Sailing to Catalina Island ..

Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Well, KG, I'll just summarize the data from my log book (just for the Ericson 26 that I've owned since 2012).
I make frequent trips to Catalina, not all of them to the Isthmus. (I also frequent Avalon and, to a lesser extent, Cat Harbor.) But I have made 19 trips to the Isthmus specifically on this boat. (Realize that when I leave in the late morning the wind has often not come up, which explains some of the trips where I begin by motoring and finish by sailing.)

Of these:
3 trips where I sailed 100% of the way, laid the Isthmus on one tack.
4 trips where I sailed the last half or more of the way, laid the Isthmus on one tack.
1 trip where I sailed 2/3 of the way but was only able to point within 10-deg. of the Isthmus
2 trips where I motored but clearly could have sailed because there was sufficient wind from the correct direction to lay the Isthmus on one tack. (Don't rag on me for this, guys! In one case I was in the process of swapping out a traveler, and in the other I felt sick and just wanted to get there!)
5 trips where I motored the entire way because there was no wind.
4 trips where there was wind but I motored the entire way because the wind was on the nose.

Well, there you have it!
--Alan
I agree that over period of 4 to 5 yr one should see at least a few times winds of a westerly (to northwesterly) enough direction in summer to be favorable for laying the isthmus. It's happened for me too; just not often in 15 yr of sailing out of Long Beach/Los Angeles. *LOL* It's just your statement: ...I sail out of San Pedro and go to the Isthmus all the time, and in the prevailing weather I can typically lay the Isthmus without a problem.--that I questioned--i.e., in the prevailing summer winds (?), which is what the OP requested information on. If the "prevailing conditions" are from the WNW, N, NE, E, SE, then no hay problema, but we see that mostly in other seasons.
 
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Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
I agree that over period of 4 to 5 yr one should see at least a few times winds of a westerly (to northwesterly) enough direction in summer to be favorable for laying the isthmus. It's happened for me too; just not often in 15 yr of sailing out of Long Beach/Los Angeles. *LOL* It's just the your statement: ...I sail out of San Pedro and go to the Isthmus all the time, and in the prevailing weather I can typically lay the Isthmus without a problem.--that I questioned-- in the prevailing summer winds, which is what the OP requested information on.
I agree that over period of 4 to 5 yr one should see at least a few times winds of a westerly (to northwesterly) enough direction in summer to be favorable for laying the isthmus. It's happened for me too; just not often in 15 yr of sailing out of Long Beach/Los Angeles. *LOL* It's just your statement: ...I sail out of San Pedro and go to the Isthmus all the time, and in the prevailing weather I can typically lay the Isthmus without a problem.--that I questioned--i.e., in the prevailing summer winds, which is what the OP requested information on. If the "prevailing conditions" are from the WNW, N, NE, E, SE, then no hay problema, but we see that in other seasons.
Well, KG, you are correct. I did not pay sufficient attention to the fact that you (and I suppose he) were limiting your concern to summers. So I--wrongly--was thinking about what holds, in my experience, for most of the year, not for the limited summer window.
Personally, I hate Catalina in the summers and usually avoid it. About the only time I go is when I have someone who really wants me to take them over and that's the only time they can do it. I might go once or at most twice in a summer, sometimes not at all. (I have no plans to go this summer.) Catalina is simply marvelous in the summer, if your idea of a good time is wall-to-wall boats with people running noisy generators and blasting loud music. No thanks. So other than about two or three months of the year, I'm over there an awful lot, and so what I said holds for those 9 or so months, FWIW.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Catalina is simply marvelous in the summer, if your idea of a good time is wall-to-wall boats with people running noisy generators and blasting loud music. No thanks. So other than about two or three months of the year, I'm over there an awful lot, and so what I said holds for those 9 or so months, FWIW.
On this we can agree!!:dancing: The only escape in summer is to go to Cat Harbor and anchor out by the entrance.
 
May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
i'm relearning. thank you. feeling stupid. i'll get over it.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
feeling stupid
Jon,.. I used that phrase the other day and was admonishied. It is "having temporary mental deficiencies" .... Then I got in real trouble. "Well, That is just STUPID"...

I'll probably never learn.
 
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May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
it has been said that you learn from your mistakes. if true i should be the smartest man in the world. i'm not
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Jon, I heard it "learn from the mistakes of others..." or something like that. It sure feels safer.
 
Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
I read that staying in Avalon or actually any of the harbors, it is a minimum 3 day stay. Is that true. There are no "overnighter" unless you pay for 3 days. Was it like $75/day or something like that? Showing total ignorance on this one. I also read that one can drop the hook but must be 100 yards from the last mooring ball. Too many rules. LOL
 
Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
They have never made me pay for more days than I am staying but I don't go unless I'm going to stay at least 2 nights. Does that make it 3 days?....
 
Jan 18, 2016
782
Catalina 387 Dana Point
All moorings are by the day. The 3 day thing may be for getting a reservation at Two Harbors, and that adds another $25 to the fee. I've often gotten one for just one day, particularly at Avalon.

The 100 yards thing is true at Two Harbors. Nobody ever anchors at Avalon, there's nowhere to anchor. Cat Harbor (back side) has some good spots to anchor.

Fees are dependent on length.
Two Harbors: https://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/camping-boating/two-harbors-boating/mooring-fees
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
All moorings are by the day. The 3 day thing may be for getting a reservation at Two Harbors, and that adds another $25 to the fee. I've often gotten one for just one day, particularly at Avalon.

The 100 yards thing is true at Two Harbors. Nobody ever anchors at Avalon, there's nowhere to anchor. Cat Harbor (back side) has some good spots to anchor.

Fees are dependent on length.
Two Harbors: https://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/camping-boating/two-harbors-boating/mooring-fees
At Two Harbors on the front side, folks (usually power boaters) anchor in less than 30 ft at Little Fisherman's Cove on the eastern edge of Isthmus Cove; but in westerly winds it's not comfortable. Near Avalon, maybe a mile toward Long Point, you can anchor in 20 to 30 ft at a place locally known as Frog Rock. It can be spotted by the derelicts occasionally moored there. It's not bad. I once got kicked off my Avalon mooring while waiting for the admiral's ferry from Long Beach to arrive so she could join me. I anchored there temporarily, then fetched her to the sailboat later that afternoon from a passenger loading dock in Avalon Harbor. One other time we spent the night there.
 
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Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Yeah, that's right. It was reservations. Having never been there, not even by ferry, I am not familiar with the ins and outs. Would love to go there. Have solo'd to San Diego, Mission Bay, Dana Point, but never to any of the islands. One day, one day.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Get a couple of friends to share costs and then charter out of Long Beach. No need to wait; life's short!:wink: This becomes increasing evident as you see friends of many years and family passing on with increasing frequency.:sosad:
 
Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
I read that staying in Avalon or actually any of the harbors, it is a minimum 3 day stay. Is that true. There are no "overnighter" unless you pay for 3 days. Was it like $75/day or something like that? Showing total ignorance on this one. I also read that one can drop the hook but must be 100 yards from the last mooring ball. Too many rules. LOL
Nope. There is no minimum stay.
 
Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
All moorings are by the day. The 3 day thing may be for getting a reservation at Two Harbors, and that adds another $25 to the fee. I've often gotten one for just one day, particularly at Avalon.

The 100 yards thing is true at Two Harbors. Nobody ever anchors at Avalon, there's nowhere to anchor. Cat Harbor (back side) has some good spots to anchor.

Fees are dependent on length.
Two Harbors: https://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/camping-boating/two-harbors-boating/mooring-fees
People do anchor at Avalon, but the anchorage is very deep and not especially well protected. Specifically, they either anchor off of Descanso or up just a bit farther west toward Frog Rock. Some also anchor to the east of the harbor entrance (past Lover's Cove) as well.
 
Jun 25, 2016
11
Macgregor 25 los angeles
Very cool thanks for all the information , it does a great help.
I was thinking of anchoring there as i've heard it can be difficult to reserve mooring. I was told you could anchor in the inner Avalon harbor with anything under 30ft... Or you could always anchor in the outer Avalon harbor as well plus Two Harbors and a few other places. They say it's at your own risk, has anyone every experienced any trouble anchoring at any of those locations?
 

Rick D

.
Jun 14, 2008
7,131
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
Very cool thanks for all the information , it does a great help.
I was thinking of anchoring there as i've heard it can be difficult to reserve mooring. I was told you could anchor in the inner Avalon harbor with anything under 30ft... Or you could always anchor in the outer Avalon harbor as well plus Two Harbors and a few other places. They say it's at your own risk, has anyone every experienced any trouble anchoring at any of those locations?
You cannot anchor inside Avalon. Outside, yes. The biggest issue is how deep the anchorages are and how much kelp is on the bottom. I have anchored out but it tends to be sloppy around Descanso. And, you wouldn't want to leave the boat unattended. Better in Two harbors or near Long Point. Cat Harbor is the best, but it is around the back side. I have anchored off Emerald, in Isthmus by the camp ground and in Cat, and Avalon. If I were you, I'd try for the line moorings in Isthmus.
 
Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
Very cool thanks for all the information , it does a great help.
I was thinking of anchoring there as i've heard it can be difficult to reserve mooring. I was told you could anchor in the inner Avalon harbor with anything under 30ft... Or you could always anchor in the outer Avalon harbor as well plus Two Harbors and a few other places. They say it's at your own risk, has anyone every experienced any trouble anchoring at any of those locations?
I wonder where all this misinformation about Catalina comes from--like the stuff about 3 day mooring minimums or anchoring inside if less than 30'? None of this is true and it never has been.
If you want to get the harbor regulations direct from the horse's mouth, look here: http://www.cityofavalon.com/content/3182/3209/
 
Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
You cannot anchor inside Avalon. Outside, yes. The biggest issue is how deep the anchorages are and how much kelp is on the bottom. I have anchored out but it tends to be sloppy around Descanso. And, you wouldn't want to leave the boat unattended. Better in Two harbors or near Long Point. Cat Harbor is the best, but it is around the back side. I have anchored off Emerald, in Isthmus by the camp ground and in Cat, and Avalon. If I were you, I'd try for the line moorings in Isthmus.
Good advice.
 
Jun 25, 2016
11
Macgregor 25 los angeles
Thanks for the info ..
It looks like the closest anchoring to Avalon is just outside Descanso Bay , but reserving mooring doesn't look too bad either for $37 / night for 30' and under. Reserving ahead of time seems to be the number one thing everything say's or you may be out of luck.

How long would you say is an OK amount of time to leave your boat unattended at mooring?