Clockwise : Mission Bay is a popular spot for stand-up paddleboarding ; Departing from Bahia and Catamaran resorts , sternwheelers inspired by turn-of-the-century styles cruise on Mission Bay ; Powerboats are among the options available from Action Sport Rentals .
race during the annual San Diego Bayfair . Hidden Anchorage on the south side of Fiesta Island is a liquid playground for Jet Skis and water skiing . Quivira Basin on the park ’ s south side is a sport fishing hub as well as the headquarters of the San Diego Lifeguard Services . The sheltered bays north and south of Bahia — Santa Barbara Cove and Mariners Basin — are where yachts , cabin cruisers and other private boats can anchor overnight .
Whether you are a veteran skipper or novice , guests at Catamaran and Bahia have three main ways to enjoy boating on Mission Bay .
POWERBOATS From thrill-seeking to fishing to exploring , the powerboating experiences on the bay offer something for everyone . “ There are several open speed zones that have great conditions for sports like water skiing , wakeboarding , wakesurfing , et cetera ,” says Loic Pichardo , events manager for Action Sport Rentals . “ There is also a good variety of fish species found in the bay , like halibut and bay bass , for the fishing enthusiast . Several bars and restaurants are also accessible by boat .”
With five locations around Mission Bay , including Bahia and Catamaran , Action Sport offers a robust powerboat inventory . The menu of motorized watercraft includes pontoon boats , speedboats , fishing skiffs and Malibu ski boats for tubing , wakeboarding and other activities .
Pichardo adds that most boating activities are family-friendly : “ We have life jackets available for all sizes , including toddlers . Our pontoon boats offer a lot of space for a family adventure of up to 10 people .”
And you don ’ t need a lot of boating experience , especially if you ’ re going to rent an electric Duffy boat . They ’ re very easy to use and extremely safe , as their maximum speed is around 7 mph .
“ We don ’ t require any experience with our powerboats either , as we go through a very thorough checkout and instruction process ,” Pichardo says . “ We can also supply a captain for our powerboats [ preferably with 24-hour notice during the summertime ], if you ’ d prefer to be driven around the bay .”
Although you can take a powerboat anywhere on the bay , Fiesta Bay is the only area with no daytime speed limits in open water . In other words , you can go as fast as your vessel allows — as long as it ’ s safe . Both local and state laws prohibit the operation of any watercraft at a speed “ greater than is reasonable and prudent ,” and any speed that endangers life , limb or property is never permitted .
If Action Sport doesn ’ t offer exactly what you ’ re seeking at Catamaran or Bahia , additional options are available at its main location on the bay ’ s south side . “ We also offer sport fishing from our Dana Landing location , which go out to the ocean with a captain in hopes of catching anything from different varieties of tuna , wahoo , dolphinfish and even marlin , when the water warms up enough ,” Pichardo adds .
All boats rented from Action Sport must remain in Mission Bay and cannot venture into the open ocean , and rentals can only be used during daylight hours .
SAILING AND PADDLING The aquatic park is also ideal for wind- and muscle-powered vessels . Action Sport offers a variety of canvas craft to Bahia and Catamaran guests , from 14-foot Capri sailboats all the way up to 27-foot Catalinas . “ If you ’ d like some excitement , we also have seven catamarans ,” Pichardo says . “ We do require prior experience for our sailboats , but do offer lessons with a captain .”
Sailboats are allowed in all boating areas in the bay . However , speed restrictions along the western side of the bay ( and Sail Bay in particular ) make that area much more user-friendly for nonmotorized watercraft . All boats on Sail Bay are limited to a top speed of 5 mph from 11 a . m . to 5 p . m . from May 1 through Oct . 31 , while the rest of the western bay has a 5 mph restriction at all times .
THIS PAGE : LOIC PICHARDO / ACTION SPORT RENTALS
22 MISSION : BEACH !