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Navigation Information
Chart 18773, 18772 |
Local Notice to Mariners |
Storm
Warnings:
Harbor Police-Shelter Island, B-Street Pier |
Radio Beacon - 323kHz OC ( _ _ _ _ . _ .
) |
Outer Waters:
From the South: Before sighting Pt. Loma and the San Diego skyline,
the traveler from the littler latitudes will see Table Mountain, 25 miles southeast of Pt.
Loma and 6 miles inland of the Mexican coast. Then 15 miles south of Pt. Loma are
the Coronado Islands, 4 fairly small rocky islands running northwest about 7 miles off the
coast and right on top of each other. The water depth varies and its best to steer
clear of them. There is a light on the south end of Coronado Sur (south) and
one on the north end of this island as well. From the Coronados to Pt. Loma is a
fairly straight course. On the coast, the Tiajuana Bullring is very visible just
south of the 55 ' white pillar marking the international border.
From the West: San Clemente Island
lies almost due west of Pt. Loma on a course of 86 degrees.
From the North: From the north, Pt.
Loma may appear as an island with a ridge height of 400 feet. The coast from Dana
Point south is mostly cliffs between 100 and 200 feet tall with short stretches of beach
and lagoon entrances. Just short of Pt. Loma is La Jolla Bay and the entrance to
Mission Bay. Don't be fooled into cutting the corner at Pt. Loma, the area is
definitely a kelp farm! |
Buoys & lights: |
Point Loma Light
Flashing white 15 secs.
South tip of Pt. Loma on
SD Bay approach |
Lighted Whistle Buoy SD
Flashing white Morse Code letter (A) (. _) |
Approach Buoy 3
Flashing green -
6 secs. |
Foghorn:
Point Loma Light
1 blast every 30 secs.
(3 second blast) |
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Entrance/Point Loma Area
From the Northwest:
As you near the end of Pt. Loma, stay a good 1 1/2 to 2 miles off the south end of the
point. Once again, beware of the kelp beds, especially in sailboats. Keels are
not kelp harvesters. There are breakers near the tip of Point Loma as
well, just inside the kelp line.
From the Southwest:
Coming up from Mexico or the Coronados, be aware of the submerged jetty that runs on the
south side of the entrance for approximately a mile from Zuniga Point at the west end of
North Island about 32°41.10.2'N - 117°13'40.7'W. During lower tides, submerged
rocks can be seen. There is a light at the seaward end, 3 lights in the middle area
and a yellow day mark reading "Danger Submerged Jetty". Pay attention to
the channel marks.
The Navy's Submarine Base is on the west side of the channel and North Island Naval Air
Station is on the east. These are restricted areas, that means Stay Away from them!
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| Buoys & lights: |
Point
Loma Light
Flashing white
15 secs.
South tip of Pt. Loma on SD Bay approach |
Lighted
Whistle Buoy SD
Flashing white Morse Code letter (A) (. _) |
Approach
Buoy 3
Flashing green -
6 secs. |
Approach
Buoy 5
Flashing green -
2.5 secs |
Zuniga
Jetty Light Z
Flashing white -
2.5 secs
(seaward jetty end) |
Ballast
Point Light B
Flashing white -
4 secs.
(at 16 feet) |
Foghorns:
Pt. Loma Light
1 blast every 30 secs.
(3 second blast) |
Zuniga
Jetty Light Z
1 blast every
10 secs.
(1 second blast) |
Ballast
Point Light B
1 blast every
15 secs.
(2 second blast) |
 Shelter
Island:
Shallow shoaling waters form a triangular area off the west end of Shelter Island near the
entrance to the side channel. We've seen some sad sights as boats sit cock-eyed in
this area awaiting rescue. Don't join that club! It is posted.
Depths inside the Shelter Island Basin range from 20' in the channel, 15' at the slips and
9' in some of the corner area, although we have noticed very shallow water along some of
the bulwarks at both ends and along the east side. There is usually a lot of traffic
on the weekends, especially in the summer and early fall. During race season, be
aware that there are often dinghy races taking place. And there is the fuel dock at
the foot of the Yacht Basin, boats heading there seem pretty determined. |
Buoys & lights: |
Shelter Island Entrance
353° lighted range mark |
Foghorns: |
Shelter Island Entrance
1 blast every 10 secs. (1 second blast) |
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| Harbor Island:
Harbor Island is a long island running parallel to the shore and connected by a hefty
causeway. Its the home of 1600 boats and often congested. Be careful.
There is a roof-mounted light at the west end of the island.
Buoys & Lights:
Harbor Island Light
Flashing white - 4 secs.
(at 55 feet)
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Downtown:
The downtown waterfront consists of the A-3 Anchorage and private moorings area, the B
Street Pier, Broadway Pier, the Navy Pier and the G Street Pier, a small and a larger
marina and the wharf area. The piers are home to the big boat customs, the cruise
ships, some of the excursion boats and the historical ships. The Star of India is
berthed here. The area directly off the piers is restricted. Big,
unmanueverable boats usually have the right of way here! The Coast Guard station is
located on the western edge of the moorings cove.
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Foghorn:
B Street Pier
1 blast every 15 seconds
(2 second blast) |
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 Coronado:
The Coronado Bridge has a clearance of 195 feet through the 2 middle sections at mean high
tide, down to 15 feet at the Coronado end. Glorietta Bay is about 6 miles from
Ballast Point which you passed on the main entrance channel. The entrance to the bay
is marked by a light and through a buoy-marked channel. Stay in between the first
channel marker and the bridge. Outside the channel marker, the waters are very
shallow, beware of running aground. The speed limit inside the bay is 5 mph.
The average depth is 10 to 13 feet. |
Foghorn: Coronado Bridge - 1 blast every 10 seconds
(1 second blast) 2 horns - same sequence |
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 South Bay
The southern area of the bay has two marinas, Chula Vista and Coronado Cays.
Chula Vista has a buoy and light marked entrance channel leading to a breakwater
entrance that is also marked by lights. Coronado Cays' entrance is also through a
marked channel. The foot of the bay shallows off into tidelands and has plenty of
areas for either running aground or hitting one of the many submerged wrecks. Depths
may average 4 to 7 feet. Shallows means "shallow"! High tides can be
deceiving, they don't always cover much. Channel following is strongly advised. |
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Waypoints
from the San Diego Whistle Buoy
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Destination |
Out |
Back |
Distance |
| Oceanside |
332 |
152 |
35 |
| Dana Point |
320 |
140 |
56 |
| Newport Beach |
316 |
136 |
66 |
| Los Angeles Light |
306 |
126 |
82 |
| Catalina-Avalon |
293 |
113 |
70 |
| San Clemente Island-Pyramid Cove |
266 |
086 |
58 |
| Cortes Bank |
248 |
068 |
95 |
| Sixty Mile Bank |
222 |
042 |
60 |
| North Coronado |
181 |
001 |
12 |
| South Coronado |
167 |
347 |
14 |
AGAIN, This is for
general purposes and in NO case should any of the
information
be used for navigation! Charts are available everywhere
and you should use them. |
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