18 • Apr. 22 - May 5, 2016 • The Log


From harbor to shining harbor: The freedom of anchorages


Public anchorages are a wel- come sight for the mobile boater.


By Parimal M. Rohit


SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — What does a public anchorage have in common with the Wild West? Nothing, at fi rst blush, as anchorages are in the water and populated by recreational boats and yachts while the Wild West is generally associated with small desert towns where cowboys engage in duels. Public anchorages, however, mimics the Old West lifestyle when it comes to freedom of movement and the roman- ticism of roaming from place to place. Public anchorages give boaters the ability to visit local harbors while roaming the high seas. Perhaps a boater is cruising from Seattle to San Diego and wants to make port in Santa Barbara for a few days. Conversely a family in Redondo Beach hops on their boat in King Harbor one morning and decides to spend some time in Dana Point. Free anchorages at these des- tinations and others allow boaters to make port at a harbor for a brief stop before moving on to other adventures.


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Glorietta Bay in Coronado is one of the largest areas for anchorages in San Diego Bay. There are also anchorages at La Playa Cove and near Harbor Island. Boaters often visit anchorages while en route to destinations north or south of San Diego.


Where in Southern California do


anchorages still exist? Are public anchorages still in demand?


Where can you fi nd an anchorage?


San Diego A pair of 72-hour anchorages


and a Cruisers Anchorage is avail- able at the Port of San Diego. Use of the anchorages are free but visiting boaters must obtain a permit at least 24 hours in advance and up to one year ahead of the planned visit. Reservations for the anchor- ages at La Playa Cove and Glorietta Bay are accepted online at reserva- tions.portofsandiego.org/boating. Visiting boaters must obtain a


permit for the Cruisers Anchorage, which is located at the eastern tip of Harbor Island and adjacent to the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station, in person at 1401 Shelter Island Drive. Specifi c rules and regulations of each anchorage can be found at bit.ly/1RGiVKT.


Dana Point


The harbor’s East and West basins both have a public anchor- age available for visiting boaters. One anchorage, located by the fuel dock, is charted and sparingly used. The other anchorage is located near the Ocean Institute and uncharted but fre- quently used. Both are free of charge. Dana Point Harbor Director Brad


Gross said there are always boats at the uncharted anchorage, especially during peak boating season. The local Harbor Patrol monitors the anchor- age and often greets visiting boats. Some anchorage users are locals while others are transients visit- ing Dana Point Harbor en route to San Diego. Transients often stop at


the anchorage to load up on provi- sions before continuing south.


Newport Beach


A full-time public anchorage exists just east of Lido Isle. Newport Beach has already experimented with a second anchorage on the western side of Lido Isle and is contemplating bringing it back for another test run this summer. “I think it’s essential to the harbor.


People seem to enjoy it,” said Newport Beach Harbor Commissioner Joe Stapleton, adding the planned Lido Marina Village and Central Avenue Dock will be a great asset for anchor- age users. “The east end of Lido is getting tremendous amount of use.” Fellow commissioner Brad


Avery echoed similar senti- ments, likening anchorage use to camping but on the water. “The appeal is you can show up without a reservation and anchor at no cost,” Avery said. “It’s a neat concept. It started off as a place for people to take shelter.” Avery said the anchorage in


Newport Beach is used regu- larly by a gamut of boaters. “The existing anchorage almost always has a few boats in it, and in the summers it is packed on week- ends,” he said in an email. “There is no demographic, you have the full range of locals and visitors, small and large boats, power and sail. Often there are groups from yacht clubs that raft up together.” Being detached from land is an


anchorage’s greatest appeal, Avery said. “For many boaters, being anchored


is to be free from the land, from fees, and have open water all around you,” he said. “It’s a totally differ- ent experience, of being discon- nected, even in Newport Beach!”


Huntington Harbour


Sunset Marina Park, home to a 276-slip marina, features a tempo- rary anchorage. Boaters can fi nd out more about the anchorage by calling the Harbor Patrol offi ce in Newport Beach at 949-723-1002.


Santa Barbara The city of Santa Barbara


hosts a free summer anchor- age just east of Stearns Wharf. “Boats must stay 300 feet east of


the Wharf,” said Santa Barbara Harbor Operations Manager Mick Kronman. “Beginning November 1, they must move farther east, to about a mile from the Wharf, to protect it from southeasterly winter storms — they can actually anchor there anytime (we call it the ‘year-round’ anchor- age), but during the summer, most prefer to be closer to the harbor. “Anchoring out is free,”


Kronman continued. Anchorage users in Santa Barbara sometimes have to relocate to inside the harbor due to small craft advisories or poor weather condi- tions, according to Kronman. The relocation is not free, however. “When Small Craft Warnings (or worse) are posted, we allow anchor- outs into the harbor, because we’re a legislatively designated Harbor of Safe Refuge,” Kronman said. “When they’re in the harbor, how- ever, they need to pay transient slip fees like any other visitor.”


Marina del Rey The U.S. Coast Guard retired an


anchorage in Marina del Rey last year. The closure means Marina del Rey no longer has a public anchor- age within the harbor. One boater said he is unsure whether a new place


Parimal M. Rohit photo


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