We are planning on heading down to San Diego this Aug and plan to
catch the Baja Haha at the end of Oct. Looking for recommendations on
places to tie up for second half of Sept and all of Oct. We have 2
kids ages 6 and 10 and want to enjoy some of Southern California
before going to Mexico and beyond. Cost is an issue and we are
currently not members of any yacht clubs (should we join?). Looking
for any recommendation on marinas and if we should have reservations
before we get there. We have a 38 foot boat that is rapidly coming
together and a house for rent in La Center Wa if anyone is interested.
Thanks and we are looking forward to the sun!

John,
You're gonna have a ball!!!

We did the '99 HaHa with our (then) 13 & 14 yr olds and will be heading
down that way again this fall w/out the kids.

Sorry I don't have any suggestions as to slips/anchorages. We only
spent two nights in San Diego, arriving just in time for the skipper's
meeting and lucked out, getting a slip right across from Progligate and
about 200' away from the kick-off party. Any slips you get will be
expensive so you may want to consider anchoring out at least part of the
time.

We won't be part of the HaHa this time, prefering to move at a more
liesurly pace on our way down. We do hope to time it so that we make
either the Turtle Bay or Bahia Santa Maria party though.

What are your plans after the HaHa? We plan to spend the next year and
a half roaming around the Sea Of Cortez and the Gold Coast before
crossing over to Hawaii then Alaska and the inside passage.

Fair winds - Dan

John wrote:
We are planning on heading down to San Diego this Aug and plan to
catch the Baja Haha at the end of Oct. Looking for recommendations on
places to tie up for second half of Sept and all of Oct. We have 2
kids ages 6 and 10 and want to enjoy some of Southern California
before going to Mexico and beyond. Cost is an issue and we are
currently not members of any yacht clubs (should we join?). Looking
for any recommendation on marinas and if we should have reservations
before we get there. We have a 38 foot boat that is rapidly coming
together and a house for rent in La Center Wa if anyone is interested.
Thanks and we are looking forward to the sun!

--
Dan Best - (707) 431-1662, Healdsburg, CA 95448
B-2/75 1977-1979
Tayana 37 #192, "Tricia Jean"
http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/TriciaJean.JPG

At that time of year you can hang around LA forever at very low expense.
The ultimate bail out is Cat Harbor on Catalina. It is a well protected all
conditions harbor where you can anchor as long as you want. Light
provisioning and staples are available. Even a bar if you need it and a
very counter culture hamburger stand. You can easily spend a month or more
doing the various anchorages on Catalina or moving more broadly to those on
the Channel Islands. When you get tired of nature and cold Pacific and
rolling anchorages head to any of the marinas on the main land. Almost all
have guest slip arrangements where you can camp for a day or two to
replenish and recover. Channel Island Harbor, Marina Del Rey, Redondo
Beach, Long Beach downtown, Long Beach Alamitos Bay, Huntington Harbor,
Newport Beach, Dana Point and Oceanside all welcome transients. Then you
can run on down to San Diego and do a similar thing for a while. None are
terribly expensive and all have some anchor out capability if needed.

A yacht club affiliation is useful throughout the area. Try it if you have
time. Many have some form of a cruising membership that might serve you
well.

I have done the HaHa and made the trip a half dozen times. Thinking about
volunteering for this years HaHa if I can convince my wife to let me go.

If you have questions or want specifics drop me a note. I have sailed or
motored the area for most of the last 25 years. Reasonably expert from Point
Conception to Puerto Vallarta.

Jim Donohue

"John" wrote in message
om...
We are planning on heading down to San Diego this Aug and plan to
catch the Baja Haha at the end of Oct. Looking for recommendations on
places to tie up for second half of Sept and all of Oct. We have 2
kids ages 6 and 10 and want to enjoy some of Southern California
before going to Mexico and beyond. Cost is an issue and we are
currently not members of any yacht clubs (should we join?). Looking
for any recommendation on marinas and if we should have reservations
before we get there. We have a 38 foot boat that is rapidly coming
together and a house for rent in La Center Wa if anyone is interested.
Thanks and we are looking forward to the sun!

You need to quantify what - "cost is an issue" means.

Eg. Long Beach CA Marina has 3 locations - Shoreline, Downtown and
Alamitos Bay - all under same mgmnt and same guest rules - no more
that 14 days total in all 3 marinas per month and $.50 /ft/night = $19
for you. When available. 1st come 1st served. San Diego has fewer and
costs more. You can easily walk to the Long Beach Aquarium from the
Downtown marina.

Spend some time with the marina website of "The Log" - especially the
SLIPS 2004 page - 1/2 to 3/4 of the way down on the left under Special
Publications

http://www.thelog.com/

We'll be going down about Nov 15 - waiting for the Baja Haha'ers to
clear on thru - I never did like travelling in a convoy.

There's not any useful tourist anchorages in the LA area. The Channel
Islands are remote and mostly rolly. You can anchor in Newport Hbr if
room and also Dana Point Hbr for 3 days if I remember right.

I'd plan on spending a bit more time north of Conception - a few days
at Bodega Bay, some time at Monterrey and at the aquarium, also San
Luis Obispo is nice for 2-3 days. Maybe Morro Bay.These places are
smaller and walkable. LA, and San Diego aren't.



On 20 Jun 2004 15:37:26 -0700, (John) wrote:

We are planning on heading down to San Diego this Aug and plan to
catch the Baja Haha at the end of Oct. Looking for recommendations on
places to tie up for second half of Sept and all of Oct. We have 2
kids ages 6 and 10 and want to enjoy some of Southern California
before going to Mexico and beyond. Cost is an issue and we are
currently not members of any yacht clubs (should we join?). Looking
for any recommendation on marinas and if we should have reservations
before we get there. We have a 38 foot boat that is rapidly coming
together and a house for rent in La Center Wa if anyone is interested.
Thanks and we are looking forward to the sun!

"Ace-high" writes:

Eg. Long Beach CA Marina has 3 locations - Shoreline, Downtown and
Alamitos Bay - all under same mgmnt and same guest rules.
snip

Downtown & Shoreline are one and the same.

SFWIW, there is a FREE shuttle bus that services both Shoreline and Alamitos
Bay.

Provides free shuttle service through out downtown Long Beach which gives
you access to supermarkets as well as some other neat things.

HTH

Lew

There is good availability of services in Alamitos Bay by dinghy and
walking. There is even a big supermarket with dinghy access. Restaurants
and movies theatres accessible. West Marine by dinghy. Far better than most
marinas. Schooner or Later is one of the best breakfast sites I know of.

There is also lots of free anchorage in Long Beach Harbor. A little rolly
sometimes but not bad. Not convenient to the shops though.


Jim Donohue

" SFWIW, there is a FREE shuttle bus that services both Shoreline and
Alamitos
Bay.

Provides free shuttle service through out downtown Long Beach which gives
you access to supermarkets as well as some other neat things.

HTH

Lew

We are planning on heading down to San Diego this Aug and plan to
catch the Baja Haha at the end of Oct. Looking for recommendations on
places to tie up for second half of Sept and all of Oct. We have 2
kids ages 6 and 10 and want to enjoy some of Southern California
before going to Mexico and beyond.


The Channel Islands are nice. So is Santa Barbara Island and Catalina. The kids
should have a great time. Mine did. And there are not a lot of places to spend
money unless you go to Avalon.

Hi John,

I would love to hear how your trip goes. We would like to make a
similar trip in 3 - 5 years, once we have the boat and cruise kitty
whipped into shape. We have two girls ages 2 and 4 and a 38 foot
cutter in Anacortes.

A couple good sources for information on so-cal moorage... scan
through the "letters" section of www.latitude38.com. You will see
other people asking the same quation as you are (with answers). You
will have to search a bit. I have also seen some ideas discussed in
the "southernca" mailing list at Sailnet. Go to sailnet.com and then
go to Discussion Lists - Geographic Email Lists - Email Discussion
Archives. Search the the "southernca" mailing list.

Good luck! Love to hear about your trip.

Tim Whelan
s/v Patience
http://www.tgw.net
-------
(John) wrote in message . com...
We are planning on heading down to San Diego this Aug and plan to
catch the Baja Haha at the end of Oct. Looking for recommendations on
places to tie up for second half of Sept and all of Oct. We have 2
kids ages 6 and 10 and want to enjoy some of Southern California
before going to Mexico and beyond. Cost is an issue and we are
currently not members of any yacht clubs (should we join?). Looking
for any recommendation on marinas and if we should have reservations
before we get there. We have a 38 foot boat that is rapidly coming
together and a house for rent in La Center Wa if anyone is interested.
Thanks and we are looking forward to the sun!