Harbor guide
Pillar Point Harbor
Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County, CA
Overview
Pillar Point Harbor is the San Mateo County coast's harbor of refuge, tucked behind breakwaters at the north end of Half Moon Bay beside Princeton-by-the-Sea and El Granada. The San Mateo County Harbor District runs it and calls it one of the safest harbors in the United States. It's a working harbor first: commercial fishing boats share the basin with sportfishing charters, private pleasure boats, kayakers and paddleboarders, and the harbor hosts the annual Mavericks surf contest.
Layout
The Army Corps of Engineers built the outer riprap breakwater between 1959 and 1961 and extended its western arm in 1967. Johnson Pier, the docks and an inner breakwater (1982) followed. Inside are 369 berths, a fuel dock, ice plant, fish-buying center, pump-out facilities and the harbor office at One Johnson Pier. The outer harbor holds District moorings and good holding ground for anchoring.
The launch ramp
The public ramp, built in 1992 with state boating grant money, has six launch lanes and four boarding floats. It costs $20 per launch, in and out, and a $269 annual permit covers every District-operated ramp. Sand from the Deer Creek outfall has shoaled the ramp before: after February 2017 storms a trailer got stuck and staff closed three of the six lanes until dredging. The District is now designing a rebuild with a V-grooved ramp, new boarding floats, boat rinse stations and replacement restrooms.
Approach hazards
The entrance, about 200 yards wide between the east and west breakwaters, carries about 20 feet, with 2 to 17 feet inside. Approach with care. Rocks and reefs, marked by kelp and a lighted bell buoy, run more than a mile southeast of Pillar Point, and Southeast Reef, 1.5 to 2 miles out, has a pinnacle rock awash at extreme low water. Mavericks breaks about half a mile outside the harbor.
Good to know
The harbor runs above 100% occupancy with a two- to three-year slip waitlist, and visiting boats can't reserve. Plan to anchor out on busy weekends. The District's patrol has averaged about 110 rescues a year over two decades.
Getting there & access
Approaching from sea
Rocks and reefs, marked by kelp and a lighted bell buoy, extend more than a mile southeast of Pillar Point, and Southeast Reef (1.5 to over 2 miles southeast of the point) is covered 4 to 20 feet with a pinnacle rock awash at extreme low water. Stay clear of this foul ground and enter between the breakwaters. A light marks the east breakwater end, and a light and sound signal mark the west breakwater end.
Checking in and visiting slips
Call the harbormaster on VHF 16 or working channel 74, or by phone at (650) 726-4382. There are no reservations. When slips are open, the harbormaster's office fills them first come, first served. Slips are scarce in salmon and squid seasons and over Fourth of July week and holiday weekends, so be ready to anchor out and bring a skiff. There's no water taxi.
Trailer boats
The six-lane ramp is inside the harbor. Pay $20 per launch (in and out) or buy a $269 annual permit. Seniors 65 and older and people with a disabled placard get 20% off the annual permit. Rinse off at the coin-operated boat wash, which takes quarters only.
By road
From the South or East Bay, take Highway 92 west to Half Moon Bay, turn right (north) on Highway 1, then left (west) on Capistrano Road. From the north, take Highway 1 south seven miles past Pacifica, turn right on Capistrano Road, and take the first left into the harbor.
Amenities
- Launch ramp — Six lanes with four boarding floats
- Fuel dock — In the harbor; call the harbor office for current hours
- Pump-out — Pump-out facilities in the harbor
- Moorings — District moorings: $5.72/ft/month (monthly) or $14 per day (transient)
- Boat wash — Coin-operated, $3 per 5 minutes (quarters only)
- Public hoist — $24 per 15-minute increment
- Ice and fish buying — Ice-making facilities and a commercial fish-buying center; dockside fish sales
- Shoreside — 24-hour staffing, restrooms, hot showers, fishing pier, Wi-Fi, restaurants and shops
Rules & official resources
- No reservations for visiting boats; open slips are assigned first come, first served by the harbormaster
- Contact the harbormaster on VHF 16 or working channel 74, or at (650) 726-4382
- Boats anchored out must register; the anchor-out fee is $10 per day after 7 days
- Launch fee is $20 per launch (in and out); annual permit $269, valid at all District-operated ramps
- In Pillar Point State Marine Conservation Area, recreational take is limited to Dungeness crab by trap, market squid by hand-held dip net, and pelagic finfish by trolling
- Seals and sea lions are protected by federal law; don't disturb them. Report injured or stranded marine mammals at (866) 767-6114
- California Boater Card required for all operators of motorized vessels, regardless of age, since January 1, 2025
Common boat service needs here
Engine and mechanical service
Every trip leaves straight into open-ocean swell past a reef-strewn approach, often miles offshore for salmon and rockfish. A reliable engine, fresh impellers and clean fuel matter more here than inside a bay.
Find Marine Mechanics & Engine Service providers →Hull cleaning
Boats on the 369 berths and the moorings sit in cold, productive Pacific water year-round. Regular diver cleaning keeps growth off hulls, props and through-hulls.
Find Bottom Cleaning, Hull Cleaning & Dive Services providers →Electronics
Fog and reefs off the entrance make radar, a chartplotter and a working VHF essential. Electronics installs and electrical troubleshooting are common jobs.
Find Marine Electrical & Electronics providers →Washdowns and detailing
Salt spray, fish residue and bird traffic on a working harbor mean frequent freshwater washdowns. Trailer boats use the coin boat wash, and slip boats benefit from regular detailing.
Find Boat Detailing & Washing providers →Trailer and transport
With a long slip waitlist, many owners trailer in from the Peninsula and South Bay. Salt is hard on trailer bearings and brakes, and owners without a tow vehicle hire transport.
Find Boat Transport, Towing & Delivery providers →Guides & FAQs
Nearby providers
No providers listed near this location yet — check back soon.
Sources
Last verified October 6, 2026