Madrone at anchor in the Glorietta Bay Anchorage
Like many other cities with both a high cost of living and a well-protected natural harbor, San Diego has historically had a large population of liveaboard boats. Some of these boats were kept in safe, seaworthy condition and used holding tanks and marine pumpout facilities. Many of them, however, were more or less floating homes instead of boats, discharging raw sewage into San Diego Bay.
Anchored in peaceful La Playa
In response to this, San Diego implemented an anchoring permit system. There are two designated anchorages for short term stays, one in Glorietta Bay and one in La Playa Cove behind Shelter Island. Both spots require permits – the permits are free and available online, and they allow a three day stay at either anchorage. Each boat is allowed a total of 9 days per month in an anchorage.
In addition, for boats that arrive from outside San Diego County, there is a third Cruiser’s Anchorage that allows a stay of up to 90 days.
One of many Harbor Patrol police boats in San Diego Bay
The anchorages are regularly patrolled by the San Diego Harbor Police, who check off the boats in each anchorage against the list of boats with a permit. (We’ve also heard that they give warnings to wayward boaters who are zipping back their anchored boats at night without lights on their dinghy, but don’t ask us how we know that…)
The result of this system is a bit more hassle for visiting boaters, but a much more pleasant, safer, and cleaner set of anchorages to enjoy.
