| Mission
Bay (click
on the name for a map) Almost
every inch of shoreline in Mission Bay
can be used to launch your kayak. There
are only a few places with rock walls
instead of beaches, and there are some
areas with heavy jet ski usage, but for
the most part all of Mission Bay is one
big put-in!
There are many things to explore in
Mission Bay: all the marinas, Sea World,
Sail Bay, Fiesta Island, Ski Island, the
Channel to the Pacific, Vacation Island,
and on and on...
Favorite
Put-ins in Mission Bay:
Bahia
Point:
This
area just behind and east of the Bahia
resort is used by many kayakers and small
sailboaters. Turn north into Gleason Road
off West Mission Bay Road and continue
without making the left into the hotel or
the right into the kiddy swim area (no
yaks allowed). There is free parking,
either right up against the grassy strip
adjoining the sand beach or just across
the access road. There is a bathroom/shower/changing
room building a short walk from anywhere
on the beach. Many people put up a tent
or canopy early and spend the day. The
put-in is to Sail Bay, very few power
craft, and a 5 mile-per-hour speed limit.
It is about a 20 minute paddle to the
main ocean channel, and about the same to
Sea World. The hotel has a restaurant (pricey)
and a small gift shop with waters and
soft drinks. If a taco-wagon would park
here this place would be ideal!
NOTE:
on the map the red star is where you turn
north into Bahia Point
San
Fernando Place:
Just
down the street from Allen's
Paddlesports, next to a huge parking lot
that fills up fast in the summer, this is
a pleasant put-in with zero traffic, and
less than 30 minutes to the ocean channel.
The park adjacent is large and green with
tables and barbeques. Across Mission Blvd
is Belmont Park, a funky amusement area
with a wooden rollercoaster and a plunge.
Lots of beach food not too far, we have
Cane's in the "Good Eats Nearby"
page.
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| San
Diego Bay, Coronado & South As
can be expected, most of the put-ins
around San Diego Bay are fairly
urbanized, but there are a few
near protected areas with more
wildlife than on the city fronts.
We have all kinds here:
Favorite
Put-Ins in San Diego on the
Harbor:
Shelter
Island Launch Ramp:
Head
out toward Point Loma and turn
waterward on Shelter Island Road,
bear right then left into the
large launch ramp parking lot.
There is a small beach and dinghy
tie up area just west of the
small boat launch area, it is
posted "No boats allowed to
launch or beach here" but I
never saw any enforcement. You
can always use the launch ramp
proper, but it can be a zoo in
the small protected area with
small boats coming and going...lots
of pelicans, too. This ramp is
the closest one in the city to
the mouth of San Diego Bay, the
ocean, and the Point Loma
peninsula, with much interesting
military stuff to see from the
water, just don't get to close,
they are understandably nervous
these days. That is Coronado
Naval Air Station across the bay.
There are restrooms here. It is a
drive back to the Shelter Island
Road area for food and drink, but
there are plenty of choices. Also
several large ship chandlers are
nearby.
Kellog
Street, Point Loma:
This
hidden little beach in an
exclusive neighborhood is just
across from the Harbor Police
Station on Shelter Island,
overlooking Shelter Bay. There
are no amenities and very limited
parking, but it is a good jumping-off
point for the mouth of San Diego
Bay and the end of Point Loma and
beyond. There is much military
waterfront outbound on the Point
with obvious security. Be sure to
look for the submarines at
Ballast Point.
Spanish
Landing Park:
There
are two sections and entrances to
this small park between Lindberg
Field and Harbor Island, only the
westermost half has a small sandy
beach for putting in. Restrooms
and limited parking fill out the
amenities, but this is a nice
jump-off for the central harbor.
Several hotels and restaurants
over on Harbor Island.
Coronado
Favorites:
Coronado
Ferry Terminal Beach:
This
is one great urban put-in! Plenty
of parking, grass and sand
beaches, restaurants, shops, a
fishing pier, restrooms, and a
great view of the San Diego
skyline just across the Bay. You
can go to just about any point in
San Diego Harbor from here in
less than an hour of steady
paddling.
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La
Jolla,
Carlsbad, & North La
Jolla Shores:
One of
the few places in the San Diego area to
do a comfortable surf-launch, and one of
only two places we know of that allow you
to drive onto the beach. Other amenities
include restrooms with showers, a main
lifeguard station, near two rental
places, nice eateries and some beach food
nearby, and the chance to see the sea-caves
and dive or snorkel La Jolla Bay. The
downside is very tight parking. We drive
on the beach, unload, then search the
residential neighborhood for a place,
then hoof it back to the cache on the
beach. It is better after September, but
not much.
This map
has the red star a couple of short blocks
from the actual put-in drive-on beach,
just go west on Avenida De La Playa until
you are driving on sand! There are
several rental outfits here too.
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