Jumping off spot for Mexico. Lots of folks come by hear as their last provisioning spot before making the big jump. Sometimes they only make it as far south as Ensenada. The nearest islands are only 15 miles away, but they are Mexico and we are not allowed to set foot.

North are a few harbors and the Channel islands, some 65NM away, with Catalina Island being the nearest island... typically an overnight trip with a good watch near Long Beach/LA.

Further north are Santa Barbara and the rest of the Channel Islands. There is a prevailing wind and current that runs from the NW along the coast and encourages motoring when headed north. From Baja it is known as "Bashing."

My local trips tend to go from the small bay to the big bay and back again, through the kelp beds. My full keel boat does well on the kelp as long as I am sailing. Fin keel boats do best to avoid the stuff. (I have delivered boats north and played heck getting past the kelp)

I am in a marina that is about a 1/2 hour from open sea, so I generally head out and play the winds for a while or head to the bigger bay to the south and anchor in one of the few spots available. The anchorages are very tightly controlled, requiring reservations, but they are free.

One of these days soon I am going to harbor hop to Santa Barbara and then take my time sailing south through the islands... as a short term goal.