Dana Point Harbor was dedicated on July 31, 1971, after a decade of construction that buried Killer Dana, one of Southern Californiaβs most notorious surf breaks, under a breakwater and a boat basin. The harbor sits at the base of the headlands Richard Henry Dana Jr. described in 1840 as βthe only romantic spot on the coast,β and it has been the townβs economic center and its most contested piece of infrastructure ever since.
At a glance: The harbor destroyed the Killer Dana surf break when its breakwater went in during 1966. A full demolition and rebuild began in 2014; the nautical-village look is being replaced with a minimalist design.
Before the Harbor
The coastline below the headlands was an open anchorage for centuries. The Acjachemen people maintained the village of Toovannga near the mouth of San Juan Creek. During the hide-trade era of the 1830s-1840s, ships anchored offshore to collect cattle hides from Mission San Juan Capistrano. Richard Henry Dana Jr. visited in 1835 aboard the brig Pilgrim and described the anchorage as poor, noting the difficulty of landing through the surf1.
By the mid-twentieth century, the unprotected cove had become a surfing destination. Killer Dana was a heavy right-breaking wave that came out of deep water and broke close to the rocks lining the beach. It drew experienced surfers willing to deal with a dangerous, shallow takeoff zone.
Construction and What It Buried
In 1966, construction crews built the breakwater that ended Killer Dana. The jetty redirected wave energy and filled the natural reef contour with riprap. A navigation channel now cuts through what was once the takeoff zone2. The Chantays recorded an instrumental track named βKiller Danaβ in 1997, memorializing the break.
The completed harbor, dedicated in 1971, created a protected marina, commercial shops, restaurants, and a departure point for the Catalina Express service to Avalon on Catalina Island. The Ocean Institute established itself at the harbor and operated the replica brig Pilgrim as a floating classroom until the ship sank in 20203.
The Rebuild
In 2014, the entire Embarcadero Marina and surrounding commercial buildings were slated for complete demolition and redevelopment. The existing vintage nautical style is being replaced with what planners describe as a βTech Minimalistβ concept: metal roofs and minimalist landscaping. The project has been contentious among residents who grew up with the harborβs original character.
Visiting
Dana Point Harbor is accessible from Dana Point Harbor Drive off Pacific Coast Highway. Parking is free in the main lots but fills on summer weekends by mid-morning. The Catalina Express terminal is at the harborβs west end. Whale-watching boats depart from the harbor year-round.
Further Reading
References
Footnotes
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Richard Henry Dana Jr., Two Years Before the Mast (1840) β describes the Dana Point anchorage and the difficulty of landing through surf. β©
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Killer Dana History, Surfline β documents the breakβs characteristics and its destruction by the 1966 breakwater. β©
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βTall ship that sank in Dana Point is unrecoverable, will be demolished,β Los Angeles Times, April 7, 2020 β confirms the Pilgrim replica sank in 2020. β©