Zuniga Shoal, San Diego (Anchorage)

The anchorage is outside the harbor and is usually sheltered from the prevailing NW winds and swells by Point Loma. It would save me about 1hr the next morning if I stayed here before my passage across the US border to Ensenada in Mexico. As I was approaching the anchorage I passed a big dark grey nuclear submarine slowly motoring out of San Diego harbor. I stayed as far away as the channel would allow, but the coast guard still came racing over in his powerboat with machine guns on the bow, lights flashing to warn me to stay away from the sub or face the wrath of the Navy.

The anchorage at Zuniga shoals, San Diego

 I rounded the submerged pier at Zuniga shoal that must have claimed many boats over the years as huge rocks lurked just a few feet below the surface, but tempted you with an easy shortcut to the anchorage. I dropped the hook in 12 feet of water next to about 6 other boats and settled in for the nite, it seemed like a great place until the wind swung around 180 deg to the south at 1am and blew 20knots for the rest of the nite. The swells and wind chop built until it was truly miserable and I left as soon as the sun rose to spend the last nite in the US back at Glorietta bay where it was nice and calm.