220 Mile Training Ride Anyone? 1/11/2009

By "Trawlercat"
SUBJECT: Los Angeles to San Diego 220 mile r/t Training Ride
So how do you plan your rides? Do you just pick up the phone and say let’s ride, or is it a big long drawn out thing with someone posting a thread – fifty responses later no one has a clue who’s going or when or what will happen when the ride day finally comes. I’m not knocking it – that’s how I got started and it’s still good for getting new people out there riding. For us lately it’s gone something like this. You want to ride – show up on Sunday. If you don’t show up – well I guess then you’re not riding.
Our regular Sunday pwcoffshore.com training ride this Sunday was for 7:30 a.m. Start point – Long Beach launch ramp. Likely destination – Avalon. But wait, we were expecting Santa Ana winds with gusts expected to be upwards of 70 mph along our coast! Scratch Avalon. How about a training ride to Oceanside? Sure why not. And that my friends are how this morning’s ride kicked off.
Unfortunately, one mile into the ride Lee started having slipping supercharger issues. John confirmed it by taking his Seadoo out for a spin and just for that extra good measure a call was placed to the “Great one”. The one people ride from all over the country to see when their SeaDoo is just not cutting it – Mr. Friebe himself . Picture this – three of us are offshore somewhere in the vicinity of the end of the Long Beach breakwater and one of the offshore oil rigs. Ever so gently drifting in the calm seas; clear skies all around; Catalina clearly visible. The sun as bright as can be and the moon is still up in the sky to our West. Those Santa Ana’s sure are great at cleaning out the air.
The way I heard it is that “The Great One” even accepted the call while he was taking his morning shower. Friebe confirmed that Lee could ride but not as fast as Lee wanted to go. So John and I said our good byes to Lee as he headed back to the launch ramp. Once offshore it was like we expected – the Santa Ana winds had blanked the entire stretch of California coastline and settled it down. Definitely not a surfing day.
John hugged the coastline as I rode the more offshore direct line. Mind, body, and soul type of day riding. We can very safely confirm that if you fill up at Dana Point and ignore Oceanside for fuel – you can make it to Mission Bay – but just barely. And that is just what we did; with maybe a gallon or so in our tanks. The first fuel dock only carried 87 octane so we went to the second fuel dock which also carried 87 octane. A couple of bottles of octane boost and we were good to go. But first a little lunch at the deli. Did you know that there is a West Marine here but it’s closed on Sunday. Who ever heard of one of these stores closing on Sunday?
Since there was only the two of us it was pretty straight forward as to who your Wingman was. One occasion somewhere in the vicinity of a great big kelp field I decided to go offshore while John continued to hug the shoreline. I just knew that he would have to turn around to clear that kelp line but he made it. And so it was catching up time for me. We played this game all the way down and all the way back up. Sometimes I would win and sometimes John would. I consider myself a great navigator while offshore if I have the destination plugged in then I go for that direct line cutting off as much as 3 miles on one occasion according to our GPS. The ride down was all WOT (wide open throttle) until John just knew that he would run out of fuel then he backed way way down. I stayed around the 50 mph range and when we intersected our courses we opted for Mission Bay instead of San Diego bay for fuel.
San Diego is truly a boater’s paradise. I can’t say enough about this area. And the launch ramps are all free! I purchased a couple of great waterproof maps of the area once we were down there for future reference however, when we started on this great adventure I had no idea that by the end of the day we would be riding to San Diego and back. Total miles logged today are 220 miles. Fueled up at Dana Point on the way down; Mission Bay while down there and then Oceanside and Mission Bay on the way back up.
Just goes to show you that if you plan for everything – you can do any ride that is thrown your way. All I carried today was one VISA credit card – it is always kept in the zipped up pocket of my vest for fuel and emergencies. No cash – as no one told me I would need it today. VISA at the launch ramp, fuel dock and deli. I also always have a well stocked gear bag that is ready to go. Everything this morning was done – last minute. Wake up 0615 after getting home at midnight. Grab my gear bag; hook up the trailer; unplug the battery charger; unlock the trailer and go. It’s all pretty routine for us now that every Sunday is a ride day.
If you’ve ever heard me say that any good ride that goes good will always have the “Pay the Piper” component on the return. Today was also that type of day. I wish I could’ve just said that the difficulty level of this ride on a scale of 1-10 would be a 5 but because of the Santa Ana hiccups on the way back up it shot up there to a 9. Just after leaving Oceanside we encountered some nasty freak swells that when I came down so did my hood and then it popped up broken. So there I was in the middle of the ocean with a broken front hood. A hood that would not stay down. What to do. Not to worry. Pull out the black electrical tape that I carry in my glove box and tape it up. I could’ve opted for my duct tape but that would entail pulling out some major gear that would’ve likely gotten wet. And so the tape worked all the way to Oceanside and at Oceanside I switched the black electrical for duct tape. This did not slow me down for anyone wondering.
One of the exciting moments of this ride is when John and I are racing back and I’m gaining on him. He’s near shore and I’m offshore and slowly the black electrical tape starts to peel off; one strip at a time. I don’t want to stop because I’ll lose the distance I’m gaining on him but I don’t want the front to pop off; so I keep an eye on it. John didn’t even know that this had happened to me when we got to Oceanside. It’s just one of those things you do when you offshore and you need a quick fix. Seadoo or Ultra eats a bunch of kelp. Jump off and clear it off. Need to take a whiz while offshore riding. Not a problem. I also got to practice this on this ride. A long time ago I used to be in to the running gig and almost moved on to Ultra Marathons. The operative word here is almost. There was this article that a guy wrote that I never forgot. It’s basically how you train yourself to urinate while on the go. It works but it’s not as easy as you might think. Another thing I wanted to make sure that I had down was the WAVE. It goes something like this while riding at any speed or wave condition you hug your saddle while standing pretty much like if you were riding a steeple chase horse. Like the kind Superman was riding before he had that freak accident. When you really have a good grip you let go of the handlebar with your left hand and WAVE. You do this to make other boaters or fisherman or helicopter or anyone else out there admiring you – know that you are out there and in complete control of your boat. I got to WAVE lots on this ride. The wave is great for pictures but it’s also great for pushing that bird off that flew right into you. Today all kinds of things flew into my eye and I’m wearing goggles. Don’t know how the bird made out. The other nasty piece of terrain on the way back was on the way to Dana Point. Those seas got scary and making any progress was hard on us and the skis. I definitely didn’t do the WAVE on this stretch. Sorry fisherman. Leaving Dana Point it was also somewhat nasty so John started to hug the coast again and I stayed offshore pounding it. At some point our points once again intersected and all that extra distance that he went because of the coastline was now mine. Sort of like the tortoise and the hair with my Seadoo being the tortoise. Guess what it now all cleared right back to the way it was when we took off this morning. And so I took this huge gain and just kept it going. And now for the second time something else got in my eyes and I didn’t want to stop. It was all that saltwater that I ate while pounding those waves earlier. They were now dripping down into my eyes. I once again didn’t want to slow down to wipe my eyes. No, the wave did not work this time. And so I kept her pegged and continued on into the LB2CAT finish and WON. That didn’t last long. Seems the tide was way way down. A few people were on this fishing boat and were waving at me. I did the WAVE but no they wanted me. As soon as I got close I quickly knew why. I was now stuck in mid channel – just like they were. John thought I would need to get towed myself but I just got off the ski – walked on water and pushed her off. All of this red rope like vine wrapped all around my driveshaft as we made it back to the docks that were now just hanging there with barely any water under them. I forgot that this was one of those ultra low low tide days of the year.
If you’re planning on doing a future LA to San Diego ride the follow may help you in doing a better job of planning your ride. That after all is the fun part. The following is a description of the entire coastline.
See you on the water!
Trawlercat
Point Loma Light is located at (32°39'54"N., 117°14'33"W.) it is 88 feet above the water. The light has a fog signal. You need to be aware of the thick kelp beds that extend more than 1.5 miles S of the point. From inside the bay, prominent objects along the crest of the ridge are a large red and white checkered elevated tank, a green standpipe, and a tall lookout tower all about 2.5 miles N from the light.
Ballast Point Light is located at (32°41'10"N., 117°13'57"W.), 16 feet above the water.
Three piers of the Naval Submarine Base are just N of Ballast Point. A fog signal is on the middle pier. North Island, the filled NW end of the sand spit on the E side of the bay entrance, is Naval Base Coronado.
On its SE side is the City of Coronado. Prominent features that show up well from the entrance are the tall condominiums at Coronado Shores 2.7 miles E of the entrance, the S tower of Hotel del Coronado 2.4 miles E of the entrance, and the tower of the Naval Air Station Administration Building, which is marked by an aero light and is operated intermittently with varying characteristics.
SAN DIEGO AREA RESTRICTED AREAS THAT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF:
The lee shore of Point Loma and S of Ballast Point; between Ballast Point and Zuñiga Point; adjacent to the W side of North Island; 0.4 mile N of Ballast Point, W of the dredged channel; off the NE side of North Island surrounding the Navy Pier; adjacent to and extending SE from the entrance channel to Glorietta Bay. Security zones are on the W side of the entrance to San Diego Bay immediately N of Ballast Point; adjacent to the W and NE sides of North Island; about 1 mile N of the Point just S of the entrance to Shelter Island Yacht Basin; around the Navy Pier; around the Naval Amphibious Base and just S of the entrance channel to Glorietta Bay; around the Naval Station along the waterfront of National City from Chollas Creek to Pier 14; and within 25 yards of all piers, abutments, fenders, and pilings of the Coronado Bay Bridge. Security zones are in effect around all cruise ships entering, leaving, or anchored in the Port of San Diego Bay.
SHELTER ISLAND: Shelter Island is located across the channel from North Island. It includes the Shelter Island yacht Basin on the S and the Americas Cup Harbor on the N. Shelter Island is the most important small-boat area in San Diego Bay. The yacht basin has several large marinas and yacht clubs with more than 2,000 boats at its piers, floats, and moorings. The entrance is marked by lights.
The 354° lighted range marking the entrance to San Diego Bay also marks the approach to the entrance to Shelter Island Yacht Basin. The harbor police can be found at the Harbor Control Headquarters just inside the entrance to the yacht basin. The police dock is also the boarding station for the inspection of small craft by Customs, Public Health, Immigration and Agricultural quarantine personnel when such inspections are necessary. Harbor police boats, providing fire protection, law enforcement, and assistance to small boats in distress, operate from this facility on a 24-hour basis.
Overnight berths for transient boats are usually available at one of the marinas; if no such berth is available, temporary mooring or berthing may be made available through the harbor police. The Americas Cup Harbor has accommodations for over 600 vessels and is
the home port for many commercial fishing vessels. Both the yacht basin and the Americas Cup Harbor have fueling docks, a launching ramp, and marine supplies.
A number of marinas, hotels, restaurants, and shops are along the shore of the
Basin. A light shows from atop a building near the W end of the island. Glorietta Bay, on the S side of Coronado and 6 miles from Ballast Point, is a small-craft harbor occupied
By a yacht club and a small marina. The facilities include berths for over 215 yachts and small craft. A channel marked by lighted and unlighted buoys and a 232° lighted range leads from the main channel in San Diego Bay to the basin in Glorietta Bay.
A 5 mph speed limit is enforced in Glorietta Bay. Water, ice, and a launching ramp are
Available. A restricted area, marked by buoys, is outside the SE limit of the channel into Glorietta Bay. A security zone is also outside the SE limit of the channel into Glorietta Bay, within the restricted area off the Naval Amphibious Base.
SAN DIEGO BAY TO SAN PEDRO BAY – For more details purchase chart 18740. This 80 mile coastline between San Diego Bay and San Pedro Bay can be considered a major ride as it involves some detail planning to accomplish safely. There are several small-boat harbors along the coast. The first 11 miles of the coast, between Point Loma and Point La Jolla, is rocky, and the kelp beds extend up to 2 miles from shore. About 1 mile N of Point Loma Light is a submerged sewer outfall line extending about 1 mile to the W. Ocean Beach, 5 miles N of Point Loma, has a large Y-shaped fishing pier with a private fog signal on the end.
WEATHER - GULF OF SANTA CATALINA - Over the Gulf of Santa Catalina and along its shores, fog can sometimes be a problem during fall and winter. This is most often a land (radiation) fog that drifts out over the gulf at night. By late morning, it usually begins to clear, particularly along the coast. Offshore, fog reduces visibilities to less than 0.5 mile (0.9 km) on about 4 to 9 days per month, from September through February and in May. September and October are the worst months. Along the coast, visibilities drop below 0.5 mile (0.9 km) on about 2 to 8 days per month from August through April. November, December, and February are the worst months.
Gale force winds never occur as much as 1 percent of the time in the Gulf of Santa Catalina. They are infrequently encountered from November through April. Wind speeds of 17 knots or more occur about 1 to 3 percent of the time from December through May. Winds on the coast are often light. At Camp Pendleton, winds less than 3 knots occur 40 to 50 percent of the time from September through March. Seas are most likely to get choppy from November through April, when distant storms S of 40°N generate W swells. These swells are 6 feet or more, about 2 to 5 percent of the time. In winter, they occasionally exceed 9 feet and some 12-foot swells have been reported.
MISSION BAY - For detailed planning of this area purchase chart 18765. Mission Bay is entered from offshore between two jetties 5.5 miles N of Point Loma, it is a great recreational small-craft harbor. A light and a fog signal are at the outer end of the N jetty. A prominent feature when approaching the harbor is the municipal fishing pier at Ocean Beach, 0.3 mile S of the entrance. The lighted 338-foot tower at Sea World is also a prominent landmark 1.8 miles E of the entrance.
Fog signals are sounded from the fishing pier. A dredged channel leads from deep water in the Pacific Ocean to the highway bridge about 1.3 miles above the entrance. Quivira Basin and Mariners Basin, on the E and W sides of the channel, respectively, are entered about 1 mile above the entrance. A jetty marked on its outer end by a light, extends about 125 yards NW from the S side of the entrance to Quivira Basin. The inner bay has depths of about 6 feet.
The entrance to Mission Bay can be difficult to navigate while surf is high. Large swells in any season and from virtually any direction can break completely across the entrance channel. With a rough sea outside, a heavy surge exists inside the bay, especially in Quivira Basin. Two fixed highway bridges cross Mission Bay. The first, crossing above the entrance between Ventura Point and Sunset Point and the second, connects Vacation Isle with Crown Point to the N and Dana Landing to the S.
An aerial tramway cable crosses the entrance to Perez Cove, immediately SE of Dana Landing. The San Diego City Lifeguard Headquarters and the San Diego Police Department, Mission Bay Harbor Unit, are on the S side of the entrance to Quivira Basin. Harbor regulations are enforced and emergency assistance is provided by the two units.
The Lifeguard Service maintains a 24-hour watch on VHF-FM Channel 16 and handles all dispatches. Police matters are dispatched to the Police Harbor Patrol. Calls for assistance in Mission Bay and within 3 miles of the coastline, from Point Loma to the S, to Blacks Beach, about 3 miles N of Point La Jolla to the N, are the responsibility of the Lifeguard Service. Both units have patrol boats and make safety inspections. Water skiing, swimming, sailing, fishing and speed regulations are enforced in Mission Bay. Most regulations are posted; complete regulations are available from the City Lifeguard Headquarters Office.
A full service repair facility is available in Quivira Basin. A 100-ton hoist for hull and engine repairs, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, and marine supplies are available. There are numerous launching ramps and parking areas around the bay. The inner bay has several marinas and many private moorings.
MISSION BEACH - 6.5 miles N of Point Loma, is an amusement place with prominent buildings. From seaward the highest part of the roller coaster looks like a dome. Pacific Beach, 8 miles N of Point Loma, has a pleasure pier extending about 260 yards from the beach. The pier was partially destroyed in the winter of 1984, and submerged piles are reported within 90 yards of the seaward end; caution is advised. A 2-mile rounding rocky point, 9 miles N of Point Loma, is the first high land N of San Diego Bay. The point is a spur from 822-foot Soledad Mountain. The S end of this headland is called False Point, and the N end is Point La Jolla. In the vicinity of Point La Jolla, rock cliffs with caves rise abruptly from the water to heights of 80 feet. The buildings at La Jolla and Pacific Beach, and the television towers on Soledad Mountain are prominent.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, one of the leading institutions in research in oceanography and marine biology, has extensive facilities 12 miles N of Point Loma. The institution maintains a long pier for observation purposes. Just N of Scripps Institution the bluffs rise to a height of 300 feet, then decrease gradually for the next 5 miles to heights of 20 to 80 feet. A 000°–180° measured nautical mile has been established 13.5 miles N of Point Loma; each range is marked by two steel towers. Del Mar, 18 miles N of Point Loma, is a resort city.
The coast from Del Mar N for 31 miles to San Mateo Point is a low, flat tableland with abrupt cliffs 60 to 130 feet high and with broad beaches. The tableland is intersected by numerous deep valleys with streams that usually dry in the summer. In the N part, the high ridges of the interior are much nearer the coast. Paralleling this coast are U.S. Highway 101 and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

CARLSBAD – For more detailed planning use charts 18740,18774, and18758. Carlsbad is just 30 miles N of Point Loma, it is a resort area with a number of hotels and motels. The stack of the San Diego Gas and Electric Co. near the S end of town is very prominent. The stack is marked by flashing white lights during the day and by fixed and flashing red lights at night. The company maintains a lighted bell buoy about 0.9 mile offshore. Mariners are cautioned to pass W of the lighted bell buoy because it marks the seaward end of a submerged pipeline. Near the N edge of town the low white square tower on the W end of the San Diego Army and Navy Academy is distinctive.
OCEANSIDE - The pleasure pier at Oceanside, 32.5 miles N of Point Loma, has a fish haven covered 10 feet around its seaward end. The pier is marked by lights. Oceanside Harbor, at the N end of the city, 1.2 miles NW of the pleasure pier, is a small-craft harbor administered by the City of Oceanside, Department of Harbor and Beaches. The harbor, which can accommodate about 950 small craft, shares a common entrance with Del Mar Boat Basin (Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base) to the N. Prominent features when approaching the harbor include a large lighted sign reading “OCEANSIDE” in white letters on a blue background located on a grassy bluff overlooking the middle of the harbor, a tall condominium on the E side of the harbor, a lighted tower on the SE side of the harbor resembling a lighthouse, and a hotel in the vicinity of the harbor entrance.
The common entrance to Oceanside Harbor and Del Mar Boat Basin is between two jetties. The long W jetty is marked by a single light at the seaward end, and the short E jetty has a N and S extension. Inside the common entrance is a lighted junction buoy separating the entrance channels to Oceanside Harbor and Del Mar Boat Basin. The entrance channel for Oceanside Harbor is marked by lighted buoys, lights and a day beacon. A submerged jetty, just N of the entrance channel to Oceanside Harbor, is marked by a danger buoy at its outer end.
A dredged channel leads from deep water through the entrance jetties, thence branches E to Oceanside Harbor and N to Del Mar Boat Basin. Strangers should not attempt the entrance at night in rough seas without assistance. The entrance channel is subject to severe wave action and shoaling, and buoys are frequently shifted with changing conditions.
The harbor is under the control of the City of Oceanside, Department of Harbor and Beaches. The harbor headquarters building is on the E side of the harbor opposite the entrance. About 50 berths for transient craft are available at the harbor headquarters. All moorage must be arranged with the harbor office in the headquarters building. Prepaid reservations are accepted for 24 guest slips, with the remainder available on a first come, first served basis. The Oceanside Harbor Police operates from the headquarters building. The police boats are equipped with rescue and fire fighting equipment. The police boats monitor VHF-FM channel 16, 24 hours a day, and work on channel 12.
Wind speeds at Oceanside rarely get above 28 knots; they are most likely to occur from December through April. Fog is sometimes a late night and early morning navigational hazard from August through March. During this period, visibilities drop below 0.5 mile (0.9 km) on 2 to 8 days per month; November is usually the foggiest month. The worst time of day is between midnight and 0500. Swells are most frequent from January through April.

Gasoline and diesel fuel are pumped at the fuel dock. Marine supplies, ice, and pump out facilities are available. A repair yard just N of the harbor district headquarters has a mobile lift that can handle craft to 42 feet and 14 tons. Hull, engine, and electronic repairs are available. Del Mar Boat Basin (Camp Pendleton), just N of Oceanside Harbor, is part of the U.S. Marine Corps reservation. The boat basin shares a common entrance with Oceanside Harbor. The channel is marked by buoys and day beacons.
A restricted area is off the outer breakwater. A military exercise area extends about 3 miles seaward from about 2 miles NW of the boat basin northwestward to San Clemente.
A red and white checkered elevated tank, 1.7 miles NE of the boat basin, is prominent from well offshore. The highway bridge and the trestlework of the railroad A red and white checkered elevated tank, 1.7 miles NE of the boat basin, is prominent from well offshore. The highway bridge and the trestlework of the railroad crossing of the Santa Margarita River, 1.7 miles W of the tank, also are prominent. A large white building
Nearly 7 miles NW of the boat basin is conspicuous from seaward.
San Notre Mountain, 44 miles N of Point Loma and 1.5 miles inland, is the highest of the coastal range in the area. San Mateo Point, locally known as Cottons Point and 47 miles NW of Point Loma, ends in cliffs 60 feet high and is the N head at the mouth of San Mateo Creek. Both San Mateo Creek and Arroyo San Onofre, a mile SE, are crossed by a trestle. Two large domes of a nuclear power plant are 2.3 miles SE of San Mateo Point. A smaller dome-shaped building is on top of the bluff a few hundred yards SE. San Mateo Point Light (33°23.3'N., 117°35.8'W.), 63 feet above the water, is shown from a pole on San Mateo Point.
SAN MATEO POINT TO DANA POINT – For more detailed information purchase charts 18740, 18774, 18746. From San Mateo Point to Dana Point is 7.5 miles NW, the land is higher and more rugged, and is broken by San Juan Creek about 1.5 miles E of Dana Point. The railroad and the highway run close together along the beach under the bluffs in this stretch of the coast to San Juan Creek, where the railroad turns inland. San Clemente, 2 miles N of San Mateo Point, has many white houses with red-tiled roofs, making the place conspicuous from the sea. There is a small pleasure pier at the town; a fish haven covered 10 feet is off its seaward side. A reef that uncovers 3 feet is about 700 yards NW of the pier.
DANA POINT - 8 miles NW of San Mateo Point, is the seaward end of a high ridge. The spur forming the point ends in a moderately bold sandstone cliff 220 feet high with a precipitous broken face. Outlying rocks and ledges marked by a lighted whistle buoy extend offshore for 350 yards. San Juan Rock, 10 feet high and about 50 feet in extent, is 340 yards S of the highest point on the cliff, and a rock covered 2 fathoms is 2.4 miles SE of the point.

DANA POINT HARBOR – Dana Point Harbor is a small-craft harbor in the lee of Dana Point. The harbor, administered by the Orange County Harbor, Beaches, and Parks District, is entered from the E between two breakwaters each marked by a light on the seaward end. A fog signal is at the S light. The fog signal can be activated upon request to the Coast Guard by radiotelephone VHF-FM channel 16. A church with a giant cross is very visible on the hill above the harbor. A submerged sewer outfall line extends about 0.6 mile from shore, passing about 300 yards E of the S breakwater light. A rock, covered 7½ feet and marked by a lighted buoy, is about 300 yards NE of the S breakwater light. When entering the harbor care should be taken to remain clear of these dangers, especially during low stages of the tide and/or periods of heavy SE swell.
Numerous uncharted private racing buoys are off the entrance to the harbor. In June 2007, the controlling depths were 14.7 feet in the entrance (except for lesser depths along the S breakwater), thence 10.0 feet in the channel that leads WNW to the W basin (except for shoaling to bare in the SW half of the channel opposite Day beacon 14); the channel to the E basin had a depth of 8.5 feet. The harbor is well protected from all sides.
The harbor’s E and W basins are separated by a fixed highway bridge with a 45-foot channel span and a clearance of 20 feet. Berths in the E basin can accommodate over 1,400 vessels, and berths in the W basin can accommodate over 1,000 vessels. A harbormaster assigns berths in the harbor. The Dana Point Harbor Patrol has an office in the most southeasterly building observed after passing through the breakwater. Patrol craft equipped with rescue and fire fighting equipment are stationed here.
The patrol maintains a 24-hour radio watch on VHF-FM channel 16. Berthing assignments for about 42 transient craft are available at the harbor patrol office. A speed limit of 5 mph is enforced in Dana Point Harbor. A swimming area, marked by private buoys, is in the NW corner of the harbor.
DANA POINT TO NEWPORT BAY - The 11.5-mile coast from Dana Point to Newport Bay is bold with rocky cliffs 40 to 100 feet high; these are the seaward ends of ridges separated by narrow, deep valleys. The community of Laguna Beach is midway along this stretch. A fishing and pleasure pier is near the mouth of Aliso Creek about 3.5 miles NW of Dana Point. Four private lighted buoys, about 4.1 miles SW of Laguna Beach, mark an area used to moor equipment and netting. Mariners should not attempt to pass between these buoys. Santiago Peak, 17.5 miles NE of Dana Point and visible 80 miles, is the dominant feature of this part of the coast; the peak is double-headed and dark in contrast with the immediate coastal range.
NEWPORT BAY - Purchase chart 18754 for detail information. Newport Bay, 64 miles NW of Point Loma, is an extensive lagoon bordered on the seaward side by a 3-mile sand spit. The bay is an important yachting and sport fishing center, and offers excellent anchorage for large yachts and small craft under all weather conditions. The city of Newport Beach embraces the districts of Newport and Balboa, on the sand spit, and Corona del Mar, E of the entrance. Prominent features - The numerous houses and buildings along the beach and on the hills back of the bay are prominent from seaward. The tall office buildings at the Newport Center, 1.4 miles N of the harbor entrance, are the most conspicuous. The memorial hospital building, 0.3 mile N of the turning basin, and the light-colored concrete school buildings on the high ground 1 mile back from the beach are also conspicuous. The entrance to Newport Bay is between jetties 275 yards apart with lights at their outer ends. A fog signal is at the W jetty light. The fog signal can be activated upon request to the Coast Guard by radiotelephone VHF-FM channel 16. A lighted bell buoy is off the entrance.
A 111°37'–291°37' measured nautical mile is in San Pedro Channel, about 1.3 miles W of the entrance to Newport Bay. The E range is marked in front by a day mark on an 800-foot pleasure pier and in the rear by a day mark on shore at Balboa Beach. The W range is marked by day marks on shore at Newport Beach. Another 950-foot pleasure pier is 2.8 miles NW of the W jetty.
Dangers - A speed limit of 5 m.p.h. in Newport Bay has been established by the Orange County Harbors, Beaches, and Park District. The upper reaches of the bay are extremely shoal and have been closed by the Health Department because of contamination.
Harbor regulations - The Orange County Harbors, Beaches, and Parks District controls the movement and berthing of vessels under the direction of a harbormaster, who has an office on the E side of the bay about 0.8 miles from the entrance. Patrol and assistance craft operate from the harbor office on a 24-hour basis. The harbor office may be contacted by telephone 949-723-1002 or VHF-FM channels 12 and 16. The patrol boats monitor VHF-FM channel 16.
U.S. Coast Guard - A search and rescue craft of the U.S. Coast Guard is stationed at the pier adjacent to the Harbor District Headquarters.
Wharves - The numerous small wharves and landings in the bay are mostly for the use of local yachts and fishing craft. Five berths and several offshore moorings are available for transient craft at the Harbor District Headquarters pier. The harbormaster must be consulted before mooring. Five other transient berths are usually available at a marina at the NW end of the turning basin.
Supplies - Fuel, water, and marine supplies are available at most of the facilities in the bay.
Repairs - The largest marine railway in Newport Bay has a capacity of 325 tons and can handle craft up to 150 feet. Machine shops are available. Several shipyards can haul out small boats for general repairs.
NEWPORT BAY TO POINT FERMIN – For more detail purchase chart 18746. The 20-mile coast from Newport Bay to Point Fermin is low, and there are several lagoons near the beach. There are no trees near the shore; towns and resorts are almost continuous along the beach. Huntington Beach State Park is a recreational area that extends 2 miles NW along the coast from the mouth of Santa Ana River, which is 4.5 miles NW of Newport Bay entrance. The trestle crossing the mouth of this river is conspicuous. A buoy marks the seaward end of a terminal structure of a water conduit extending from shore 1.4 miles NW of Santa Ana River. The twin stacks of the Southern California Edison Co. plant on shore and a spire about 1 mile back from the beach is conspicuous from any direction.

A submerged oil pipeline extends nearly 1.2 miles seaward, 2 miles NW of Santa Ana River; mooring buoys are off the end of the pipeline. Huntington Beach, a resort 5 miles NW of Newport Beach, is identified by its many oil derricks. The city has a fishing and pleasure pier which has a fish haven covered 10 feet around its seaward end. Sunset Beach is a small town 5 miles NW of Huntington Beach. An elevated tank is near the W extremity of the town.
ANAHEIM BAY - See charts 18746, 18749 for more detail. Anaheim Bay is 14 miles NW of Newport Bay, is the site of the U.S. Naval Weapons Station. Jetties protect the entrance to the bay. Waters inside the jetties are within a restricted area, and explosive anchorages have been established on the E and W sides of the channel.
The Navy has implemented a protection barrier at the Naval Weapons Station in the bay. This barrier consists of alternating orange and white spherical buoys connected by wire rope. All boating traffic is required to stay within the small craft channel at all times.
The channel is marked by lighted and unlighted buoys, lights, and a 036°48' lighted range. The outer ends of the jetties are marked by lights. A fog signal is at the W jetty light. The fog signal can be activated upon request to the Coast Guard by radiotelephone VHF-FM channel 16. In Anaheim Bay, during a flooding tide, the current 50 to 75 yards from the Naval Weapons Station’s pier flows E to W as opposed to the normal flow of W to E. This causes a ship approaching the berth for a portside mooring to experience difficulty in twisting to starboard. An ebbing tide has an opposite effect. After a heavy rain, runoff water from the area N of Anaheim Bay during an ebbing tide increases the rate of ebb up to 5 knots with resultant swirls and countercurrents.
HUNTINGTON HARBOR - Huntington Harbor, a small-boat basin, is just S of Anaheim Bay. The harbor is a private development, and, with the exception of two small marinas, consists of private docks adjacent to waterfront homes.
ANAHEIM BAY – The harbor is a private development, and, with the exception of two small marinas, consists of private docks adjacent to waterfront homes. The harbor is entered through the restricted waters of Anaheim Bay, and permission to pass must be obtained from the Commanding Officer, U.S. Naval
SEAL BEACH - Weapons Station, Seal Beach, Calif. The Harbor Patrol office is adjacent to the boat launch ramp in the NW corner of the harbor. Gasoline, diesel fuel, and marine supplies are available in the harbor. Launching ramps are in the NW and SE corners of the harbor. Seal Beach, just NW of Anaheim Bay, has several resort structures and a 1,650-foot pleasure pier, which has a fish haven covered 9 feet at its seaward end. Alamitos Bay, 15 miles NW of Newport Bay, is the site of the Long Beach Marina, a small-craft harbor administered by the city of Long Beach Marine Department. The harbor is entered from the S between two jetties each marked by a light on the seaward end. A fog signal is at the W jetty light. The fog signal can be activated upon request to the Coast Guard by radiotelephone VHF-FM channel 16. A dangerous wreck is about 0.5 mile SSW of the entrance to Alamitos Bay. In 1983, a sunken wreck was reported about 0.2 mile W of the entrance in about 33°44.2'N., 118°07.5'W.

In September 1973, depths of about 17 feet were reported in the entrance channel to the fueling station about 0.9 mile N of the jetty lights, with about 10 feet in the channel from the fueling station to the slips in the NE part of the bay. A no anchorage area has been designated at the mouth of the entrance channel to Alamitos Bay.
The fixed bridge across Marine Stadium, which forms the inner part of the bay, has a fixed span with a clearance of 32 feet. A fixed bridge with a clearance of 11 feet crosses the junction of the W waterway and Marine Stadium. A fixed bridge, with a clearance of 11 feet, crosses the E waterway off Marine Stadium that leads to a NE basin. A fixed bridge, with a clearance of 4 feet, crosses the W waterway between Naples and Belmont
Shore. The five fixed bridges crossing the Rivo Alto Canal on Naples Island have a least clearance of 7 feet, and the power cable has a reported clearance of 55 feet. Berths in Long Beach marina are limited to about 1,800 boats, but extensive parking and ramp-launching areas are provided for trailer-drawn craft. Visiting yachts may obtain temporary berthing on a first-come first-served basis. All mooring is controlled by a
harbormaster, who has an office on the E side of the entrance channel near the end of the point about 500 yards above the bend in the channel.
Supplies and repairs - All types of supplies and services are available at the marinas and service facilities in the bay. A pleasure pier on the W side of Belmont Shore, 1.7 miles NW of Alamitos Bay entrance, extends about 340 yards from the beach; a fish haven is 100 feet off the seaward end. A reported wreck covered 16 feet is about 940 yards S of the end of Belmont Pier.
SAN PEDRO BAY – For more details see charts 18751, 18749. San Pedro Bay, between Seal Beach on the E and Point Fermin on the W, is 82 miles NW of San Diego. On the shores of the bay are the cities and port areas of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Terminal Island, in the NW part of San Pedro Bay, separates the outer bay from Los Angeles and Long Beach inner harbors. The bay is protected by breakwaters and is a safe harbor in any weather.
LONG BEACH HARBOR - Long Beach Harbor, in the E part of San Pedro Bay, includes the City of Long Beach and part of Terminal Island. Los Angeles Harbor, at the W end of San Pedro Bay, includes the districts of San Pedro, Wilmington, and a major part of Terminal Island. Long Beach and Los Angeles Harbors are connected by Cerritos Channel. The distance between the seaward entrance to the two harbors is about 4 miles. Four oil production islands, marked by lights, are to the N and E of Long Beach Pier J. A fog signal is sounded from the S end of each island.
PORT OF LONG BEACH – The Port of Long Beach, one of the largest ports on the Pacific coast, has the reputation of being America’s most modern port. It has extensive foreign and domestic traffic with modern facilities for the largest vessels. It is a major container cargo port with several of the largest and most efficient container terminals on the Pacific coast. Some of the principal exports are bulk petroleum, bulk coke, steel and steel products, bulk potash, grains, fresh fruits, scrap steel, animal feed, and copper concentrate. Some of the principal imports are crude petroleum, steel and steel products, motor vehicles and parts, machinery, bulk gypsum, newsprint, lumber, bulk salt, bananas, plywood, and bulk molasses.
PORT OF LOS ANGELES - The Port of Los Angeles, also one of the largest ports on the Pacific coast, has a history of leading the Pacific coast ports in terms of tonnage handled. It has extensive facilities to accommodate all types of traffic. Some of the principal exports are crude minerals, iron and steel scrap, inorganic chemicals, animal feed, cotton, manufactured fertilizers, and fresh fruits and nuts. Some of the principal imports are iron and steel products, motor vehicles and parts, organic chemicals, fresh fruits/nuts, paper/paperboard, sugar, molasses and syrups, glass, and fresh/frozen fish.
Prominent features - San Pedro Hill (chart 18746), 3.3 miles NW of Point Fermin, is the distinguishing feature for making San Pedro Bay from SE or W. The hill terminates seaward in steep, rocky cliffs about 60 feet high, with several horizontal terraces between them and the summit. On top of the summit are two large white radar domes.
Because it is high above the usual low-lying fog area, the lighted tower atop Santa Catalina Island is reported a useful guide for vessels approaching the Los Angeles-Long Beach area; the light can be seen for about 16 miles.
LOS ANGELES HARBOR - Point Fermin, the SE extremity of San Pedro Hill, is a bold cliff about 100 feet high. Point Fermin Light, 120 feet above the water, is shown from a pole on the southern extremity of the point. A prominent pavilion (The Bell of Friendship – also locally known as the Korean Bell) is on the high ground about 0.3 mile N of the light.