Cruising Guide
Twenty-two miles off the Los Angeles coast, with turquoise water, kelp forests, mooring fields at Avalon and Two Harbors, and a herd of bison roaming the interior since 1924. The first-Catalina-crossing is the rite of passage for every Southern California sailor — and the trip they keep making for the rest of their cruising lives.
Channel Islands Cruising Guide
Five volcanic islands rising from the Santa Barbara Channel, 20 nautical miles offshore from one of the most populated coasts in the United States, and one of the least-visited national parks in the system. A wilderness anchorage 25 miles from downtown Ventura — the cruising trip every Southern California sailor should make and that most have not.
Marina del Rey Cruising Guide
The largest man-made small-craft harbour in the United States — 5,300 slips across 19 basins, dredged in the early 1960s out of a Ballona Creek marsh, with immediate ocean access pointed straight at Catalina Island. The Los Angeles working sailor's home water and one of the most-active charter and sailing-school harbours on the Pacific Coast.
Monterey Bay Cruising Guide
A 25-mile arc of cold, productive water between Santa Cruz and the Monterey Peninsula, with one of the deepest underwater canyons in North America running through the middle of it. The bay between the bays — and the cruising ground that most Pacific Coast passages pass through too quickly.
Newport Beach Harbor Cruising Guide
The largest recreational harbour on the US West Coast — 9,000+ boats inside a sheltered estuary, the Newport-Ensenada race start every April, residential islands with private docks instead of streets, and a 26-nm direct line to Catalina. The Orange County working sailor's home water.
San Diego Bay Cruising Guide
Twenty-two square miles of protected water at the most consistent latitude on the US Pacific Coast — 70°F average, 10–15 knot afternoon NW thermal almost daily May–October, the Coronado Islands 12 nm offshore in Mexico, and the only American harbour where a sailor can race in shorts in February.
Marinas
Moorage, fuel and services in California
Dana Point Harbor
Dana Point, CA
Dana Point Harbor is Orange County's only small-craft harbor — a well-protected port carved into the headland that Richard Henry Dana immortalised in 'Two Years Before the Mast.' Rebuilt after renovation, the harbour offers two marina basins, a vibrant marine district with restaurants, shops, and the Ocean Institute, and reliable year-round access to the Santa Catalina Island passage (26 nm) and the offshore Channel Islands. Transient visitors enjoy excellent shore amenities and a sheltered anchorage in the outer basin.
Harbor Island Marina
San Diego, CA
Harbor Island sits on a man-made peninsula just inside the San Diego Bay entrance, directly across from the airport and minutes from downtown. The island's west side hosts marine businesses, restaurants, and yacht clubs; the east basin has dedicated visitor docks managed by the Port of San Diego — the closest transient berths to downtown. The approach from the bay is straightforward in all conditions. Tom Ham's Lighthouse restaurant and the Embarcadero waterfront walk are both within sight of the docks.
Marina del Rey Visitors Dock
Marina del Rey, CA
The largest small-craft harbor in the United States, with a dedicated visitors' dock just inside the main entrance. LA's boating heart — restaurants, chandleries, and Fisherman's Village all within a short walk. Well-protected from ocean swell. Gateway to Catalina and the Channel Islands.
Monterey Municipal Marina
Monterey, CA
Monterey Municipal Marina sits inside the protected breakwater of Monterey Harbor, steps from Fisherman's Wharf and the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. The harbour is the gateway to Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary — one of the largest marine protected areas in the US. Transient slips are available by reservation; the marina hosts live-aboard vessels, commercial fishing boats, and visiting cruisers year-round. Fog is common June through August; September and October bring the clearest skies and calmest conditions for exploring the bay.
Featured Anchorages
Sheltered places to drop the hook in California
Avalon Harbor, Catalina Island
Southern California
Ayala Cove, Angel Island
San Francisco Bay
Isthmus Cove (Two Harbors), Catalina Island
Southern California
Pelican Bay, Santa Cruz Island
Channel Islands
Latest Articles
Guides, tips and stories from California
Sailing Monterey Bay: The Central California Coast's Most Dramatic Anchorage
Monterey Bay is 30 miles across, 2 miles deep, and home to one of the world's largest marine sanctuaries. The working version of why this is the central California stop on a Pacific Coast passage — and why most sailors stay longer than planned.
Sailing the Channel Islands: California's Least-Known Cruising Ground
Five islands off the Southern California coast, a national park, a marine sanctuary, blue whales in summer, and anchorages that feel nothing like the mainland 30 miles away. The working version of how to sail the Channel Islands.
Sailing to Catalina Island: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go
Catalina is 22 miles from the mainland and feels like a different country. The working version of how to plan the crossing, where to anchor, how to get a mooring buoy in Avalon, and what nobody tells the first-timer about the backside anchorages.