Night Crossing from Avalon to San Diego

[Maddog]

I'm sure some of you have done this. Anything to aviod beside the big boats in the San Pedro Channel and the navy Boats off Camp Pendelton or the kelp beds off Point Loma. Any advice would be appriciated.

[John & Jan]

It's a wonderful crossing but rather long (70 m). My best advice is to plot for San Diego buoy 1 to avoid the kelp beds and get lined up in the channel for the run it. It's very tempting to try to "cut the corner" but you're taking your chances with the kelp. Also, if you get too close to shore, there are a lot of crab pot floats to contend with and a lot of fishing boats. Stay close to the outside of the channel since a lot of commercial traffic comes flying through there (subs, aircraft carriers and car haulers). Watch the south side of the channel to stay off the rocks coming in. Besides the submerged jetty there are some rocks marked with day markers a little farther in about where the bay makes a bend. If you are heading for the custom's dock or the municipal docks, watch the day marker across from NOAA (and the seal pens). It gets shallow between the marker and the shore.

It's going to probably be more than an overnight passage. Be ready for fog this time of year too.

On the otherhand, it's a great trip from that direction. Generally the winds will be favorable. (San Diego to Avalon is a different story...)

Cheers,
John & Jan
SV Santa Teresa
San Diego Bay

[Maddog]

John and Jan - Thanks. That confirms what I thought. I hope to sail until the sun goes down, then a nice motor until dawn. Weather forecasts are showing a marine layer in the morning, hopefully no fog.

[Craig Harlamoff]

A friend crossed the channel. They had the misfortune to get between a tug and barge. The cable cut the top of their boat off, then the barge ran over their stricken boat. They got off before the barge hit. They said the barge had an oil drum burning on the stern as the "light". They failed to see the light on the barge.

So, watch your traffic at night.

[Keegan]

This is a relatively easy passage. Leave late enough at night to arrive in the daylight. There may be very little wind so prepare to motor. If there is fog then it will be more challenging so hopefully you have radar.