This was our day to visit Catalina. Since the earliest ferry reservations we were able to get one day in advance didn't leave Long Beach until about 3:00, we began the day with a leisurely breakfast on the strand & a walk along Hermosa Beach Pier.
The island of Catalina is 22 miles long and 8 miles across at its greatest width. The island is located about 22 miles (35 km) south-southwest of LA. The highest point on the island is 2,097 feet, at the top of Mt. Orizaba.
Catalina was developed into a popular resort destination after it was purchased by the Wrigley family, in 1919. From 1927 until 1937, pottery and tile were made on the island at the Catalina Clay Products company, and these items are now sought-after collectibles. The Chicago Cubs, also owned by Wrigley, used the island for the team's spring training from 1921-1951, except for the war years of 1942-45.
We explored the streets of Avalon a bit.
The strand.
Golf carts are the island's main form of transportation, and can be rented for $40 / hr. Few cars on the island - no rentals. ... Uh, we'll take the tour bus, thanks. : )
Ah, yes. The bus! Co-pilot Zach for the trip out. Co-pilot AJ for the trip back.
The tour bus takes you up some remarkably steep and twisting, narrow roads, leading up, above the town. Gorgeous views. Rocky cliffs. Dramatic drops (especially straight down from the bus window).
Nearing the top of the first 'mountain', the tour passes through a gate into a restricted area (the vast majority of the island is a nature conservancy). Off to the right of this photo is the beginning of the zip line, a drop of 500 feet to 60 feet above sea level, close to three quarters of a mile long, over five consecutive zip lines at heights of 300 feet above the canyon floor at speeds pushing 45mph. Whew! Uh, back to the bus ...
The interior of the island is mostly wilderness, protected by the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy.
Catalina has served as the landscape in more than 500 Hollywood productions, from The Ten Commandments & Ben Hur (1920's), to Apollo 13 (1995) and beyond.
In December 1924, 14 buffalo were shipped to Catalina island for use in filming the motion picture, "The Vanishing American," early the following spring. After the picture was completed they were turned loose to live off the land. Now they number around 400. They're a little camera shy.
The turning point for our tour was the Catalina airport.
The airport is a sleepy little building with a tourist shop and cafe. They were just setting up live music on the back deck overlooking the valley below. Later in the evening they bus people up for dinner under the stars.
On our trip back down the 'mountain', an apparently notorious raven kept swooping from tree to tree, to within a few feet of the bus windows. Very dramatic. Could have something to do with the leftover goodies from the airport cafe with which he is generally rewarded.
Clouds were settling in as we, once again, neared Avalon.
The Chimes Tower was presented as a gift to the town of Avalon by Mrs. Ada Wrigley. The chimes have been tolling on the quarter of the hour between 8:00am and 8:00pm since 1925
An example of some of the famous painted porcelain tiles made on the island.
A quick dinner on the town pier.
As the sun set, we made our way back to the ferry pier, and on to home.
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