Catalina Island
It’s been a little over 3 weeks since we left Catalina Island. Since then, we have spent an extended period in Newport Beach, CA and are now in San Diego, CA. We are very fortunate to have family in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach – and to have had family fly to meet us there – which meant an extended stay was a great way to connect with everyone before we continued on south. In all of the joy of time spent with family, Halloween, and getting ready to continue our journey into Mexico, we did not get a chance to share a bit about our time on Catalina Island yet.
Catalina Island was exactly what we were hoping it would be – a place to spend time off the dock, exploring the water and trails. We spent just about a week working our way south and east on the leeward side of the island. There are a ton of bays, coves, nooks, and crannies to get lost in on the island. Shore access is pretty easy. The water is clean and clear. The snorkeling is quite good. There aren’t major swells rolling in.
Catalina northeastern shoreline - it is a “tall” island, with the highest peak coming in just over 2000 feet.
We started by spending a few nights in Two Harbors. It is amazing how many mooring balls and boats they fit in with this Catalina mooring system. We were fortunate to visit when it wasn’t that full and I can’t even imagine what it’s like when every spot is taken and you are trying to get it. These are fore and aft mooring setups, so boats do not swing and can be packed tightly.
Two Harbors had the look of the British Virgin Islands to us – tall, arid hill sides against the backdrop of dramatic skies, surrounded by very clear water. High season had clearly past, but the restaurant was a pleasant place to have dinner and we ran into a number of the boats we have seen over the past several months as we work our way south.
After a few nights we headed up to Emerald Bay. The water here was even clearer – we could see straight down to the bottom, in about 20 feet of water, making out the rocks, fish, and seaweed below us with stunning clarity. We passed a few days with school, snorkeling, and onshore exploration. Most of the coves have some sort of club that calls it home. This makes it feel like there are outposts in each nook anchoring the place. We watched with bemusement as a large father-daughter group settled in for a weekend retreat on shore. The sounds of all of these kids and parents together left a joyful backdrop to our time.
Just over 20 feet to the bottom here. Amazingly clear.
Sunset on the beach in Emerald Cove, where through the magic of technology we watched most of an 18 inning baseball game between the Mariners and the Astros while watching this sunset
The snorkeling was great. We saw all sorts of really incredible animals. Fish. Kelp. Coral. Seals. Octopus. Lobsters. Even cormorants diving down. It goes without saying, but the ocean is so alive. It is clearly under distress, but when you get to see a healthy portion of the ecosystem you realize how much there is worth fighting for.
After Emerald, we set out to White’s Landing, a bit south of Two Harbors. This was even less crowded, with just a handful of boats set against a beautiful valley backdrop. Swimming in the morning, afternoon, and evening was a must. The water was warm and simply too inviting. We explored the beach on shore and hiked a bit up into the canyon, which it turns out is basically one hill climb. We were warned to watch out for roaming bison. We saw mega-yachts and old sailboats with pirate flags. It was quite an intersection of boat life.
Our last stop was Avalon Harbor, with its famous “casino” on the northern jetty. This was never a gambling operation, rather a dance and music hall. The town is packed tightly around the harbor which, using the Catalina mooring system, is packed tightly with boats. There were shops and restaurants of every kind. Steep hills to climb up (or run up). And, most importantly, other boats with kids that wanted to just wile the day away swimming and playing.
The Avalon Casino from the harbor
Catalina is such a fascinating mix of forces. Avalon, in it’s current form, really was the creation of William Wrigley Jr., of chewing gum fame. The bison herd are ancestors of a set brought over to film a silent movie. It’s a part of the same geology that created the northern Channel Islands, which we talked about earlier. It’s a part of LA County, so you see LA County firefighters in Avalon. It’s only got about 4000 permanent residents.
Avalon Harbor from the Bell Tower
Catalina Island is well worth the time and there is a lot of it worth exploring.
Sunrise in Avalon Harbor