Hi. This thread follows one I began a few weeks ago on a pending cruise to Santa Barbara Island, but which has a new focus, so I’ve started it fresh. White Cove is a recessed area, hence a “cove“, along the north coast of Santa Catalina Island just SE of Long Point, which itself is a feature maybe two miles off the mid-point between Avalon and Two Harbors. Altogether there are three distinct areas populated by moorings that the Island Company rents to boaters. White Cove is the principal one. The one to the northwest of White is Hen Rock, and the one to the southeast is Moonstone Beach. As the moorings do not extend far from shore, there is room to anchor seaward of the moorings in modestly “deep“ water, say 40 ft, and still be within the shelter the cove offers. That shelter is principally from wind out westerly quadrants and south, with some shelter from wind (and sea) from north.
It was windy early Monday morning in Avalon, wind arriving from the northwest. Unusual. We motored the 4.3 n.mi. northwest to White Cove. All three mooring fields were empty of yachts.The Harbor Master’s sailboat was the only one present. He assigned us one three or four cans northwest of him. NOAA forecast was northwest winds, 15 to 20 kt, gusting to 25, throughout the afternoon/evening into the night. The winds came from off the island and blew across our stern which was facing the island. I saw gusts to nearly 30. The NOAA update at 1600 upgraded the wind conditions to SCA in our zone until late Monday night. Nice protection!
Tuesday was a lot milder so four yachts arrived from Newport Beach by evening that day, where all anchored close to the mooring fields but seaward. Something I have not see a lot of at Catalina Island when there are plenty of moorings available.
The Wednesday wind forecast was West at 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Perfect! That put our destination home bearing about 26 deg T with true wind from the west at likely 15 kt, and with low seas. And so it was.
Departing around noon, and once beyond the sheltering effects of the Island, we saw the West wind rise steadily to 15 - 16 kt approaching mid-channel and remain there until nearing Long Beach where it increased to over 20. When I was on course (about half the time), the apparent wind was abeam, SOG in the high 7s and low 8s. But it was lumpy. Sailed into Los Alamitos Bay w/o gybing a course correction or going to a run. (It’s important to miss the sea wall coming in!). This morning both Admiral and I were totally worn out still, but happy. It was one of those rare sails where you are at the right place & right time!
I recommend White Cove.
It was windy early Monday morning in Avalon, wind arriving from the northwest. Unusual. We motored the 4.3 n.mi. northwest to White Cove. All three mooring fields were empty of yachts.The Harbor Master’s sailboat was the only one present. He assigned us one three or four cans northwest of him. NOAA forecast was northwest winds, 15 to 20 kt, gusting to 25, throughout the afternoon/evening into the night. The winds came from off the island and blew across our stern which was facing the island. I saw gusts to nearly 30. The NOAA update at 1600 upgraded the wind conditions to SCA in our zone until late Monday night. Nice protection!
Tuesday was a lot milder so four yachts arrived from Newport Beach by evening that day, where all anchored close to the mooring fields but seaward. Something I have not see a lot of at Catalina Island when there are plenty of moorings available.
The Wednesday wind forecast was West at 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Perfect! That put our destination home bearing about 26 deg T with true wind from the west at likely 15 kt, and with low seas. And so it was.Departing around noon, and once beyond the sheltering effects of the Island, we saw the West wind rise steadily to 15 - 16 kt approaching mid-channel and remain there until nearing Long Beach where it increased to over 20. When I was on course (about half the time
), the apparent wind was abeam, SOG in the high 7s and low 8s. But it was lumpy. Sailed into Los Alamitos Bay w/o gybing a course correction or going to a run. (It’s important to miss the sea wall coming in!). This morning both Admiral and I were totally worn out still, but happy. It was one of those rare sails where you are at the right place & right time!I recommend White Cove.
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