Avalon
I can't believe the people that have contacted me over this blog thing. Mike Marano, a guy I've wanted to connect with for years (which is hard because we live hundreds of miles apart) even Steve Ficke...how is this happening? I'm really quite amazed. I guess they're linking from scooter or Dave T., but whatever, I now have a readership of six.
And Scott, yes, I have gotten transparent here, more than ever expected. But hey, that's the best way I know out and up. And living in the mountains makes it very hard. I don't have the kind of support and meetings I used to, so I have this. Recovery meeting and self-publication press all in one. Those that don't like will read and leave.
I really do write for myself mostly. Even the theological diatribes. Those are things it feels good to get out of my head and onto paper. I'd like to write a full response to Hume's On Miracles eventually, but for now I have lots to say in and outside the faith. Not to mention the shit I shovel.
Well, on a fresher note: my stepson just scuba certified. If you have not had the chance to dive, ah, I recommend it highly. Some people really can't get past the fear factor, fair enough. I know that all too well in other areas. But for some reason scuba has never wigged me, and it is one of the great activities in my life (and one I don't get to do often enough). My son's class was crammed into one busy week and then before I drove him down to his dad's for the summer we spent three days on Catalina where he got his first ocean dives. This post is about that town.
I really do believe Catalina to be a magical place. Now I know it costs a lot of money for the boat, and then you get there and walk around for about ten minutes and what do you see: a crappy beach (with the left side of the pier often closed for swimming these days; the inside source tells me the waste dna is in fact human) overpriced restaurants and trinket shops. You ride the glass bottom boat, get seasick, buy a sweatshirt for forty bucks and take the boat back. What is so great about that?
May I suggest another way?
There are some things you really must do in Catalina: one, if you are a man, find Lolo the barber and get a haircut and most certainly a shave. Just ask around where he is; he's right where the busses load for the tours. Lolo is the last real barber I know, and a shave from him is a rare thing in this twenty-first century. And it costs just ten bucks, same as the haircut. I always overtip Lolo; you may continue the tradition if you wish. He's one of the few people on the island who actually earns his tip.
You must get inside the Casino. If you don't want to pay the money for the tour, just go to the 7:00 evening movie; you'll only see the bottom half, but still.... Arrive early so you can explore the interior. That is probably the most amazing building in California, and worth the boat trip alone.
For beach dwelling, walk past the Casino (or take a shuttle in summer or a taxi for a few bucks) to Descanso beach. Ah, gonzoed at Descanso. I don't do this as much as the old days, but even though it costs a buck fifty or something to go on the beach, it's worth it. It's the best place to snorkel in Avalon (Lover's is pretty but lookout for the boats) and they serve you some of the best food in town right on the beach, not to mention full bar. If you want to get buzzed in Avalon try a mai tai at Descanso; if you want to get buzzed and full try a Buffalo's milk. But forget that crappy beach by the pier. Try Descanso. And if you want solitude, head to Pebbly Beach, the other direction. It's, uh, pebbly, but natural, isolated and quite beautiful; also a good snorkel. If you want to kayak, rent at Descanso; take a tour if you're new. Don't get those ridiculous overpriced paddle boats on the green pier that you can't take out of the harbor.
To eat, do Buffalo Nickel at Pebbly Beach to dodge the tourists, or Topless Tacoes on a budget, or picnic from the Vons, or eat at Blue Parrot for dinner. The pizza at Antonio's is pretty good, but really, there are a score of restaurants in a tiny area. Explore. Buy and try. Busy Bee is pretty good. For desert, I'd do Cold Stone Creamery over Olaf's any day.
The only other tours I recommend are the interior tour and the semi-submersible and the flying fish. But these cost money. A lot. I admit I've never had to pay. But I would.
And you can always camp. About a mile up the canyon from Avalon is Hermit Gulch campground. My ex-patriot home. For those with the fortitude to camp (and I vacillate on this as I age) the smells in that canyon are exquisite. The walk back up at night is glorious, if a little long. And there is a trailhead at the back of the campground that goes up and provides a beautiful view of Avalon. Bring water, and know what poison oak looks like and rattlesnakes sound like. On the hiking thing: the fact is that 88 percent of the island belongs to the Conservancy and is wild. Truly. See some if you can.
For sleeping at the campsite on the weekend or in summer, maybe earplugs or ambien or meclazine (good anyway for those of us who get seasick) though it's been much quieter at night this year. I slept great all three nights.
It's not cheap for camping (twelve buck a person I think) and you can probably stay in the Atwater for not a whole lot more if you like four walls and and wish to forgoe the cost of taxi trips to and from the campground. If you have a significant other, try the St. Lauren--back from the main beach, quiet, beautiful, romantic, and worth every penny.
I've covered enough for a three day weekend anyway. You can also try Two Harbors, but you have to either camp or stay in the Banning House which is a little pricey. Two Harbors is a village, really, on the west end of the island with an outdoor bar and a great restaurant. Lots of boaters, but ocean boaters, not lake mead or river boaters; different breed.
And if you dive, well, Casino Point is always open and cheap. I think it costs less to take dive boats from Long Beach or Pedro or wherever to dive the same spots the island boats hit, but there are boats out of Avalon also. Try Scuba Luv.
And whatever you do, don't rent a golf cart!
And lastly, O readers, if you ever find yourself at the The Boar's Nest you will have reached the pinnacle of island proletarian insiderness in my opinion. I consider myself a very fortunate charter member, though perhaps of adjunct status; the builder was my dive cert. buddy. Yes, it needs a new website. The Nest and its web presence have been abandoned most of a year, but things are reviving. I can't really describe the Nest, except to thank Will for taking over, and hoping that the powers that be (and they are many in a town so small) don't succeed in shutting it down.
Well, I've said enough. Catalina can be very expensive, but there are ways to go on the cheap, and the beauty of the clear sea is something mind-boggling to those who have not seen it. It ain't the Caymans, but it sure ain't Long Beach Harbor. Enjoy.
And Scott, yes, I have gotten transparent here, more than ever expected. But hey, that's the best way I know out and up. And living in the mountains makes it very hard. I don't have the kind of support and meetings I used to, so I have this. Recovery meeting and self-publication press all in one. Those that don't like will read and leave.
I really do write for myself mostly. Even the theological diatribes. Those are things it feels good to get out of my head and onto paper. I'd like to write a full response to Hume's On Miracles eventually, but for now I have lots to say in and outside the faith. Not to mention the shit I shovel.
Well, on a fresher note: my stepson just scuba certified. If you have not had the chance to dive, ah, I recommend it highly. Some people really can't get past the fear factor, fair enough. I know that all too well in other areas. But for some reason scuba has never wigged me, and it is one of the great activities in my life (and one I don't get to do often enough). My son's class was crammed into one busy week and then before I drove him down to his dad's for the summer we spent three days on Catalina where he got his first ocean dives. This post is about that town.
I really do believe Catalina to be a magical place. Now I know it costs a lot of money for the boat, and then you get there and walk around for about ten minutes and what do you see: a crappy beach (with the left side of the pier often closed for swimming these days; the inside source tells me the waste dna is in fact human) overpriced restaurants and trinket shops. You ride the glass bottom boat, get seasick, buy a sweatshirt for forty bucks and take the boat back. What is so great about that?
May I suggest another way?
There are some things you really must do in Catalina: one, if you are a man, find Lolo the barber and get a haircut and most certainly a shave. Just ask around where he is; he's right where the busses load for the tours. Lolo is the last real barber I know, and a shave from him is a rare thing in this twenty-first century. And it costs just ten bucks, same as the haircut. I always overtip Lolo; you may continue the tradition if you wish. He's one of the few people on the island who actually earns his tip.
You must get inside the Casino. If you don't want to pay the money for the tour, just go to the 7:00 evening movie; you'll only see the bottom half, but still.... Arrive early so you can explore the interior. That is probably the most amazing building in California, and worth the boat trip alone.
For beach dwelling, walk past the Casino (or take a shuttle in summer or a taxi for a few bucks) to Descanso beach. Ah, gonzoed at Descanso. I don't do this as much as the old days, but even though it costs a buck fifty or something to go on the beach, it's worth it. It's the best place to snorkel in Avalon (Lover's is pretty but lookout for the boats) and they serve you some of the best food in town right on the beach, not to mention full bar. If you want to get buzzed in Avalon try a mai tai at Descanso; if you want to get buzzed and full try a Buffalo's milk. But forget that crappy beach by the pier. Try Descanso. And if you want solitude, head to Pebbly Beach, the other direction. It's, uh, pebbly, but natural, isolated and quite beautiful; also a good snorkel. If you want to kayak, rent at Descanso; take a tour if you're new. Don't get those ridiculous overpriced paddle boats on the green pier that you can't take out of the harbor.
To eat, do Buffalo Nickel at Pebbly Beach to dodge the tourists, or Topless Tacoes on a budget, or picnic from the Vons, or eat at Blue Parrot for dinner. The pizza at Antonio's is pretty good, but really, there are a score of restaurants in a tiny area. Explore. Buy and try. Busy Bee is pretty good. For desert, I'd do Cold Stone Creamery over Olaf's any day.
The only other tours I recommend are the interior tour and the semi-submersible and the flying fish. But these cost money. A lot. I admit I've never had to pay. But I would.
And you can always camp. About a mile up the canyon from Avalon is Hermit Gulch campground. My ex-patriot home. For those with the fortitude to camp (and I vacillate on this as I age) the smells in that canyon are exquisite. The walk back up at night is glorious, if a little long. And there is a trailhead at the back of the campground that goes up and provides a beautiful view of Avalon. Bring water, and know what poison oak looks like and rattlesnakes sound like. On the hiking thing: the fact is that 88 percent of the island belongs to the Conservancy and is wild. Truly. See some if you can.
For sleeping at the campsite on the weekend or in summer, maybe earplugs or ambien or meclazine (good anyway for those of us who get seasick) though it's been much quieter at night this year. I slept great all three nights.
It's not cheap for camping (twelve buck a person I think) and you can probably stay in the Atwater for not a whole lot more if you like four walls and and wish to forgoe the cost of taxi trips to and from the campground. If you have a significant other, try the St. Lauren--back from the main beach, quiet, beautiful, romantic, and worth every penny.
I've covered enough for a three day weekend anyway. You can also try Two Harbors, but you have to either camp or stay in the Banning House which is a little pricey. Two Harbors is a village, really, on the west end of the island with an outdoor bar and a great restaurant. Lots of boaters, but ocean boaters, not lake mead or river boaters; different breed.
And if you dive, well, Casino Point is always open and cheap. I think it costs less to take dive boats from Long Beach or Pedro or wherever to dive the same spots the island boats hit, but there are boats out of Avalon also. Try Scuba Luv.
And whatever you do, don't rent a golf cart!
And lastly, O readers, if you ever find yourself at the The Boar's Nest you will have reached the pinnacle of island proletarian insiderness in my opinion. I consider myself a very fortunate charter member, though perhaps of adjunct status; the builder was my dive cert. buddy. Yes, it needs a new website. The Nest and its web presence have been abandoned most of a year, but things are reviving. I can't really describe the Nest, except to thank Will for taking over, and hoping that the powers that be (and they are many in a town so small) don't succeed in shutting it down.
Well, I've said enough. Catalina can be very expensive, but there are ways to go on the cheap, and the beauty of the clear sea is something mind-boggling to those who have not seen it. It ain't the Caymans, but it sure ain't Long Beach Harbor. Enjoy.
Comments
It has been a long time, but my memories of camping in Hermit Gulch are fond and pleasant. I've really been enoying your blog. Keep it going. I've caught the bug myself, though Scott still spins a better tale than I do. Peace, bro.
Mike
My memories of Catalina are worthy of a post in and of themselves...maybe I'll do one. I spent two weekends at Toyon Bay at the Catalina Island Marine Institute camp, in 9th and 10th grade. The trip always included an afternoon of kicking around Avalon before heading over to Toyon. An early taste of independence. I don't think I've been to the island since that last visit in 10th grade, which would be late 1984...wow.
Didn't you go on the camping trip with us the year we brought a rag tag group of high schoolers? If you did that would bump it up to 1996 I think. Still too long.
Troy,
I was telling my son about the island and now he wants to go. He has never been to an island of any kind so the sense of adventure has bit him and been rekindled in me. Thanks.
thanks for reading. You guys are quick. I just tossed that one up last night.
And done right, the island is pretty darn cool. Gotta snorkel if possible. Any kid would find that amazing in itself.
t
No, I was actually living up here in '96. I can't wait to hear Dominic's impressions of Catalina. So, you're on summer vacation, aren't you? And, as the song says, it's just "26 miles across the sea," after all...
Troy,
I did my first "real" snorkeling (i.e., not using a K-mart mask and flippers in the surf at Seal Beach) at Toyon Bay. We were there in late September both years, and CIMI provided full wetsuits for us all. Too cool.
Scott