I think all the
advice you received is great and you should go. We started going out to Catalina in 1980 when our daughters were 1 and 3. Much older now and they will spend some time with us there this summer. We are always there for 4th of July when there are fireworks at both Two Harbors and Avalon.My wife has her birthday on July 3 so for years the girls thought the fireworks were for her birthday.
In the early years we would go for the weekend from Marina Del Rey which is 34 miles. Cabrillo is much closer.
For 16 years it was an Erickson 27 with a Chrysler 9.9
outboard. We had a 6 gallon tank. We held 20 gallons of water and used a sunshower and
ports potty. We had an alcohol
stove. At first it would take us 6 1/2 to 8 hours. Later we got a
Loran and tiller pilot and cut 1 to 1 1/2 hours off the time. Cabrillo will be at least 1/2 hours closer, especially with a
gps.
For the first 10-15 years we would go over Friday evening about 4 or 5 after
work. Our goal was to get there at 10 but it was usually closer to midnight.
The advantage to going at night was
1. The girls would soon fall asleep so we would not have to hold their bony bodies on our laps for 7 hours
2. Before
loran and
gps it was easier to navigate at night since we could follow the lights and buoys. So we would
head to the El Segundo bout. Then we could see the Pt Fermin light, then the northbound
shipping lane light, then the southbound
shipping lane light, then Ship Rock light and then the lights on the pier in isthmus cove. It was also easier to see the shipping at night and discern whether they were going to the right (northbound) or left (southbound) depending upon whether we could see the green and white lights or red and white lights. The ships cannot really slow down or change direction so you need to avoid them. Just steer towards their stern and, if necessary, luff up and stop or even circle back.
3. It was faster at night and more comfortable because we could sail. It was noisy and hard to talk and there was a lot of vibration with
motor on. Also sailing was much faster. We could even listen to some
music. Normally, we would turn off the
outboard as we left the breakwater and not turn it on until we were near the pier in Isthmus Cove. Always have your
VHF on and
monitor it. You will hear the ships call people who are in the way but you could not hear those calls without the
Radio on. You will also hear them blow their horns at boats that are careless and on a
collision course.
4. We had more time to do things ashore. Saturday we would go ashore early and spend the day there. Sunday, we would spend the morning and
head back when the wind came up around 11 or 12.
Probably, though, you will head from Cabrillo or Long Beach or Redondo in the morning. If you leave at 10 or 11, you will be there by around 4 pm.
If you are worried about picking up a
mooring, ask the Harbor Patrol for help. They will be glad to assist. You will need to call them on the
VHF when you get to the fairway for a moorings assignment. Or if you just stop when you reach the fairway, they will come to you.
With a
small boat, you will be on the best moorings, which are near the beach. These are not rolly like some of those further out. With your small size you may fit on the string line which is nearest to the beach. I don't remember whether the string line is for boats under 20 feet or under 24 feet.
All of this is for Isthmus Cove at Twin Harbors which is what I would recommend.
Here is why:
1. You will get a mooring or on the string line for sure during the week.
2. There are showers and
laundry facilities, as well as toilets ashore.
3. You can buy groceries ashore. There is a snack bar for breakfast and lunch. Doug's Reef Restaurant serves good dinners.
4. If you have mechanical problems, such as with your outboard, you can buy
parts or get mechanical assistance ashore.
5. You can rent snorkeling
equipment, kayaks, SUP
equipment, etc cetera ashore. That includes a dive shop with equipment rentals, airfills and
classes.
6. There is a nice sandy beach for swimming, sunning, snorkeling, kayaking, etc. There are no waves, it is clean and the water is clear
7. There are BBQ stands and camp tables so you can cook lunch or dinner ashore. No charge.
8. You can get ice cream at the outside window at the store.
9. Most summer nights there will be a live band or disk jockey from the afternoon into the evening. You can dance right there where the
music is, right outside at the bar at Doug's Reef.
10. You can get gas for your outboard and water for your tank at the pier.
All of these things are within 100 feet of the pier
Additionally,
1. If you have a
dinghy there is a dinghy dick. If you don't have a dinghy, there is a shore boat that will pick you up from your boat and take you ashore as well as back to your boat
2. There is lots of hiking around the area. It is only about 10 minutes across the Isthmus to Cat Harbor and you can hike all the way to
Little Harbor on the other side where there are waves.
3. Saturday morning you can go to USC's Wrigley Institute (Southern
California Marine Institute) where you can have a free tour of the hyperbaric chamber and the
marine labs. I have to mention this because I earned my Doctorate in Marine Biology at USC and did part of my
research at Catalina.
4. If you have a friend or a child who wishes to join you for part of the time, they can take the
ferry which runs several times a day between the Isthmus and San Pedro.
5. It is beautiful and relaxing. You can pretend you are in the
South Pacific.
In July, sailing to Catalina is pleasant. You will not have big waves or strong currents. Winds are light so there won't be small craft warnings. If there is
fog it will be light and won't last long. Just wait a bit and it will be gone. I can only remember twice that we had bad
fog crossing at night and it is less likely in the afternoon. Definitely get one of the inexpensive
radar reflectors mentioned and don't cross the shipping lanes if you can't see the ships.
I would not recommend
anchoring your first trip to Catalina. It adds too many complications. We don't use moorings any longer but we have an all chain
rode that is long and an
electric windlass with
remote.
We will be at Catalina from about June 20 until July 15. We will be at Isthmus Cove from July 2-July 6 to celebrate my wife's 65th birthday with a lot of her friends.
During that birthday time we will be anchored somewhere in the vicinity of Isthmus Cove, probably by Little Fisherman cove. The boat is named Willow and is a
center cockpit Spindrift 46. You can call on VHF Channel 16 which I have on when I am on the boat.
Have fun.