We lined up transportation on a Sea Scout boat (the "Volunteer") from the Orange County Boy Scout Council -- great fun (it's a converted WWII fire boat, about 50' in length -- very seaworthy-its been to Alaska- but it's not fast)! I brought 3 of my boats on the Volunteer with us (a Necky Narpa and 2 Scupper Pro SOT's).

We arranged for Descanso Beach Ocean Sports (DBOS) in Avalon to meet us with the remaining boats Saturday morning at the base of the pier at Isthmus Cove. There was a $55 delivery fee which I thought was more than reasonable in light of the convenience (it came out to about $4 per renter). DBOS delivered Ocean Kayak Cabo's (tandem SOT's) for my scouts which was fine since they practiced on the mainland side in SOT's. I know that you can rent decked boats from DBOS for a reasonable cost, especially if you consider the alternative (and hassle) of trying to get your own boat and equipment over from the mainland. DBOS' boats, paddles and PFD's were in very good shape. [DBOS was extremely helpful in planning the trip. I highly recommend that you contact them if a Catalina trip is in your future, even if you don't use their services -- they are very much willing to help other kayakers and have a lot of free hand out flyers with maps, information about camping on the island, the barge from Wilmington, costs, etc. Mary, who takes care of DBOS' Group Sales, is a real sweetheart and also is in charge of the reservations for the Island's primitive boat-in-only campsites between Avalon and Two Harbors. Can't say enough good things about DBOS.]

It took us 5+ hrs. to get from Newport Beach on the Volunteer (I said it was slow) to Two Harbors. The good news: the last 20 minutes before we got to Two Harbors we were treated by a sight that was worth the wait--because of the phosphorescence at that time of year (September), the pod of dolphins who swam with and around us as we approached Two Harbors stirred up innumerable beautiful "phosphorescent trails" beneath, abeam and ahead of the boat. We slept on the boat anchored off of Little Fisherman's Cove Friday night. After a hearty breakfast, I met Mary who was on time with the 6 Cabo's and equipment. After waving adieu we paddled back to the Volunteer, loaded our gear and paddled to Little Fisherman's Cove to repack. Caution: all along the coast to Avalon, whenever we stopped, we had to contend with yellow jackets. No one was bitten but they can get annoying.

At around 10:00 AM, under low clouds, we launched from Little Fsherman's Cove and headed toward Blue Cavern Pt. (before leaving for the trip I picked up a Franko's Map of Catalina Island from the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach - about $9. Highly recommended--its plastic coated, shows all the dive and snorkeling spots, campgrounds, phone nos., roads, etc. Nautical charts are a little overkill for this short a trip in kayaks). It took us only about 15 minutes to get to Blue Cavern Pt. but what a great start! In this area the water is as blue and clear as anything you'll see in Hawaii or the Caribbean. You can clearly see the bottom and we saw many schools of small, grey fish, Garibaldi, urchins, etc. It's breathtaking. There is a deep sea cave about 200' long that is great fun to navigate. In the middle it gets very narrow (you can't extend your paddle, but have to pull your way along the side for a bit). I wish we had lingered longer at Blue Cavern Pt. and I recommend that you don't rush this early part of this trip.

We poceeded easterly towards Avalon; although the geology of the shore looks alot like the shore off of Malibu and Palos Verdes (sans the development), its different than the mainland in that you can paddle very close to the shore and not run into beach--it drops off much more steeply than the mainland (it's very similar to Santa Cruz Island in this regard).

There was little or no wind by late morning and the seas were relatively flat -- easy paddling. We passed the Quarry, Empire Landing and Ripper's Cove, where we stopped for a snack. The "beaches" are really very rocky and alot like the rocky beaches of Palos Verdes Peninsula around Long Pt. Bring water shoes -- landings will be a lot easier. We resumed paddling and stopped at the pimitive campground at Little Gibraltar Pt. All of the boat-in, primitive campgrounds on Catalina have fairly new, very nice wooden picnic tables...and lots of yellow jackets!

Campgrounds are available for day use if not otherwise occupied, but overnight camping requires a fee. There is a ranger who patrols the area in a boat and checks permits and registration. Call Mary at DBOS to reserve and pay for campsites.

After lunch some of us went snorkeling just as the sun was coming out. The snorkeling was terrific -- all kinds of sea life, much, much more than just the ubiquitous Garibaldi. With as many bass and other such fish as we saw, I always wondered why they wouldn't bite for the fishermen in our group. We started paddling again Eastbound and passed some of the other campgrounds, including Goat Harbor where the ranger is based. That campground area has some sand. Around Twin Rocks you enter the area called Italian Gardens. I like this area alot because it was very sandy and had what to me looked like the nicest camping areas...and there were no other boaters anchored in the area, very idyllic. If I camp on shore next time, I'm eyeing Italian Gardens. Be mindful that the various primitive campgrounds on this stretch of Catalina Island are "primitive"...everything (everything!) must be packed in and out (bring the "boom boxes" and/or plastic shopping bags, no slit trenches either), a real "leave no trace" rule. No open fires are allowed anymore due to the fire hazard (there were some serious fires about 3 yrs. ago).

We paddled just past Long Pt. and were reunited with the Volunteer which had spent the day fishing with its crew (no luck), just outside Pirate's Cove. Up until Long Pt., we hadn't seen all that many boats, but after rounding Long Pt., it was like being back on the mainland with dozens of all kinds of craft moored and anchored around Pirates Cove and Buttonshell Beach. Another reason to "rough it" at one of the more remote campgrounds. We all retired early after a rib-sticking barbecue dinner on the Volunteer.

After breakfast we paddled back to Long Pt. to do some more snorkeling -- again a marvellous spot (lots of sea life and not very deep, lots of light to see clearly; no surge or cloudiness). That it was a great spot was confirmed just as we were repacking to leave Long Pt. -- up pulled two dive boats with loads of divers.

The remaining short trip to Avalon was uneventful, more of the same great scenery and snorkelling spots -- only as you get closer to Avalon things get predictably more crowded. We paddled to the Volunteer anchored off of Descanso Beach (just West of the Casino) and I towed the boats and rented equipment (PFDs, some snorkeling equipment, wetsuits) back to DBOS. Thank you DBOS, again. The total trip (Two Harbors to Avalon) is only about 11 to 12 miles, and can easily be done in 1 day if you have to. But why? We wanted to enjoy what the island had to offer -- snorkelling, fishing, swimming, paddling, etc. --along the way. Take your time.

We left for Newport Beach around 12:30 PM after lunch under a bright sun. Just as we were about 5 miles from the Newport Beach jetty, we sited a pair of Humpbacked Whales that cooperated by showing off their spouting skills and one dramatic breach not too far from the boat. The last we saw of them was one perfect Kodak-moment with a dive with both flukes clearly visible as the whale appeared to be goiing straight down. What a great finish!

The Scouts in our Patrol have just asked me when we're going again and one of them has actually volunteered to organize it! One of these days I want to circumnavigate the whole island if I can find some experienced paddler-campers who also want to do it...and if I can carve out the time. Its supposed to be about 52 miles. There are a number of campgrounds on the backside, but they are much fewer in number.

    Sandy Mayuga