Autumn generally offers the best opportunity to find strong swells and offshore Santa Ana winds. Ocean Beach is also a convivial spot, while La Jolla Cove is a lovely sheltered beach with excellent snorkeling offshore. Some of the city's best diving can be found in the environmentally protected San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park, in La Jolla Bay. Local dive operators can also arrange trips to the islands off the coast of Baja California. Boating and canoeing are popular on Mission Bay.
Experienced sailors can charter yachts to sail in the harbor and the open sea.
Charter operators are concentrated at Shelter Island, a few miles southwest of the airport. The most popular public fishing piers are Imperial Beach Municipal Pier, Embarcadero Fishing Pier, Shelter Island Fishing Pier, Ocean Beach Pier and Crystal Pier. The best time of year to toss in a line is between April and October. Fishing charters are available from Shelter Island Marina. Offshore catches include barracuda, bass, yellowtail and, in summer, albacore.