[dgax65]

If the surf is up and you don't want to chance OB, you can always put in at Mission Bay. The paddle from Mission Bay or Shelter Island is about the same distance; 6.5 miles. I usually put in at Shelter Island, as it has better access. Depending on the swell, you sometimes have to swing well south of the Point to avoid the surf. I can attest to the need to watch the wind and tide when coming back into the bay. Once, I paddled out to 1SD and back to do a little whale watching. It took me a little over an hour to get out there and over five hours to paddle back against the wind and tide. There are a couple of spots inside of the kelp in front of the SPAWAR complex that have produced a lot of calico for me. I've also seen some good size halibut along the sandy bottoms below the cliffs at SPAWAR. You just have to watch for the surf. I've seen it breaking anywhere from the base of the cliffs to the inside edge of the kelp.