Advice on California Harbors?

[stevebein]

Old Frog,
Iam in MDR with a Nautor Swan 43 MS. Looking to meet other locals interested in cruising.
Steve

[OldFrog75]

Originally Posted by stevebein

Old Frog,
Iam in MDR with a Nautor Swan 43 MS. Looking to meet other locals interested in cruising.
Steve

Great. Send me a PM or whatever they're called...

[stevebein]

Old Frog- I have no idea how to send a PM, so here is my phone. 310-838-2346

[OldFrog75]

Originally Posted by stevebein

Old Frog- I have no idea how to send a PM, so here is my phone. 310-838-2346

Got it. I'll touch base later. Getting ready to go out and practice today for a race on Wednesday.

[Rough Magic]

Re hurricans: Checkout insurance dates for coverage south of Ensenada. Usual safe period is October to June. Don't miss Hurst Castle in San Simeon.

[avalar]

All good advice by previous posters. I think Santa Cruz Island is best for anchoring (over Catalina). Most of the protected water at Catalina has a mooring and not cheap. Get Charlie's Chart for west coast and I liked their Mexico Guide as well. Lots of stops in Mexico on the way to Cabo but don't get too south too soon.

The weather is much more pleasant once you get south of point conception, so enjoy Southern California while waiting for the season to enter tropical Mexico.

[zeehag]

as re hurricane season here in mexico...starts may 15 ends NOVEMBER 15. there have been storms forming from may 15 thru nov 15 so this is a concern.
the storm early in season are generally more than a week apart. it is possible to sail betweern em during summer months.
if you carry comprehensive insurance you might wish to summer in ensenada, where the weather is not an issue.

[Jason mack]

Check out the channel islands good coves to hang in. Come on over to channel islands harbor to restock. Dial a ride to ralphs, von has a dingy dock next to it.

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[dwhardee]

Get cruising Guide to Central And Southern California. Take your time getting to Mexico, with Cyclone season coming. All details on the following are in the cruising book. San Simeon and Morro Bay are good stops. If weather is up, try Port San Luis. Make sure the weather forecast is good before going around Point Conception. Not called Graveyard of the Pacific for nothing. Just on the east side of Point Conception is Cojo Cove. Suggest visiting most of the Channel islands, starting with the three main ones off Santa Barbara, and circumnavigate Santa Cruz. All are anchorages. Santa Barbara Harbor is excellent to reprovision and can use SBYC first night free. Then on to Marina Del Rey, urban but still cool. Then on to Catalina and circumnavigate it, mostly empty except for the weekends, and Avalon is a short visit. Back to Long Beach, and work way south. Maybe skip Newport Beach, but Dana Point is cool, and lots to do in San Diego. Then, hole up in Ensenada, pending cyclone season ending. Maybe consider going on the Baja Ha Ha, which leaves San Diego around November 1. Google it.

[cal20dennis]

San Diego Harbor is very nice, convenient to airport, West Marine, groceries, but PRICEY unless you get a mooring or anchor in the designated areas. Ask the
San Diego Harbor Police at the Harbor Patrol Dock for directions.
A nice option for less expensive slips would be a daysail north of San Diego Harbor in San Pedro. Also, There is a free anchorage 5-6 miles north of San Diego...name escapes me, check your charts.

Don't by- pass anchorages on the lee side of Santa Cruz Island, and Santa Rosa Island.

[roverhi]

The Channel Islands are quiet especially in the winter and during the week in summer. Wish we'd spent more time exploring before we headed south.

[Zzmeyer]

Oceanside harbor just north of San Diego is very peaceful. If you are a member of a yacht club Oceanside yacht club is unpretentious with cheap food and drink. You can head south to cabo and points south end of October. A great place to enter Mexico is Coral Marina a couple miles from Ensenada. Very friendly staff and for thirty bucks drives you to clearances and will walk you through all the forms and procedures. Coral is also hotel and spa which you can use. Cheaper than San Diego marinas. Hurricanes never get that far north so you can go anytime.


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[Roy M]

Don't make the mistake of thinking Mexico will be cheaper than California for most of your equipment or supplies. First, San Diego has some of the most complete and cost-effective suppliers of all the things needed for a boat. Further, by purchasing your spares in SD, you can confirm they are the right ones. Trying to return a filter, gasket, or other critical part in Mexico might prove a real test for your patience and flexibility. Plus,comparing the level of expertise between Ensenada, and any place south, with the folks who have worked all their lives in the biz in SD, is not even a consideration. But, if you disagree, please, feel free to venture forth and enjoy the pleasures of discovery that await you. Just make sure you have some friends in the states who can ferry the parts through customs to you, and make sure you have a good phone plan to contact the techs back home when things don't work out with the locals. The adventures of Zeehag can be quite illuminating with respect to finding stuff and folks who can do what needs to be done. Cruising has been described as repairing your boat in exotic locales.

[Zzmeyer]

Roy is right. The best place to have work done is San Diego. I had a boat completely rebuilt in Ensenada and the work was first rate. You may also find that they are more "professional" in Ensenada to compensate. For example, I get pictures and a report every time they was the boat. The boat isn't any cleaner than when washed in the U.S. When I had the boat rebuilt I got incredibly detailed reports. However, San Diego has everything. My boat is in Ensenada at Coral and will stay here until early October. I will take it to San Diego for warranty and other work early October before leaving South end of October. Things brought into Mexico are subject to about an 18% duty. I cross the border once or twice a week (I also have a house in Baja) and have rarely been pulled over for inspection, but it does happen.