By Mark Goodkin
San Diego Coast Life
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Entering Oceanside Harbor
Oceanside Harbor is San Diego County’s northern most harbor, located in Oceanside, CA. Everytime I drive down the hill on Harbor Drive and enter the harbor, I’m struck by its secluded and peaceful quality, with commercial fishing boats in the foreground and the Harbor Village and lighthouse behind – a fairytale setting.
I usually go to the harbor to take photos or just walk around. Oceanside Harbor has a north and south section. The north harbor is a marina for small to medium-size private boats, while the south harbor has a commercial fishing fleet, with charters, and boat rentals, as well as private boats.
I like to park in south harbor and walk over to Harbor Village to check out the shops. I then continue on to Harbor Beach, where I walk north, along the sand to the jetty. Once in a while, I go out on the jetty and cautiously walk along the large rocks either half way or to the tip. Here, people are fishing, while boats quitely enter and leave the harbor.
Pelican near Harbor Village
I make my way back to Harbor Village and continue along the boardwalk, where I pass two more restaurants, Joe’s Crab Shack and Monterey Bay Canners. The commercial harbor waters are placid. A lobster boat has just returned and the crew removes the cages with their catch from the vessel. Elsewhere, a commercial fishing boat leaves its moorings, either for the kelp beds off the coast somewhere, or for the Channel Islands. California Pelicans abound, along with seagulls. Today, I got close to a pelican, perched on a wooden post by the water. It was motionless, except for an occasional gaze and flap of its wings. I studied its intense eyes, large bill, long feathers and other features. These birds are indeed large. And yes, I’m taking photos of the pelican and other sights along the trek.
Just past Monterey Bay Canners, I leave the commercial area, where I see the waterway leading to the harbor inlet and jetties. Here, boats freely enter and leave the harbor. Today, there’s not much traffic – just some sail boats with a motor boat here and there. I can hear the faint sounds of people talking as their boats swish by. The commercial fishing boat with crew I first saw, rumbles out of the south harbor, for the open water now.
Commercial Fishing Boats
I come up to a small wooden fishing pier, where a handful of people patiently fish. Pelicans stand like statues on various wooden pilings and beams they call their own, undisturbed by the fishermen or passerbys.
Beyond the pier, I enter the marina. Here, small and medium size sail boats and motor boats are docked in columns and rows. The water has a slight bounce – almost still. This part of Oceanside Harbor has less boating activity and fewer people along the boardwalk. Most people on this side are either boating or dining at the Jolly Roger. The marina doesn’t have the same old waterfront charm as the south harbor – The only exception is the Jolly Roger, with its old style, gray shingle architecture.
Past the Jolly Roger, the boardwalk soon ends. I begin my journey back now, and see everything in reverse. The day is still hot and the sun has crept unnoticably. The same fishermen are fishing and pelicans perched on their spots. Indeed, I’m the visitor. I get in my car and feel good – time well spent, a respite from the world outside the harbor. This is a place I’ll come back to again.