Fav Harbors; San Diego 2 San Francisco

[UNCIVILIZED]

Hey guys,
Got an invite from an old friend to do a spot of cruisng/faux delivery. He found a nice boat in San Diego, & needs to get her "home" to San Francisco. So... I was wondering what stops along the way are folks favorites, and why?
Including... great anchorages, and Especially, hidden breakfast spots which make DREAMY; Waffels, French Toast, Huevos Rancheros, & Coffee.

Also, since he's a bit rusty, if you could rate the difficluties of finding & getting into said harbors I'd appreciate it.
I'll be riding shotgun, but only stepping in if thing are about to get excessively hairy. I mean, hey, ya' gotta let a skipper learn by goofing up, right (well, within reason). Plus such events makes for good tales ;-)

But the trip's about fun, good sailing, good food, & making memories. So any help in doing such would on such would definitely be appreciated.

PS: I/we're open to any other great culinary spots worth a visit along the way as well. You know, where the chef comes out & has a drink with you during the meal.

[JPA Cate]

Okay, look to others for recent culinary delights.

SD to Channel Islands. Avalon if you want services, but mega-crowded.

Channel Is. Explore some.. Nice Walks on Sta. Cruz Is. Some great snorkeling, 'cause some of the fish still think they're invisible in kep.

Cojo anchorage within the kelp, south of Pt. Conception.

Conception to Moro Bay. See Rich Boren, s/v Third Day

Moro Bay to Monterey. (Some folks stop under San Simeon and go in there for a look-see.)

Monterey to Santa Cruz. Lots of good places to eat food, but also in Monterey.

Monterey to Half Moon Bay.

HMB to SF.

Easy peasy, as our Northumberlandian friends say.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Okay, look to others for recent culinary delights.

SD to Channel Islands. Avalon if you want services, but mega-crowded.

Channel Is. Explore some.. Nice Walks on Sta. Cruz Is. Some great snorkeling, 'cause some of the fish still think they're invisible in kep.

Cojo anchorage within the kelp, south of Pt. Conception.

Conception to Moro Bay. See Rich Boren, s/v Third Day

Moro Bay to Monterey. (Some folks stop under San Simeon and go in there for a look-see.)

Monterey to Santa Cruz. Lots of good places to eat food, but also in Monterey.

Monterey to Half Moon Bay.

HMB to SF.

Easy peasy, as our Northumberlandian friends say.

The foregoing isn't bad information but I think I would opt for Port San Luis in favor of Morro Bay. The entrance there can be quite a challenge, especially so when one is at the end of a long passage, tired, and cold. Port San Luis is easy and there is a fantastic restaurant on the Pier with the most outstanding oyster stew to be had on the west coast south of Oregon. The anchorage at San Simeon is also pretty good but can be pretty surgy at times. It is worth a try however and there are a couple of great breakfast places in the village tho', unless things have changed, one must land on the beach below the bluffs and the surf can be a pain in the neck.

FWIW...

[gamayun]

Of course, Half Moon Bay is a no-brainer for a stop over! Best breakfast on the whole Coastside is Three Zero Cafe. It's at the airport, which is perhaps a 10 min walk. Good for stretching the sea legs. Ketch Joanne serves a sublimely awesome shrimp/crab grilled sourdough sandwich. The best hamburger probably in the world (I dare ya to find one better) is at the Silver Star Grill. If you want to grill your own fish, go take a stroll over to the commercial docks at the harbor and get fresh rockfish. The chowder in the container to-go from the Princeton Seafood Market will make you come back the next day for more. And Lord help them if they run out of it early in the day. Of course, if you go, please drop me a line and stop in at the yacht club as my guest, especially if it's a weekend when many members will be there. You'll likely never meet a nicer group of people On the way in, DO NOT CUT THE CORNERS. There's a reef across the whole area with only a couple spots safe to enter through. The reef is probably OK at high tides, but rollers and some high rocks are a serious concern.

Other good spots include anchoring off the pier at Santa Cruz and strolling the boardwalk there. Food is OK; good for tourists. The harbor is a challenge. I watched some boats going in with these huge breakers and chickened out, but had a nice stay near the pier. I also have some inside info on SC Harbor that I can send you. The Monterey anchorage seemed a little crowded for me, but it's not too expensive to get an overnight slip there. There are several tucked in places to eat that are good. On your way across Monterey Bay, keep your eye out for whales, especially near Moss Landing.

A stop at Two Harbors would also be nice.

[Ericson38]

Originally Posted by gamayun

Of course, Half Moon Bay is a no-brainer for a stop over! Best breakfast on the whole Coastside is Three Zero Cafe. It's at the airport, which is perhaps a 10 min walk. Good for stretching the sea legs. Ketch Joanne serves a sublimely awesome shrimp/crab grilled sourdough sandwich. The best hamburger probably in the world (I dare ya to find one better) is at the Silver Star Grill. If you want to grill your own fish, go take a stroll over to the commercial docks at the harbor and get fresh rockfish. The chowder in the container to-go from the Princeton Seafood Market will make you come back the next day for more. And Lord help them if they run out of it early in the day. Of course, if you go, please drop me a line and stop in at the yacht club as my guest, especially if it's a weekend when many members will be there. You'll likely never meet a nicer group of people On the way in, DO NOT CUT THE CORNERS. There's a reef across the whole area with only a couple spots safe to enter through. The reef is probably OK at high tides, but rollers and some high rocks are a serious concern.

Other good spots include anchoring off the pier at Santa Cruz and strolling the boardwalk there. Food is OK; good for tourists. The harbor is a challenge. I watched some boats going in with these huge breakers and chickened out, but had a nice stay near the pier. I also have some inside info on SC Harbor that I can send you. The Monterey anchorage seemed a little crowded for me, but it's not too expensive to get an overnight slip there. There are several tucked in places to eat that are good. On your way across Monterey Bay, keep your eye out for whales, especially near Moss Landing (Moss has good marina for transients).

A stop at Two Harbors would also be nice (back side of Catalina-Isthmus. Row to dinghy dock, get food-1 mile walk).

Port San Luis has great anchorage area including a breakwater and large pier, but no fuel dock....does have small floating dock to tie dinghy alongside, where they sling in the small runabouts. Small general store.

Front side of Santa Cruz is better than back side in terms of choices of anchorages.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

The foregoing isn't bad information but I think I would opt for Port San Luis in favor of Morro Bay. The entrance there can be quite a challenge, especially so when one is at the end of a long passage, tired, and cold. Port San Luis is easy and there is a fantastic restaurant on the Pier with the most outstanding oyster stew to be had on the west coast south of Oregon. The anchorage at San Simeon is also pretty good but can be pretty surgy at times. It is worth a try however and there are a couple of great breakfast places in the village tho', unless things have changed, one must land on the beach below the bluffs and the surf can be a pain in the neck.

FWIW...

HyLyte,

We never stopped in Port San Luis, and it was [of course] a long time ago, too.

You're right, the entry to Moro Bay can be a little exciting; however the welcome at the Yacht Club was really good!

Obviously, things have changed.

Ann

[jeepbluetj]

You gotta stop by Catalina.

Avalon has good food.

Two harbors is much more fun and laid back (IMHO) - the bar there is great, get a buffalo milk. The restaurant is surprisingly good, considering there's only one.

Anchoring can be tough everywhere on Catalina because it's all moorings, OTOH, you could pick up a mooring.

Getting in/out of anywhere on Catalina is falling of a log simple. Fuel is available at Avalon and Two Harbors

(I always cook breakfast on the boat so I can't speak to that)

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

HyLyte,

We never stopped in Port San Luis, and it was [of course] a long time ago, too.

You're right, the entry to Moro Bay can be a little exciting; however the welcome at the Yacht Club was really good!

Obviously, things have changed.

Ann

The major problem with the Morro Bay entry channel is it's unpredictability. A 3-4 foot southwesterly swell can turn into big breaking waves over the bar, particularly with an outgoing tide and a land breeze, that one cannot see from seaward, especially in the evening/night. The local Cost Guard can tell one the state of the bar "now" but if it's impassible you're already there and have no choice but to continue on to Cayucos or San Simeon, or back-track to Port San Luis, neither of which is a great choice when one is tired and cold. My wife and I lived there for awhile, on the bluff above the harbor, and, unfortunately, we saw more than one boat get rolled down in unexpected surf over that bar and it isn't something I'd want to deal with at night and particularly so not knowing the channel. Of course, if one can get in, I agree that the Morro Bay YC is very welcoming to most and the harbor is a great stop. The seafood can't be beat, especially the Abalone!

FWIW...

[mstrebe]

How long are you planning to transit each day? If you're doing shorter 6..8 days, you'll want to stop in Oceanside between SD and Avalon. I happen to like Dana Point, Newport, and Santa Barbara as well but these depend on how far you want to make each day. All have excellent facilities and good food/drink within an easy walk.

Newport is lacking in guest slips but the Sheriff's docks have been open everything time we've pulled in.

I've never sailed past point conception, so I can't opine about points north.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[jeepbluetj]

Originally Posted by mstrebe

How long are you planning to transit each day? If you're doing shorter 6..8 days, you'll want to stop in Oceanside between SD and Avalon. I happen to like Dana Point, Newport, and Santa Barbara as well but these depend on how far you want to make each day. All have excellent facilities and good food/drink within an easy walk.

Newport is lacking in guest slips but the Sheriff's docks have been open everything time we've pulled in.

I'd pick Catalina over Dana Point, but maybe that's because my boat is berthed in Dana Point. Dana has plenty of guest slips and 2 small anchorages inside the harbor. If y'all want to know more about Dana Point, ask me.

Newport has 5 (i think) guest moorings by the sheriff's dock + a few guest slips at the same place. Newport also has a tiny (and full) anchorage inside the harbor. I'm sure if you're a YC member one of the clubs in Newport could help out.

Santa Barbara? Gotta go get some grub and drinks at Brophy Bros. (right in the harbor)

[TomLewis]

Portofino Hotel and Marina, Redondo Beach may be an option. I always had fun there plus the cheesecake factory. If you go out on the pier, a restaurant there was featured on Robert Irvines restaurant impossible series?? I believe.

[mstrebe]

If you wanted to do all day sailing, I think you could make it in eight days. My thoughts:

Leg 1) San Diego direct to avalon (76nm), about 12..16 hours depending on the boat and wind. Keep in minds the winds here are generally directly on the nose this direction. Easy choice, may need to motor if you don't want to go directly into headwinds (actually this is true for most of the trip).

Leg 2) You might think that avalon direct to Santa Barbara (93nm) is an option, about 20 hours, again winds directly on the nose. This is really too long for me, and you're in the very busy channel islands/Long Beach/Los Angeles area so you can't go easy on watches. Also doesn't really gain you much because you generally need to wait for winds in the Cojo bight anyway.

The better choice is to go Avalon to Channel Islands/Ventura Harbor, which is another 75nm and again 12..16 hours depending on winds which are just about guaranteed to be unfavorable.

Leg 3) If you went to Santa Barbara you have an easy 25nm or so leg to Cojo bight, which is just an anchorage with no services. This is right at the bottom of point conception. If you did the 2nd leg to Channel Islands harbor, you've got about a 60nm run, still the easiest of the three legs so far.

You'll want to wait at Cojo Bight for a weather window where you're pretty sure you'll have moderate winds and the lightest possible seas, which vary considerably around point conception. This is the farthest I've ever gone as my first attempted rounding of point conception in a 26' sloop I decided to abort because the seas around the point were bigger than the boat's stability would make safe. I wound up spending my time harbor hopping back to San Diego, which was imminently enjoyable.

Leg 4) It's an entire day around point conception to Morrow Bay, about 80nm if you have to go offshore to avoid weather.

In any case, be prepared to wait for hours to days for a weather window which is usually going to be night. Get rested for a long day. What people here tell me the trick to going around pt. conception is to be prepared to go due west to WSW until you're 20..30 miles offshore (where ever the winds and waves are to your liking), and then stay off shore by at least 20nm as you head north to Morro Bay. This will make the leg 75..80nm, about my daily maximum. Any closer and you're on the continental shelf where its usually high winds and heavy seas. You can use your chart-plotter and Fathometer to see when you're in 2000+ feet of water, where things usually mellow out. Typical summertime weather around the point is 25 knot winds and 8 foot seas, so just be prepared for that.

Beyond this point, I've not gone, so I'm just looking at how I'd plan a route.

Leg 5) Morro Bay to San Simeon. Easy 25nm day. Necessary because the 75nm to Carmel, which is the next actual harbor, is too far to rely on for a day for me.

Leg 6) San Simeon to Stillwater Cove/Carmel, 75nm. Free anchorage. My opinion it's too long of a day to go around to Monterrey or Santa Cruz, and you'll want to leave from Santa Cruz to go around to SF Bay anyway.

Leg 7) Carmel across Monterrey Bay to Santa Cruz, easy 30nm day.

Leg 8) Santa Cruz to SF, 75nm.

That's harbor hopping it. It's probably not any faster to stay offshore and sail due to the prevailing winds but I'll let others who've done it comment on that.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Thanks to everyone for the tips. I'll do some studying on the recommendations. That, as well as my French Toast making practice... And on that, feel free to post any deliscious recipes which you have.

[weavis]

Moss Landing.

I lived 15 minutes inland from here and visited weekly to this amazing place.

Well worth the stop.

Phil's Fish Market

[secrabtree]

I've made 20+ deliveries from south of Pt. Conception to San Francisco Bay. But they were deliveries (except for the two times I brought my own boat up - and one of those times was when I bought it in Newport Beach.


San Diego
to Oceanside - about 70 miles - Almost always space at the police dock. Plenty of good food.
Either to Catalina or to Dana Point (I usually go to Dana Point - more services should I need them) There are many good places to eat at Dana Point.
to Los Angeles Harbor (I anchor off Cabrillo Yacht Club under Pt. Fermin - I rarely make this stop.)
You could go to Redondo - I've not done this.
To Marina del Rey - plenty places to eat. The Cheesecake Factory is very good - but only if you're not watching your weight
To Oxnard or Ventura. The Chart House in Oxnard is close to the water and food is very good for a chain restaurant. There are MANY other places at each harbor.
To Santa Barbara - I always stop here for three reasons. 1. One of my daughters lives in Goleta, 2. Brophy's at the harbor serves good food and has an atmosphere that many like. Sambo's (before PC, they've changed the name to ?) served great pancakes. If you're a yacht club member the Santa Barbara Yacht Club serves very good food, especially good for a yacht club. And there are many other places within walking distance of the harbor. And the most important 3 - the time to leave Santa Barbara is about 10 PM so that you can round Pt. Conception just befoere sunup. I've only had one bad rounding of Conception, and that was the only time I tried during daylight (about 4 PM - a no-no unless you enjoy riding the heavy duty cycle in a commercial washing machine). If you want to avoid much night sailing make a stop at Coho and leave Coho the next morning a couple hours before sunup.


To Port San Luis. Unless things have changed going ashore is by dinghy or shore boat. The restaurant is good.


To Morro Bay. The entrance really isn't as tricky as it's reputation IF YOU CALL THE COAST GUARD AND THEY SAY IT'S FINE. oTHERWISE DO NOT TRY TO ENTER UNLESS YOU'RE GETTING A THRILL OUT OF RISKING LOSING YOUR BOAT OR WORSE. Once in the channel is narrow and the water surface wide. On a coastal chart or ocean chart the bay looks large. But look at it on a harbor chart and you'll see that all except the channel is less than 6 feet deep. The Morro Bay Yacht Club is a very friendly place. There are MANY good restaurants very close to the yacht club, from Japanese to Italian - no matter which way you go around. It's usually foggy or overcast in the mornings, and often all day.


To San Simeon - This is anchorage only. To go ashore means dinghy or I once swam in. Locals say that they've taken their open fishing boat under the pier and climbed the steps that the State of California had erected a board accross and declared unsafe. There's no place to eat there - unless you hitch-hike to Cambria. I've not eaten there.


There's not really any good places to stop between San Simeon and Carmel, though there is an anchorage just before Pt. Sur at Pfeiffer Beach. Better have a good chart and only enter in daylight.


Next is Carmel-Monterey. Carmel is closer, but going ashore means a dinghy ride or swim. There are many places to eat in town, but that's a significant walk from Pebble Beach Golf Course and the kelp is heavy. It's not much further to Monterey, the food's more plentiful. You can probably tie up for a night at the Monterey Yacht Club or get a berth for the night at one of the two marinas. The main anchorage west of the pier is crowded, but there's usually room to anchor east of the pier. It's not as well protected from the surge, but I've used it many times. The Monterey pier has some VERY good restaurants.


The next possible stop is Santa Cruz. This harbor entry can be tricky, but with care it usually isn't bad. In the harbor the only option is berth or side tie. No anchorage. I have anchored off the beach by Playland and dinghied to the pier. There are places to eat at either the marina or if anchored off the beach.


I've spent the night anchored south of Ano Nuevo - in the company of a few fishing boats. The anchorage was a little rolly, but not bad. There's nothing to do here.


Next Stop is Pillar Point (Half Moon Bay). Coming from the south is pretty straight forward, but you'll probably be motoring because you'll be going into the prevailing wind and the sailing option is short tacking. Well pretty short. You'll be going between a reef to the west and land to the east. When coming from the south I much prefer this way than to go to the "PP" buoy and going through the reef. The outer harbor is well protected and has a lot of anchorage room. The Half Moon Bay Yacht Club is VERY friendly and is located on the northwest side of the bay. The HMBYC has a Labor Day bash-party-fiest that is out of this world (and the large number of sailors that bring their boats attest to that fact!). There is a hand operated ferry from their dinghy dock to shore. As Ann Cate said, the breakfast at the airport is only a short walk away. They have something like 32 different kinds of omelette.


From Pillar Point Harbor (Half Moon Bay) to San Francisco is an one day sail, though usually I motor. Besides the restaurants at the Pillar Point Marina and the short walk to the airport, it's about a half hour walk into the town of Half Moon Bay with more places to eat. As others here have said, I also like the Ketch Joanne for dinner. The Half Moon Bay Brewing Company is a very good restaurant, though not cheap, not TOO expensive, though. Barbaras Fishtrap is just west of the marina and is fun.


Than it's a day sail to San Francisco Bay.


I've stopped at all (unless I said otherwise) but never all in the same trip. Almost every time I stop in Santa Barbara, Morro Bay, and Pillar Point. Often I'm travelling 24/7 except for stops to savoir the food. But I have made the trip with only daytime travel (except to round Conception just before sunup) and the longer passage from Morro Bay to Pillar Point if I don't want to take the time to go in to Monterey and/or Santa Cruz. Both lengthen the trip by a few hours.

If you have any questions, or just want to talk, look me up in the Richmond Yacht Club Yearbook.