Another Look at the South Bay and Oyster Cove Marina

Our recent trip to San Diego for the Baja Ha-Ha took us over the now-empty Oyster Cove Marina. Tenants were evicted in 2022 to make way for a new electric air taxi terminal that is planned for the former marina site. The images below show the empty Oyster Cove with a few boats anchored out in the nearby basin.

Keeping access to the Bay becomes increasingly challenging as older marina facilities need investment for dredging and dock/seawall maintenance, while land-side development continues to put pressure on the financial viability of the marinas. Adding to this are the problems associated with permanent anchor-outs, which included boats off Oyster Cove that caught fire in November last year.

To the south of Oyster Cove and Oyster Point Marina is the Coyote Point Marina, which is also straining under lack of municipal support for the facilities. The Coyote Point Marina is home to the Coyote Point Yacht Club, which recently hosted the 50th anniversary of the Islander 36 Class Association and is home to active sailing and youth programs. You can read more about the current situation at Coyote Point Marina in our September issue. Several letters appear in our November issue written by sailors in support of maintaining Coyote Point Marina.

Marine facilities around the Bay need support from sailors and their municipalities to keep access to the Bay Area’s best recreational feature — the Bay! The facilities include the marinas and adjacent working waterfront that allow marine businesses to serve all boating activity. We appreciate sailors who are writing letters to their town supervisors, and to us, to make sure the Bay remains accessible to all Bay Area citizens.