Dana Point Harbor | seaport, harbour

USA / California / Dana Point / Puerto Place, 34554
 seaport, harbour
34554 Puerto Place
Dana Point, CA 92629
(949) 496-0855

Once known as BAHIA CAPISTRANO, author and seaman Richard Henry Dana called the area now known as Dana Point, "The only romantic spot on the coast." Dana landed here during the hide trading days of the 1830's and described the charm of the steep cliff cove in his renowned book, TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST. In the days of the square rigged sailing ships, the rugged cove was the onlt major port between San Diego and Santa Barbara. It seemed only natural that this scenic cove was destined to become one of the most beautiful recreational harbors on the west coast.

Dana was traveling aboard the brig Pilgrim, which at the time had to travel to California via Cape Horn and he stormy Strait of Magellan.

The Pilgrim was a cowhide trading vessel hired by the hide merchants in Boston during the 1830s. The fathers of the San Juan Capistrano Mission sold cowhides to the merchants, which were pitched over the cliffs of Dana Point to small waiting boats below, which transported the hides to the trading ships.

The construction of Dana Point Harbor started in 1966 with the building of the rock breakwater jetties. The water inside the jetties was then pumped out after all the shellfish and sea life had been transplanted. The marina was then built and the water was allowed to re-enter when the temporary jetty across the entrances to the East and West Basin was removed.

Dana Point Harbor was officially dedicated on July 31, 1971. While the harbor was very advanced in design and facilities, it has retained the secluded beauty and historic charm of its romantic past.

Dana Point Marina is divided into two basins, the East Basin and West Basin. Each basin operates as a separate marina, holding a total of 2,500 slips for vessels of various sizes. Also, included in the harbor are fifty quest slips for boats transiting the coastline and yacht clubs making weekend cruises to the ever popular harbor. There is also a ten lane launch ramp, dry boat storage hoist, fishing pier, shipyard, marine fuel dock, three yacht clubs and a commercial sports fishing operation which also offers whale watching trips during the migration season.

Former site of Killer Dana, a famous right break in SoCal surfing lore.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRCooxUQC10

www.danapointharbor.com/
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_Point_Harbor
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   33°27'35"N   117°41'53"W

Comments

  • The Dana Point Harbor opened in 1971 as small boat harbor designed to serve the local residents. It is currently being redesigned to better serve the needs of a more mature community. The Orange County Board of Supervisors is charged with creating a Dana Point Harbor Master Plan. Project Dimensions, Inc. has been selected by the Board of Supervisors to oversee the revitalization master plan as the contract administrator and project manager. Harbor dredging scheduled to begin in 2008 along with the Marina Improvement Project construction.
This article was last modified 6 years ago