A short voyage from your home marina to Dana Point will deliver you to a fun, safe, enclosed harbor where you can find plenty to do on a weekend visit. As you sail south of Santa Monica Bay and the Palos Verdes Peninsula, winds get gentler by the mile while you continue down the coast toward San Diego and the international border. Dana Point is roughly one third the distance south along that strip of coast, so throughout much of the year, you can expect gentle winds for smooth sailing on approach to the harbor.
As you prepare to enter the harbor, make sure to watch for other motor and sailing vessel traffic, as this is a highly popular venue with boaters from up and down the coast, including local pleasure and commercial vessels transiting the channel leading to the marina at all hours of the day. As a side note, if you are driving to Dana Point, you will find plenty of tour boats and fishing vessels for hire, both of which are a great way to study local coastal and near-shore conditions before arriving on your own boat.
As with any destination you may have in mind for a boating trip, a chart of the area, along with a detailed sketch of the marina, will aid you in making decisions about transiting the enclosed waterway and picking a good anchoring spot or proceeding to a slip you have reserved through the marina website. If you are seeking a temporary slip for a short stay, you will need to visit the Guest Slips Page at themarinaatdanapoint.com.
The marina, with over 2,400 slips from 21 feet to 85 feet, virtually always has guest slips available, but as with any marina along the Southern California coast, it is imperative we call ahead for a reservation before assuming there will be dockage available. If you are unsure as to the conditions inside the harbor or where to dock or anchor, the dock master will give you specific instructions to help ensure your safety and, if necessary, assign a dock hand to help you dock or anchor your vessel.
As always, it is wise to have dock lines and fenders in place before turning into a slip. If there is a strong wind blowing, there will be little time to sort out these details before tying up to each finger on either side of the slip.
If you are planning to anchor within the harbor, you will find two anchorages, one on either end of the marina. Dana Cove at the west end has ample room for several boats to anchor using up to 100 feet of chain. The anchorage has a mud bottom for good holding, so use a Fluke, Delta or Bruce-style anchor to ensure your boat is safe. The wind often blows hard in the late afternoon and early evening, so we want to deploy the best bottom tackle possible, given the size and weight of our vessels. And even though many of us routinely break this rule, having someone aboard on anchor watch around the clock is not only a good idea but a legal requirement.
East Basin Anchorage, west of the rock jetty adjacent to Doheny Beach, is split by a large bait barge in the middle. There is also a fuel dock and, across the narrow passage in the middle, a public dinghy dock offering easy access to the marina and local attractions. The marina has two stations for pumping out the holding tank and taking on fresh water.
At the Embarcadero within the harbor, there are two boat-storage facilities, one situated on the water within the marina itself, and the other a dry-storage facility. The dry-storage area can accommodate up to 464 boats and trailers measuring from 18 feet to over 25 feet. You will find a launch ramp, launching services and overnight-trailer parking, which is handy if you plan an extended coastal voyage on a small vessel. For more information regarding boat launching and trailer storage, visit: www.embarcaderoatdanapoint.com or call (949) 496-6177.
Within the marina area, you will find a number of curio shops, bars and the Village Market to help you provision before moving on to your next venue. Another valuable service offered by the marina is a free bilge pad exchange program for all visiting boats. This is a great way to get rid of that little mess that was made the last time you changed the oil and filter on your inboard engine. Best to clean up, put a new bilge pad in place and continue boating with a clear conscience.
As a final note, the Orange County Sheriff Harbor Patrol is committed to providing round-the-clock law enforcement support, and the local fire department is available nearby to provide emergency firefighting, first aid and rescues on the water from the south county line to Laguna Beach and out to international waters 12 nautical miles offshore. For more information about the OC Sheriff’s Department, call (949) 723-1002.
The best way to scope out anchorages along the coast is, of course, to drive there in your car, take a walk around the periphery, study the layout of the harbor and marina, and ask questions of marina personnel and current residents. Then you can formulate your own plan, based on the knowledge you have gained through your walking research tour.
Plan a sailing voyage to Dana Point Harbor soon, and enjoy the pleasant sailing weather, great restaurants and bars, and wonderful people!
