Catalina Island: day dream inducing footage

T

trpsurf

New member
Coming out of the winter months, and a heavy dosage of rain in Southern California, Catalina Island is alive with color. I just got a GoPro Karma drone and sent it flying to capture footage over the island last weekend.

While most of the island was covered in fog, the sun peaked through and revealed some amazing views from Two Harbors to Emerald Bay. It is easy to watch this and daydream about sitting at anchor at the channel islands.

My favorite part of Spring is the fact that the water is often clear and the island is empty.

Enjoy:
https://youtu.be/Dcpe512BhNA
 
The moorings are owned by the Catalina Island Co.
You can rent them for $40-50 per night for boats of our size.

You can anchor anywhere outside of the mooring fields for free, but most of the best anchorages are packed with moorings.
 
Tim,
Aren't most moorings leases to private individuals--and when the leasee not there, then the CIC rents them? I believe that some moorings in Avalon are still privately owned. Also the coves with yacht clubs seem to sort of have some arrangement where club members only seem to get the moorings...often all of the moorings are leased by club members...

I believe your anchorage is restricted to be more than 100 yards from a mooring. String line has gone up to $35 a night, $210 a week. When the string line first was started (I believe it is limited to 25 feet LOA), it was $5 a night.

Oh how all of that changed thru the years--when I first went there, there was one mooring in Emerald bay, (For the Manta--the converted AVR which served the scout camp there), and no moorings in Howlands. Two harbors, there were a fraction of the moorings now there, and we could anchor in the far Western corner between the first row of moorings and the beach. The "monk" ran the mooring service. Abalone were available from the rocks at low tide. Circa 1946. I own family photos of the Island dating back pre 1900.

It is still a beautiful place--and fortunately one of the few where development has been restricted. Truly much of it is like it was 200 years ago. Thanks for the video. Any restrictions yet on drones (other than around Avalon and Airport) at Catalina?

Thanks
 
Bob- you are right. The moorings are leased. There are waiting lists a mile long, but in over 150 trips to the island have never once had a problem getting a mooring. You have to be flexible and move from cove to cove, but there is always a space. Lately we find ourselves anchoring, to get away from other boats and to save money.

You can fly a drone 5 Miles away from an airport, less than 400' so Two Harbors and areas West are clear. It is pretty amazing how easy to use they are and the quality of their footage is incredible. I am looking forward to capturing more adventures this summer.
 
Forgot to ask, so about how many days out of the year are the waters calm enough to make a pleasant crossing to Catalina in a 24 Tomcat?
 
Jake, Most mornings the water is OK for crossing in either direction. The wind usually comes up in the afternoon. Storms are the exception and cause problems, watch the weather and buoy reports. My experience is in the spring and summer months.
 
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