Two Harbors not what it was?

[jeepbluetj]

It's not just that it's gotten expensive, it's loosing what made it fun to go. (Like Descanso before it). It's not as friendly. Not as "just a bunch of boat heads hanging out" type of place. It's becoming yet another "remove as much $$$ from visitors before you kick em out" kinda place. We've got enough of those - go to Disneyland or something. Kinda like I want to travel where there isn't a Starbucks. 'Cause places without Starbucks are cooler and more original than those that have them.

Oh, and a 40% price increase in a year does rub me the wrong way, no matter how much money I've got in the boat.

 

[Kings Gambit]

It's not just that it's gotten expensive, it's loosing what made it fun to go. (Like Descanso before it). It's not as friendly. Not as "just a bunch of boat heads hanging out" type of place. It's becoming yet another "remove as much $$$ from visitors before you kick em out" kinda place. We've got enough of those - go to Disneyland or something. Kinda like I want to travel where there isn't a Starbucks. 'Cause places without Starbucks are cooler and more original than those that have them.

Oh, and a 40% price increase in a year does rub me the wrong way, no matter how much money I've got in the boat.

Cruise to Santa Barbara or Santa Cruz island. No concessions, no mooring balls, no cabanas; totally free if you stay in the NPS areas.

 

[windward54]

Cruise to Santa Barbara or Santa Cruz island. No concessions, no mooring balls, no cabanas; totally free if you stay in the NPS areas.

And a permit doesn't cost that much. Only problem with Santa Barbara Island is the pier still hasn't been repaired. The NPS has no schedule yet. So there is no way to get on the island.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Yeah. The last time I was there at SBI, Memorial Day weekend of 2016, we just stayed on the boat(s) other than to take the dink for putt-putts sight-seeing along the shore or fishing in kelp areas. If you go with a small group you can visit on each other's boats; e.g., round-robin dinners if three boats and three nights at anchor. Unless there is good ice aboard, just need to substitute cold (refrigerated) beer or wine for Buffalo Milk! A landing permit is required only if going ashore on Nature Conservancy property, which is the western 2/3 of Santa Cruz Island. It's $30 for 30 days, or $70 for an annual (i.e., calendar year), permit the cost of which is tax deductible. Less than the cost of a mooring ball for one or two nights, respectively, at Catalina Island. What irks some, I've heard, is that no pets are allowed on the NPS/Conservancy island properties. If you travel with a pet/pets (dog), then your daily walking routine would need to be adjusted accordingly. Of course, I occasionally do see folks with their dogs on the Conservancy beaches which are not "patrolled" as they are at the NPS island beaches/campgrounds. It's also so strange to hear some people bitch about the permit. The people who will pay $60/night for a mooring, dock or ball, in crowded places surrounded by racket then whine about a maximum cost of $1/night to anchor and go ashore in a pristine area. And as I said, if you do not go ashore on NC property then you do not need a permit at all.

 

[windward54]

While you were at SBI, we were anchored in Scorpion.

I had no problem paying for the permit, and the money does go to a good cause. And no pets are allowed on any NPS areas of the Channel Islands as well. Everyone where we were complied!

 

[jeepbluetj]

Cruise to Santa Barbara or Santa Cruz island. No concessions, no mooring balls, no cabanas; totally free if you stay in the NPS areas.

I completely agree. It's just a loooooong trip from Dana Point, need more than a weekend.

 

[plindholm]

I am headed there Thursday. To be clear, the beach is still open and free. The palapas and beach chairs are above the little wall. We've always been down below the wall, as has pretty much everyone else. They basically took the picnic table area away.

I'm not totally against it. The pricing may bite them in the *ss, but it does harken back to an earlier time at Two Harbors. And it was the SC Island Company who implemented the changes, not a third party company. The Island Co has invested a lot to try to draw more tourists to the island. As a boater, I'm not thrilled about that, but I completely understand why they are doing that.

As for anchoring, yes, you better have a powerful windlass with a lot of chain/rode, because most of the anchoring spots are 90'+.

 

[wilf]

I was there for the 2nd time last weekend , 1st time was the first week in june it was nice and quiet, but last weekend it was a lot busier but not as busy as avalon, i never went before it was kinda remodeled but my neighbor says its not like it used to be, we enjoyed it though there was a band playing through the day, a Dj played till nearly midnight on saturday though we were on the other side of the pier from the bar and could still hear it so must have been loud on the other side, beach wasnt nearly as packed as avalon is

 

[Rick D]

Just returned from our second trip. All the cabanas were rented Sunday and the dining tables were full even on Monday, so maybe they are on to something. They did have a wedding there so it may have helped. Please don't belly ache to the poor security folks. I heard one say his ears were beginning to ring. I think this is blown up a bit. I seriously don't think it's a big deal.

 

[walt]

Still busy, still nice. These pictures were all taken today

 

[jeepbluetj]

Ahhh. Maybe I'm the old "get off of my lawn" guy. But what I love(ed) about Two Harbors was the laid-back atmosphere. Just absolutely island time. The new stuff kinda quells that.

I'm going over tomorrow (not to two harbors, to a boat-in campsite). But the Wife and I will be going to Two Harbors in a few weeks. I'll relay what the Wife thinks of the new changes as her word is as good as (deity of your choice).

Heck, I'll still go no matter what, as Santa Cruz and Anacapa is so far away for me. Or... Better yet, maybe I could get a real boat and head down the coast to MX and beyond...

 

[CaptKimble]

The Admiral and I went over for the Catalina Rendevous. We had a good time but when we are there we spend most of our time on the boat. It's the best "on the water" hotel room we will ever stay at.

 

[Levin]

Hello all,

So I just got back from the Two Harbors trip. Thanks again for everyone's input on this thread. My take is that it's not what it once was, but perhaps I had a different sense of what I remembered from years ago. In the past this was a small sleepy town that few people would travel to over Avalon. Perhaps I was just always there off-season, but it seemed a lot more packed than I remember. I was able to anchor so that was nice to get t skip the mooring ball fees (I was on the south side of Isthmus Cove near the beach with the campgrounds) and it didn't seem too bad in that location other than the wind, which was really blowing while we were out there.

My take on the "improvements" is that Two Harbors is trying to be something it's not, or at the very least something it's not yet become. It seems like they are trying to make the place fancy, which is the opposite of what I remember Two Harbors being. In the past it was just this quaint place that didn't take itself too seriously, but now it's trying to be a resort, without unfortunately the skill to pull it off. For example Harbor Sands (the one restaurant there) used to be this place that you came to have a laid back dinner if you didn't want to cook. I'm sure it was never cheap as nothing on the island is, but it was a friendly restaurant that had a rustic small town feel. Now it's still a bit of the same place, but with much higher prices, fancier meal options, but still the same amount of skill that they had in the past at cooking which means you pay a lot more for not very well prepared meals and poor service. Basically I feel like they are stuck between worlds right now, wanting to be fancy, charging like they really are fancy, but not getting it together in a way that really convinces anyone.

So in the end I think we all decided that next year if we go back to Catalina we'll be going to Avalon. We'll wait for Two Harbors to either go back to being a nice laid back town or truly make the shift to being a resort, but right now it's just not really good at either.

Take care,
-Levin

 

[CaptKimble]

The Admiral and I took a couple of days at the Isthmus last weekend. Spent most of our time on the boat. Went and got some ice and ice cream and danced for an hour or so Saturday night. I'm not going to complain about the price of drinks since everything there has to be shipped over. My one complaint would be why on earth do they allow youngsters in the bar area after 9 PM? The folks who run the place are very very nice and welcoming and I go there to spend time on my boat away from the hustle and bustle. Yes its more tourist than it used to be but any company has to make money or why bother?

 

[Richard19068]

I know it is just a terrible place but is anybody going this weekend?

 

[reworb]

Used to live in Newport Beach the wife and I would go there at least 3 times a year. It looks like it has changed but still looks great I wish it were here even in it's present form; there is nothing like it on the Southwest coast of Florida. Just be happy it's there we miss it. I'm reminded of a Yogi Bera saying: "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded"

 

[marke14]

We will be there on Friday, my first sailing voyage to the Island, and my personal first time at Two Harbors. I will share my "first timer" impressions here in about a week's time.

This will also be my first overnight trip in the boat, first time at a mooring, etc.

 

[CaptKimble]

I'm sure you will have a great time Marke. It's especially nice this time of year. We plan on a trip the first weekend of October.

 

[jeepbluetj]

I promised to post the DW's take from our recent trip.

She said "I don't like the changes much, but the Island Company will do whatever the Island Company wants, it's their island."

She also said even if we were zillionares we would never rent one of the cabanas.

 

[jeepbluetj]

(Bad form posting 2 in a row... sorry y'all)

Marke14: Review the mooring procedures with your crew. (there's pics on the island websites) Bring gloves for the 'slime line.' The winds at the isthmus are often a bit sporty, making the speed of the mooring pickup somewhat important. I always have a fender sitting in the cockpit in case stuff goes all pear shaped. The Harbor Patrol is usually very happy to help at two harbors, don't hesitate to ask for an assist if you need it. CH 9 on the vhf, not 16.

I'm also planning a trip early Oct or late Sept. We were planning Cuba (via Airbus, not a boat) in a few weeks, but that's out for obvious reasons. Maybe a SBO rally at some time if the dates work out.