Yet more misinformation. You can't reserve the moorings ahead of time at Avalon. It's first come, first served--unless, of course, you are the lessee.
Sailing to Catalina Island ..
- Thread starter shermanator
- Start date
Alan, I got the 3 day minimum from the Catalina Website (holiday weekend, otherwise 2 day minimum). It is related to making reservations. I searched for staying one day but could find nothing. I am glad to know that one can stay per/day.
Now the next thing I notice is from Google Earth. If one follows the coast line one will see many little coves with mooring balls. But if one goes to the website, there isn't a comprehensive list of all the mooring sites and anchorage sites. It is as if they want you to stay only in certain locations. So for a neophyte like me, this is all too confusing.
Now the next thing I notice is from Google Earth. If one follows the coast line one will see many little coves with mooring balls. But if one goes to the website, there isn't a comprehensive list of all the mooring sites and anchorage sites. It is as if they want you to stay only in certain locations. So for a neophyte like me, this is all too confusing.
Yes, it is confusing. Here is a link (ten year-old information) that has the coves listed. http://www.sailorschoice.com/Catalina/cat-moorings.htm Here is another from Google Earth. https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...S&ll=33.43595389378167,-118.455378328125&z=13
The reservation site is for the west end only. Including the minimum stay rules, for only those making reservations. Otherwise no rules, and first come first served.
https://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/two-harbors/mooring-reservations
I would like to SECOND Jssailem's post. Yes watch the weather, but S.Cal in the summer is usually pretty docile. But if this is your first big "crossing", please make sure you have a proper working VHF, maybe a backup handheld, a GPS, and sufficient life preservers on board. And watch out for those big ships in the shipping lanes. They really move along and give them plenty of room....
Have fun!
Bob
Have fun!
Bob
I stand corrected about no anchoring near Avalon, I was pretty much talking about inside.
How long you can leave your boat on a mooring ball unattended? As long as you want. In Avalon you may want fenders out if you have a powerboat upwind of you - on low tide contact between boats is pretty common if they have different windage.
I have never not found a ball available but I never I go over late Friday or Saturday.
Live mooring availability for Avalon: http://www.cityofavalon.com/content/3310/3871.aspx - And it's pretty full right now.
No live mooring for the West End stuff, but you can always check out the Two Harbors webcam and look for yourself. https://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/island-info/media/two-harbors-cam I just looked, there's 30 footers available right now - on a holiday weekend. Maybe I'll go over.. All this talk of going to the Island is making me want to go.
How long you can leave your boat on a mooring ball unattended? As long as you want. In Avalon you may want fenders out if you have a powerboat upwind of you - on low tide contact between boats is pretty common if they have different windage.
I have never not found a ball available but I never I go over late Friday or Saturday.
Live mooring availability for Avalon: http://www.cityofavalon.com/content/3310/3871.aspx - And it's pretty full right now.
No live mooring for the West End stuff, but you can always check out the Two Harbors webcam and look for yourself. https://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/island-info/media/two-harbors-cam I just looked, there's 30 footers available right now - on a holiday weekend. Maybe I'll go over.. All this talk of going to the Island is making me want to go.
As long as you don't leave town, but who's checking ? Avalon Rules etc.
7. It is illegal to leave Avalon and leave your vessel unattended.
http://www.cityofavalon.com/filestorage/3182/3209/Welcome_to_Avalon_Brochure.pdf
7. It is illegal to leave Avalon and leave your vessel unattended.
http://www.cityofavalon.com/filestorage/3182/3209/Welcome_to_Avalon_Brochure.pdf
Ok ok ok, not 100% "as long as you want," but the question really wasn't "Can I pay $40 a day for a mooring to leave my boat for a month and take the express back?" I inferred the question as "Can I go ashore for awhile and leave the boat?" Anywhere on the island it's fine to go ashore for quite awhile... Like the entire day... while the boat is on a mooring. The isthmus has this effect on me. We'll go ashore to hike, look for buffalo or foxes,etc. Well, we need to start the hike with a coupla buffalo milks cause.. well... we gotta walk by the bar anyway, may as well stop. Then maybe some hiking. Then some buffalo milks. May as well get something to eat. Something to eat goes well with a buffalo milk. Summer weekends there may be a band, so hang out to listen. Or chat with other boatie types. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Get back to the boat by whenever. I'd sure save a lot of $ if I didn't like buffalo milks so much. (For those not in socal: It's an alcoholic drink that has absolutely zero milk from a buffalo in it)
To the OP: It's an easy trip. You'll find somewhere to put your boat. Just go, you'll have a ball.
I'd sure save a lot of $ if I didn't like buffalo milks so much. (For those not in socal: It's an alcoholic drink that has absolutely zero milk from a buffalo in it)To the OP: It's an easy trip. You'll find somewhere to put your boat. Just go, you'll have a ball.
What you are describing is no problem whatsoever.Ok ok ok, not 100% "as long as you want," but the question really wasn't "Can I pay $40 a day for a mooring to leave my boat for a month and take the express back?" I inferred the question as "Can I go ashore for awhile and leave the boat?" Anywhere on the island it's fine to go ashore for quite awhile... Like the entire day... while the boat is on a mooring. The isthmus has this effect on me. We'll go ashore to hike, look for buffalo or foxes,etc. Well, we need to start the hike with a coupla buffalo milks cause.. well... we gotta walk by the bar anyway, may as well stop. Then maybe some hiking. Then some buffalo milks. May as well get something to eat. Something to eat goes well with a buffalo milk. Summer weekends there may be a band, so hang out to listen. Or chat with other boatie types. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Get back to the boat by whenever.
To the OP: It's an easy trip. You'll find somewhere to put your boat. Just go, you'll have a ball.
This may be your best bet. At the Isthmus, if you are 25 feet or under, you can often get on what they call the "string line" even on busy weekends when the moorings are sold out. $35 per night.
Some folks, and that has included us when we had our P-30 over there with guests aboard, "park" the boat on a mooring and then stay at one of the hotels for the weekend, or whatever length of time. We did this some years ago; so, I don't know if that is still permitted. You have to remember that the Harbor Master can kick you off a mooring on a few hours notice if the lessee of that mooring decides to come over. (This could present a very annoying problem if staying ashore!!) If another one is available, s/he may put you on it. If not, you're on your own--as in outta there! That also once happened to me as I related earlier. I anchored the night at Frog Rock in 25-30 ft as I also noted in an earlier post (#31).
As Rick D pointed out, you can anchor safely at Buttonshell Cove under the lee of Long Point 5 n.mi. WNW of Avalon. There are also mooring balls there administered out of Two Harbors if you do not wish to anchor. Anchoring depths are between 25 and 70 ft. Of course, if you're in 25 ft you're quite close to the shore (rocks) so some folks wish to use a stern hook. I've also anchored outside the mooring field at Hen's Rock (a tiny bit closer to Avalon), although I don't recall the depth (likely near 40 ft). IMHO it's highly preferable to be anchored on a single hook than moored there (Hen Rock) if SE weather is forecast as the lay of the mooring field puts the SE wind and sea abeam. Very ugly!!
As Rick D pointed out, you can anchor safely at Buttonshell Cove under the lee of Long Point 5 n.mi. WNW of Avalon. There are also mooring balls there administered out of Two Harbors if you do not wish to anchor. Anchoring depths are between 25 and 70 ft. Of course, if you're in 25 ft you're quite close to the shore (rocks) so some folks wish to use a stern hook. I've also anchored outside the mooring field at Hen's Rock (a tiny bit closer to Avalon), although I don't recall the depth (likely near 40 ft). IMHO it's highly preferable to be anchored on a single hook than moored there (Hen Rock) if SE weather is forecast as the lay of the mooring field puts the SE wind and sea abeam. Very ugly!!
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Suggest getting a copy of Brian Fagan's book: Cruising Guide to Central and Southern California. Get the version ISBN 0-07-137464-7. There's a cheaper version around that lacks some of the information in the one I cite.
I'm going over to Two Harbors this weekend. Leaving Friday morning before noon. I'll be calling Thursday night for a mooring reservation. We have done this before. It works well. They are really nice folks over there. We will try to get a spot in Cherry or Fourth of July but it's really just about being there and not here.
Maybe I was just crazy, but 35 years ago I sailed my Mac25 to and from Avalon and The Isthmus all the time. And, I wasn’t the only one who did so. Macgregor Boats built it for me and one of their selling points was that the Mac 25 was ideal for that type of sailing. Have general sailing conditions ie., water temperature due to “global warming”, air and wind conditions due to heaven knows what, happened over the years to make sailing such a boat (provided its been properly maintained), now unsafe????? I’d really like to know. I REALIZE THIS SUBJECT IS 2 YEARS OLD but I’d really like to know.
Can't say about the past 4 years (but I'm sure things haven't changed that much) but my wife and I sailed to 2 harbors in a Macgregor 222 several times.