Sea Lions and Jetties Oceanside, CA

Sea Lion getting some sun at Oceanside Harbor!

Stand Up Paddle Boarding around the jetties in Oceanside, CA.

Come stand up paddle board in and beyond Oceanside Harbor! It’s a great place for the beginner to advanced paddler. Oceanside Harbor is located 37 miles north of San Diego and 83 miles south of Los Angeles. The marine life is abundant-sea lions, dolphins, and garibaldis. Be sure to get an early start as boat traffic can sometimes be heavy on the weekends (mostly summers).  The waters are normally calm allowing beginners a fun and easy place to stand up and paddle.   If you are a beginner, I recommend you stay within the inner harbor (see map below).  Check out the photo sphere of Oceanside Harbor at https://goo.gl/MmXLgH.  If conditions are calm in the outer harbor east of the jetties, beginners can paddle here as well.  The outer harbor tends to be more challenging due to winds and ocean swells as it is more exposed and closer to the jetties.  You can check the conditions for the Oceanside Harbor @http://www.surfline.com/surf-report/oceanside-harbor-southern-california_4238/.  The inner harbor is approximately 1.5 miles all the way around. The addition of the outer harbor will give you another 1.5 miles for a total of 3.0 miles. I've done some group paddles in Oceanside Harbor with the SUP Chicks So-Cal.  It's a fun place to meet up with friends for a paddle & then grab a bite to eat at the Jolly Rodger. If you are an advanced paddler then head out to the Oceanside Pier or the seal buoy. These are fun places to venture out to with some friends. If you go by yourself be sure to leave a float plan in your car, take your cell phone, snack, & water. If you're interested in a stand up paddle board lesson in the Oceanside Harbor than contact me @www.bluepaddlesup.com.

Seal Buoy

Oceanside Pier view from Stand Up Paddle Board.

Sailboats in harbor.

Launching

There are a couple of places to launch your board in Oceanside Harbor. They recently put in a launching dock just for kayaks and stand up paddle boards. It is located between boat slips #21-#22 at 1509 N. Harbor Dr., Oceanside, CA. There is parking on the street & bathrooms located across the street. The dock is just located down a short ramp from the street. The other place to launch is behind the Jolly Roger Restaurant. It is located at 1900 N. Harbor Dr., Oceanside, CA. There is ample parking, but try to park where there are no bird droppings! I also recommend wearing flip flops down to the docks to avoid stepping in bird droppings. The smell can be a little strong, but disappears once you get to the docks! When launching from the docks, paddle on your knees until you clear the dock area. This is especially good advice for beginners-you don’t want to accidentally fall and hit your head.

Launching area.

Outer harbor, Oceanside, CA

Safety

Take safety precautions when paddling with boats & follow the rules of the road @http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.americancanoe.org/resource/resmgr/sei-educational_resources/brochure_rules_of_the_road.pdf. The Coast Guard has designated SUPs as vessels. When paddling in the Oceanside Harbor you need to have a personal flotation device (PFD) on your person or securely attached to your board. If I’m heading out to the pier or beyond I will also wear a leash, & bring water.  I like to wear bright clothing so the boats will see me, and keep my whistle handy. 

Oceanside Weather 

Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 40°F to 77°F and is rarely below 34°F or above 81°F.  The warm season lasts from July 4 to September 26 with an average daily high temperature above 74°F. The cold season lasts from January 16 to March 29 with an average daily high temperature below 66°F. 
The main complaint about the climate (like most of the south coast) concerns the “May Gray” and the “June gloom,” a period of night & morning low clouds along the coastal strip.  If you
would like more information about Oceanside then go to this link: 
https://www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/default.asp