An Overview of Harbor Patrol

The Santa Cruz Harbor Patrol is comprised of Deputy Harbormaster staff who are charged with oversight and enforcement of Port District ordinances and other public safety duties, including emergency medical response, boating education, and marine search and rescue. Harbor Patrol executes its mission 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Key Services

• Perform routine foot, vessel, and vehicle patrols to ensure the safe and orderly operation of the harbor.
• Enforce Port District ordinances, parking regulations, and boating laws, including California Harbors and Navigation Code.
• Provide boater assistance in the form of emergency vessel towing and pump out.
• Respond to medical, boating, water-related, and other emergencies.
• Harbor Patrol is integrated with the NetCom regional emergency dispatch system to provide critical marine search and rescue services, which allows coordination with a variety of Federal, State, and local rescue and law enforcement agencies.
• General public assistance and education.

Service Area

The Harbor Patrol provides both landside and waterside services within the boundaries of Santa Cruz Harbor. The County of Santa Cruz does not provide its own marine rescue units and relies upon the Santa Cruz Harbor Patrol vessels and crew to provide first responder marine search and rescue service within the County’s jurisdiction. Harbor Patrol will respond to calls within the three-nautical mile line, which extends from Santa Cruz County to three nautical miles offshore including Monterey Bay. If needed, Harbor Patrol may extend beyond that boundary.

Patrol and Rescue Equipment 

Rescue services are provided by Harbor Patrol using one of two patrol vessels:

• 2013 Zodiac 20' patrol vessel - Scout
• 2022 Moose Boat 36' patrol vessel - PB Kinnamon