Catalina -- Local Knowledge Needed

T

Tortuga

New member
Attention Catalina cruisers with local knowledge!

I'm noticing the increase in So Cal boats on the site, especially in relation to Catalina cruisers. I'm a frequent visitor to the Island, though in recent years I've managed to avoid busy weekends. With a shift in my work schedule and kids who are now in Middle School I'm no longer able to. So, Labor Day Weekend, here I come.

I know all too well that a mooring in Avalon is out of the question from June through Labor Day if arriving any later than Thursday. And, I know from painful experience the difficulty of getting a mooring in Two Harbors (or any of the popular anchorages) if arriving after Friday. I've generally avoided anchoring due to the deep water around Avalon and the congestion in Two Harbors. Other anchorages are great, but remote (the kids need ice cream every 2 hours).

So, I'm looking for suggestions. We'll be arriving on Saturday morning of the busiest 3 day weekend of the year. I know. Bad idea. It's either that or wait until October due to scheduling issues.

So.... specific questions:

1) Is Cat Harbor packed to capacity by Saturday or can one generally get a mooring on Saturday of the big weekend?

2) What anchorages would you recommend when no moorings are available?

3) What other suggestions would you have?

I hope that this thread can become a shared resource for local knowledge on Catalina. My kids are the 4th generation of the family to make Catalina their destination of choice.


avalon_001.jpg
The boys in their natural habitat at Casino Point
 
My favorite is Rippers(33-25.690 x 118-26.00)--This us just South of Blue Cavern, The Quarry and Empire Landing. There is a small Sub cove to the East, where a C Dory can tuck in. But this is a long dinghy ride to the dock! (I have done it--more often when we had a RIB or an 18 foot run about we used as a tender--but too large for the dinghy dock.

On the busiest of times a C Dory can get in both at the Isthmus and Cat Harbor--in the shoal water. Isthmus to the East side of the Cove in "big Fishermans"--just in front of the King Harbor YC area--below the camping area--in the shoaler water--anchor bow out. (33-26.56 x 118-29.49)

Cat harbor the mud flats toward the head of the harbor.--or very close to them. No moorings will be available after Thursday--like the rest of the Island.

I can tell you a lot of other places to sneak in, since I spent a lot of my life at the Island and worked there a couple of summers way back....

With the C Dory shoal draft you can tuck inside of the main fleet.
 
Hi Tortuga (forgot your name), I met you a couple of weeks ago at Ventura Marina as I was flushing/cleaning my boat and you were launching.

On crowded w/e's (Memorial, July 4th, Labor, Buccaneer Day) I routinely anchor bow and stern in Cat Harbor on the backside. I like the area perpendicular to the dingy docks just North and clear of the moorings and close to the opposite shore (watch your depth and tide). Be sure to drop your bow anchor well clear of the mooring area because their chains extend pretty far fore and aft of each mooring set. Never had a room problem even on the very busiest of w/e's.

Have fun!
 
Let me mention both the string tie at the Isthmus and the area back (north) of the mooring buoys in Cat Harbour.

I don't ever remember the string tie being full, even on weekends. And it's a great place for C-Dorys.

We were in Cat Harbour a month ago and noticed that the shallow area near the Isthmus was adequate for a C-Dory.

Here's a link to a Two Harbours Mooring Reservation. Notice that if you want a regular buoy, you have limitations for the weekend. HOWEVER, if you want the string tie, you can made them for any day in the week. Let's hear it for C-Dory?

There have been so many mooring buoys added around Catalina that the only place to anchor is Little Harbour, on the south side of Catalina.

Boris
 
Thanks Bob, Steve, and Boris. I appreciate the insights. It looks like the mooring reservation system is no longer in effect -- which is disappointing.

I'm in DC and NYC with the family for a couple weeks -- great places to visit -- though the humidity has me looking forward to a visit to the Island.

Matt
 
To my knowledge there never was a reservation system for the general public (?). But the lessees or owners (way back) were able to reserve their moorings for times.

It is possible that from the time I left in the 90s until recently that the general public was able to make reservations...

We always left mid afternoon Friday--or even at noon on Friday, and Marie would take the ferry over, to get a mooring--of course knowing the harbor master always helped--at least in those days....!
 
Darn. Bob, this was a new program they announced recently. Not a clue as to what happened, but they might have been overwhelmed by sail boats. When we had a sailboat, I was always mad when we were almost there, after 3-4 hours, and here comes a power boat and passes me to the mooring boat. First come first served.

We had friends that had a mooring in Avalon, and in the winter when they weren't using it they'd call ahead and make a reservation for us. That was nice.

Boris
 
Great thread. Looking at our log book, we have been to Catalina 71 nights in the last 18 mo. In all of that time, I think I have seen a total of 4 C-Dory's. Of course I have not been able to make the gatherings during August.

We have always been able to find a mooring, but tend to stay away from the Isthmus and Avalon, since it is too crowded. Here are a few of our favorites:

Moonstone- A Row... hardly ever full.
Hen Rock- A 1-6. Great snorkeling just a few feet from your stern and a cave to explore.
Buttonshell- B1. Best mooring in a S/SSE wind
Howland's Landing- C 1
Emerald Cove- A row. We probably have spent more nights here than anywhere.
Cat Harbor- A 2-4
Here is a bird's eye view:
http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_ ... _photo.php

With two kids in the boat, it is lots easier to grab a mooring and well worth the 30 or so bucks. On this last trip we spent the night on the anchor in Cat Harbor inside of the A-Row (across from the dinghy doc) which was fantastic. It was 7 feet deep at low tide. We spotted two Buffalos from the boat in the morning as well, which was a welcomed treat. We also spent the night in Little Harbor which was fantastic. There were only 4 boats in the anchorage on Thursday, compared to 11 on Friday, which is why we headed back to Cat Harbor. I could imagine that if one boat slipped anchor, we would all be playing a game of pinball that night.

I would love to meet up with others if they are headed over to the island. Let me know!

Tim

C-Pelican
 
We will be bringing our new(to us) C-Dory back down to Redondo Beach in Sept and will be looking forward to being able to get back out to Catalina again, it has been a few years. Good to see that there are a few C-Dorys in the neighborhood and look forward to seeing you out there in the future.


trpsurf you have mentioned a few places that I have never been, can't wait to explore them. I also think your aerial pictures are very kool, are you using a kite?

Floyd & Eiko
 
Bluechablis-

Great to hear there will be another C-Dory in the neighborhood!

Regarding the aerial photos, I bought a $20 kite and with a little duct tape, hung the Go Pro down about 30 feet below the kite. I think "troll" it with 65 lb. spectra fishing line on a fishing rod.

I shot a bunch of video as well, but it did not turn out well.

Here is a little video of our recent Catalina trip:
https://vimeo.com/71694371

-Tim
 
trpsurf
Enjoyed your video, what a great way to grow them cute kids!

I noticed your inflatable kayak, what make and model is it? Would it be something you would recommend. I imagine it wouldn't fit on the cabin, does it tow well?

Thanks
 
Bluechablis-
Thanks for the feedback. We are having a great time shooting video with the GoPro. Before we got it, we hardly took any photos of our trips. Now we argue over who gets to edit them!

The kayak is a 2 person Sevylor Diveyak (I think this model is discontinued). We bought it about 8 years ago and it has been with us from the tip of Baja to BC. Originally we got it for scuba diving and it is amazing how much gear you can load up on that thing. Now we roll it up and throw it on the roof when we are crossing, pump it up when we get to our destination and then tow it around until it is time to go home. We can tow it up to about 12 mph, at which point it jumps the wake and flips over. If we simple used a longer two rope, this would not happen. Sometimes we leave it in the cockpit, if there is going to be significant swell or wind. I haven't noticed any effect on the handling with the 40lbs on the roof, but it is probably not a great idea to have too much weight up there .

The kayak is great to ferry kids and stuff to shore and amazingly stable. When fully inflated, I can stand up on it. We have debated getting a hard kayak, but they are quite heavy and very long. The previous owner had custom stainless steel racks made to carry his kayak, but noted that it was hard to get it on and off and stuck out over the front and into the cockpit. I am 6'4" so the thought of a big kayak sticking into the cockpit is just another thing to bang my head into.

I am sure there are much better kayaks out there, but it works great for our purposes.

Tim
 
Back
Top