Jim, the first thing I would recommend is to buy a copy of the coast pilot. Charlies
charts are very poor , and regular
charts (paper or electronic) make much more sense with the addition of the coast pilot. You only indicate that you are going south (maybe coming back up?) Are you on a (the dreaded) schedual? Do you have a reliable inboard with lots of
fuel, an
outboard that will
work in some conditions, and not in others, or are you pure sail? Do you have good ground tackle, and know how to use it? You mention buddy
boating. That means adjusting to the slowest
boat and/or the least experienced crew. Sorry to ask so many questions, but how you are planning at this point, will make it easier to get realistic
advice from myself and others. Most people make Half Moon Bay (Pillar Point Harbor) their first stop . It is just under 30 miles from SF, and from there you have different options, depending on what time you leave Pillar Point, and if you have an
engine, also if you have
radar and are willing to leave in the
fog. I have left Pillar Point as late as 11 AM due to
fog, and knew I wasnt going to make
Santa Cruz by nightfall, so I tucked behind the reef at Ano Nuevo. The under
water reef (you cant see it at all) gives good protection against the swell, but not the
wind. Good holding. If you carry on to
Santa Cruz, and arrive after dark, it is easy to
anchor just east of the boardwalk, but you will want to set a stern hook to keep from rolling all night. Monterey after dark is easy to
anchor east of the main pier. From Monterey most boats make a run for Morro Bay, but there are several anchorages in between that if the
wind is steady, and out of the NW make interesting overnight stops. I learned about them from the local
fish boats. A few miles past Point Sur is Phieffer Cove, which the coast pilot describes very well, but most sailors dont like it because it is a beautiful, but lonely spot. If the wind kicks up from the NW, the cove fills up with
fishing boats that want to get a good nights sleep. It is my favorite anchorage on the
west coast. From there you will
head for Morro Bay, but again, if you are not going to make it by dark, or if the
weather reports say it is closed out, you can stop in San Simeon for a good nights sleep. If you cant get into Morro Bay when you arrive, then you can go on down to Port San Louis and anchor. From there you are headed for Point Conception which is not nearly as scary as people make it out to be. Make sure you pay attention to weather reports before you leave Morro Bay, or Port san Louis, and if it reports really nasty weather, simply dont go until it gets better. You will get all kinds of
advice about Conception. Everything from GO TWENTY MILES OUT, to never do it in less than a 40 foot
boat. A bunch of nonsense. I have done it 15 or more times, and not gone out more than 5 or 6 miles, and had some thrills, but not been in any
danger. Of course I have waited in Coho anchorage if needed, untill weather got better. From Coho south, the guide
books are all good. I have only mentioned anchorages, and other than Santa Cruz, and Monterey, I would not enter any of them after the sun was low, but if you are cold and tired they can be a wonderful rest stop as opposed to a long cold overnight sail. If you want to sail or motorsail from marina to marina, then any of the up to date guide
books will do fine, but keep in mind that when you buddy boat your decision making will be subject to everybody elses ideas of how long they want to carry on, or what harbor they want to enter after dark. After my long winded recommendations, you will probably get much conflicting advice, and sift through it all, and decide for yourself. Best of Luck, and enjoy a great
cruise. ______Grant.