By Debbie L. Sklar / Special to the OB Rag
Shelter Island looks like a quiet stretch of marinas, sailboats, and waterfront hotels today, but its history is anything but ordinary. What appeared to be a natural peninsula was actually a shifting sandbar in San Diego Bay, gradually transformed over decades of harbor dredging, engineering projects,s and the city’s expanding maritime economy.
Even its name tells only part of the story.
1. It Isn’t Really an Island
Despite the name, Shelter Island has never been a true island. It began as a low sandbar near Point Loma that was visible mainly at low tide.
Beginning in the 1930s, harbor improvement projects deposited dredged material onto the shoal, gradually creating the landform visitors see today. Over time, what had once been open water became one of San Diego’s most recognizable waterfront destinations.
2. You Can’t Buy Land There
Most visitors assume Shelter Island is privately owned shoreline, but nearly all of it sits on California public tidelands.
The land is held in public trust and managed by the Port of San Diego. Hotels, marinas, restaurants, and other businesses operate under long-term lease agreements rather than traditional ownership, and residential development is not permitted.
3. It Was Designed to Feel Like a Tropical Escape
By the 1950s and 1960s, San Diego was shaping Shelter Island into a destination with a South Pacific atmosphere.
Polynesian-inspired architecture, tiki motifs, and tropical landscaping defined much of its early development. While many original structures have changed over the years, a few landmarks still reflect that vision, including the iconic Bali Hai Restaurant.
A 1970s-era postcard captured the marketing appeal of the time, describing how “tropical foliage and bright blue waters present a year-round invitation to sailors, fishermen and sightseers.”
4. It Remembers San Diego’s Tuna Industry
Before Shelter Island became known for pleasure boating and tourism, San Diego Bay was a busy working harbor.
The commercial fishing industry— especially tuna—was once central to the local economy. The Tunaman’s Memorial honors generations of fishermen who worked out of the bay and supplied the canneries that once lined San Diego’s waterfront.
During much of the mid-20th century, San Diego proudly carried the nickname “Tuna Capital of the World,” reflecting one of the nation’s largest commercial tuna fleets.
5. The Yokohama Friendship Bell Celebrates an International Friendship
One of Shelter Island’s most recognizable landmarks is the Yokohama Friendship Bell, a bronze bell presented by the City of Yokohama, Japan, in 1958.
The gift commemorated San Diego’s sister-city relationship with Yokohama, established during the post-World War II era when international civic partnerships were still relatively uncommon. Today, the bell remains one of Shelter Island’s most photographed landmarks and is still rung during special cultural celebrations.
6. The Peninsula Exists Because San Diego Bay Was Reengineered
Shelter Island’s very existence is tied to decades of harbor dredging and improvement projects throughout San Diego Bay.
As navigation channels were deepened for commercial shipping, fishing fleets, and naval operations, dredged material was deposited onto shallow tidal flats, gradually creating the peninsula visitors know today. Without those efforts, Shelter Island would likely still be little more than a sandbar exposed at low tide.
Historian Richard F. Pourade described the changing shoreline in The Rising Tide, noting that early maps differed “except for the many changes in the shoreline made by dredging and filling in recent years.”
According to Port of San Diego historical materials and planning documents, Shelter Island was created using material dredged from San Diego Bay during harbor improvement projects, permanently reshaping the shoreline while also creating the recreational waterfront enjoyed by millions of visitors each year.
A Community That Still Cares
More than 70 years after Shelter Island was created, local volunteers continue helping preserve its beauty.
According to Cecilia Carrick, former Point Loma Association chair and coordinator of the organization’s all-volunteer Mean Green Team:
“Shelter Island has never looked more magnificent. What began 10 years ago with the Point Loma Association tending only the beach area has grown into a full-scale, volunteer-powered transformation. Thanks to the extraordinary dedication of our PLA volunteers, many giving upward of 30 hours a week, flowers now flourish across many planters and walkways. Jim Southerland expanded the beach care, then Theresa, and now Rachel and Scott have carried it forward with heart and skill. Their work is a true gift to Shelter Island and to the entire Peninsula community.”
Today, Shelter Island feels as though it has always been part of San Diego’s waterfront. Yet nearly every inch of it tells a different story—one shaped by engineering, commerce and decades of change. From shifting sandbar to international marina destination, Shelter Island remains one of San Diego’s most fascinating examples of how people literally reshaped the edge of the bay.
Sources
Port of San Diego – History of Shelter Island and Public Tidelands
Richard F. Pourade, The Rising Tide: History of San Diego
Port of San Diego – Shelter Island Master Plan and Historical Background
San Diego History Center Archives
San Diego Maritime Museum historical collections
California State Lands Commission – Public Trust Doctrine
Bali Hai Restaurant historical timeline
Sister Cities International – San Diego–Yokohama Partnership
Port of San Diego – Yokohama Friendship Bell information
Point Loma Association
