When most people think of Southern California, they think of palm trees, movie stars and traffic. Cruising sailors in the know think of desolate island anchorages, water wildlife encounters, beachside bars and tourists at Catalina, and the many charming harbor towns along the way. If you’re headed south, this is the perfect place for a shakedown cruise, where your boat can point out to you her lingering deficiencies while you’re still in a place where things are easy to fix, and parts easy to come by. You can find wicked breezes and challenging conditions among the Channel Islands near Point Conception, or in the wind funnel off Long Beach called Hurricane Gulch. But in general the breezes are mild, and the sailing easy, if a bit chilly, even in the middle of summer. Cold water will do that. Regardless, slow down, there’s lot’s to do!
Contrary to popular belief, we’re HUGE fans of printed cruising guides, and consider them essential gear for cruising any coast. Below are the OCG recommended guides for this area. Following the links and purchasing these cruising guides (or anything else) helps fund OCG through a small commission. Thanks!
