Channel Islands · Special Closure

San Miguel Island Special Closure

The regulation, in CDFW’s words

Boating is allowed at San Miguel Island except west of a line drawn between Judith Rock (34° 01.500′ N. lat. 120° 25.300′ W. long.) and Castle Rock (34° 03.300′ N. lat. 120° 26.300′ W. long.) where boats are prohibited closer than 300 yards from shore. Notwithstanding the 300-yard boating closure between Judith Rock and Castle Rock, the following shall apply: Boats may approach San Miguel Island no nearer than 100 yards from shore during the period(s) from March 15 through April 30, and October 1 through December 15; and Boats operated by commercial sea urchin divers may enter waters of the 300-yard area between the western boundary of the Judith Rock State Marine Reserve at 120° 26.60′ W. long. and Castle Rock for the purpose of fishing sea urchins during the period(s) from March 15 through April 30, and October 1 through December 15. Boats traveling within 300 yards of the shoreline or anchorages shall operate with a minimum amount of noise and shall not exceed speeds of five miles per hour. Except as permitted by federal law or emergency caused by hazardous weather, boats may be anchored overnight only at Tyler Bight and Cuyler Harbor. Landing is allowed on San Miguel Island only at the designated landing beach in Cuyler Harbor. No person shall have access to all other offshore rocks and islands at San Miguel Island.

California Code of Regulations, Title 14, §632(b)(102) · 0.86 sq mi · CDFW page for this area

Regulations change. This is what the page said when it was read; check CDFW before you take anything.

The boundary, for a chartplotter

This area is described by named landmarks rather than corner points, so the two positions below are those landmarks, not a polygon.

1. 34° 1.500′ N 120° 25.300′ W34.02500, -120.42167
2. 34° 3.300′ N 120° 26.300′ W34.05500, -120.43833

Not a polygon: boating is allowed except west of the line between Judith Rock (first point) and Castle Rock (second), where boats are held 300 yards off the shore — 100 yards in two seasonal windows.

Download GPX Corner waypoints plus the boundary as a track. Loads into Garmin, Raymarine, Simrad and Lowrance plotters, and into Navionics, Aqua Map and iNavX. A navigation aid, not the legal boundary — GPS error and a mean-high-tide landward edge mean you should not shave the line.

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