First Catalina Island Trip

Shoyrtt

Shoyrtt

Alamitos to Avalon
SILVER Sponsor
Jul 16, 2020
1,890
Alamitos Bay, CA
Boat Info
1999 450 Express Bridge, 9’ Achilles dinghy w/15hp Suzuki EFI
Engines
Caterpillar 3126TA
We just got back from our first Catalina Island trip in our 450EB. Lots of firsts for us with mooring and use of the dinghy etc. We had a wonderful time in Avalon and met lots of new friends. The plan is to head back on Wednesday for the holiday weekend. There were several other Sea Rays in the harbor, including another 450EB, a couple of 400 Sedan Bridges, and probably 4 or 5 Sundancers. We are definitely in love with our boat and the new experiences it brings.
Jim & Stacy
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thats the only thing I miss about California..... Lot of great times on our can there right next to the Submarine dock.

Enjoy
 
I always felt that one of the coolest things in boating was cruising in to Avalon and having the lifeguard boat meet you and assign a mooring. Now that you’re a pro with the mooring process it will go much easier next time.
Shawn
 
You made me go back in time... thank you. Keep an eye out for my old dock buddy and great friend Tiki Room II he is there a couple times a month. I loved that mooring and my kids grew up two weekends a month in Avalon.
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Good to hear. We’re planning on taking our new boat up there after Labor Day. How difficult is it to get a mooring in Avalon on weekends? Sounds like you can’t really reserve them, huh? Do you just head there and check with the harbor boat on arrival? I suppose if it’s full, you just head over to Two Harbors?

It’s a 70 mile trip for us, so it’d be kind of nice to have a plan...
 
Chief Ed said:
Good to hear. We’re planning on taking our new boat up there after Labor Day. How difficult is it to get a mooring in Avalon on weekends? Sounds like you can’t really reserve them, huh? Do you just head there and check with the harbor boat on arrival? I suppose if it’s full, you just head over to Two Harbors?

It’s a 70 mile trip for us, so it’d be kind of nice to have a plan...
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Typically, in the age before C-19, forget anything in Avalon Harbor in the summer. Or, I used to take my boat over from Long Beach on a Wednesday after work and sometime I could get a mooring. I would then leave the boat and take the Catalina Flyer back and then back over Friday afternoon. Often they would put me in Descanso, right outside the Harbor. About the only other thing is to cruise the harbor and ask people moored if they would accept a side-tie. Maybe offer them $50 or something. I have to admit I do not know how crowded it is during the time of the ‘rona.
 
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@Chief Ed - non-holiday weekends POST Labor Day you should be good. If Avalon is full they will put you in Descano or Hamilton which are more exposed.
 
Thanks, Hyne. We’re shooting for the weekend of the 18th. I’ll let you know how we make out...
 
That looks like a beautiful place to spend a few nights. I do have a question in regard to the mooring process in that area.


Here in our neck of the woods mooring balls are spread very far apart. With the mooring balls being that close does it ever cause issues with boats moving around at different rates from the wind? or does everyone use a stern anchor to keep the boats from moving?
 
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Chief Ed, we are back in Avalon for round 2. We were advised that Wednesday is the day to get here if you don’t own a mooring or your not a member of the Catalina Yacht Club. We got here around 11:00am and they had several spots available. They asked us how many days and we told them 4. We might end up having to move if the owner comes in. If not, we have it. If the the owner does show and nothing else is available, they will probably move us to Descano.

Andy, funny you should ask. The last time we were here, we didn’t have any issues. This time our neighbors to starboard have a friend from their club side tied to them. It’s TIGHT! I have all of my fenders out and have been adjusting the stern line to try to keep us away, but the wind isn’t helping. We actually bumped a couple of times. People don’t drop a stern anchor, the moorings have both a bow and a stern line available. They definitely pack the boats in here.
 
The have front and rear mooring blocks under water so you tie off on the front and then pick up the spreader down the side of your boat to get to the rear. Shoyrtt if you are that close call the harbor patrol and they will come over and pull you or him to spread you out. The moorings have huge chain sitting on the bottom and they can move you around quite a bit so you won't touch. My ball was on the end but when I had friends come over (which happened all the time when you own one) we used to get close to the one on my port side. They would hook onto me and pull me toward the sub dock which would move the chain on the bottom and give me an extra 10 feet of clearance. Those habor patrol guys are awesome. I was there once in a huge morning storm and we had 8 foot swells inside, boats breaking loose everywhere and they were in total control. One of the scariest moments I have ever had on a boat with my kids. But way more great night there than bad. 100 plus nights on my ball before we left for Florida in 2012. You know it is going to be a bad day when local kids are surfing at the pier, drop lines and go!!!!

If you ever want a super "detached from the world" weekend go around the back side and spend a weekend in Cat Harbor. Total different vide but insane place.
 
Shoyrtt, thanks for that. Unfortunately, that dang work thing makes it hard for me to get over there Wednesday.

We’re shooting to head over on a Thursday. Hoping after Labor Day will yield some more empty spots ar Avalon. But this Summer has been wild with all of the new COVID boaters.

Worst case, I am told we should certainly be able to get a spot at Two Harbors...
 
“Live” morning view from Avalon. Brought the boat over Wednesday. I’ll find out in about an hour whether we get to stay put or if they’ll move us to Descano. Have friends arriving this evening to side tie. Supposed to hit 100 in Avalon tomorrow
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D’oh....moved to Descano. Nice conditions presently but sure to be bad surge in the afternoon. “Live” pic:
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I love descanso but... yikes it gets rough..... Stay tight with the harbor patrol to see if they can get you back inside asap.
 
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Just finishing up night #4 on mooring 181. We met hynespa aka Patrick and his Sundancer. Great to meet boating people from the site. Our youngest daughter also came in on the Catalina Flyer to join us. We got really lucky to stay on the same can the whole time. Heading back in the morning but we had a fantastic second trip to Catalina concluding with a twilight concert.
 
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