Category Archives: Catalina / Channel Islands

Good Cruise Ship, Bad Cruise Ship

Posted on by in Beach and Ocean Recreation, Boating, California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Misc., Orange County, San Diego  |  Comments are closed
Capt. John, Afishinados Charters - Afishinados.com AVALON, CATALINA ISLAND - Avalon is a port of call for more than a few cruise ships.  Every Tuesday the Carnival Cruise Lines pulls into port and off loads a whole town full of visitors.  This month has been an unusually busy one for such visitors.  We have had our regulars and we have had a number of 'repositionings' resulting in new boats.  This increase in activity has intensified the buzz around town, and I have heard on more than a few occasions, "that's a good cruise ship", and in some cases, "that’s a bad cruise ship".  They look the same to me, so I started asking around to find out more. The more I asked the more clear it became; whether there really are good and bad cruise is a matter of impact.  And believe me, these ships do have an impact on our little town, from the mayor on down.  I...
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Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival 2013

Posted on by in All other recreation, Beach and Ocean Recreation, California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Coastal Dweller Reference, Misc., Visitor Guide  |  Comments are closed
SmoothJazzBuzz The annual Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival, one of the west coast’s foremost fall music events and premier smooth jazz festival returns to Catalina Island every October. JazzTrax is a three-day, three-weekend showcase of contemporary jazz entertainment, featuring the newest and best in smooth jazz. The Festival, which starts the first weekend in October and continues until the 3rd weekend in October is held in the legendary Casino Ballroom on Catalina Island, with special Thursday performances held at the ocean-side setting of Descanso Beach. Continue Reading... ...
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Shipwrecked

Posted on by in California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Misc., Orange County, San Diego  |  Comments are closed
Written by Jack Humphreville - City Watch LA LA WATCHDOG-The Port of Los Angeles is in desperate need of new management, starting with the five Harbor Commissioners, the Executive Director, and other members of the politicized senior management team. For the first eight months of 2013, imports of fully loaded containers are off by 6% while exports are down 11%.  This downward trend will mostly likely continue as ports in Canada and Mexico expand and improve their operations and efficiency. This trend will only be exacerbated when Panama completes the widening of the Canal in 2014, allowing Asian manufacturers direct access to the large population centers serviced by ports on the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Ocean. Continue Reading... ...
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ON FILM: SURFRIDER FOUNDATION’S BATTLE OVER MARTIN’S BEACH

Posted on by in Beach and Ocean Recreation, California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Misc., Orange County, San Diego, Surfing  |  Comments are closed
By: MARY CATHERINE O'CONNOR - Outside Online On October 21, 2012, five surfers jumped a closed gate and walked to Martin's Beach, a storied stretch of Pacific in the Northern California's San Mateo County. Their aim was to perform an act of surfing disobedience that could get them arrested. It did. This week the surfer's website The Inertia and Surfrider Foundation released a short film, "Martin's 5: Battle for the Beach," that explains why these surfers – Jonathan Bremer, Kyle Foley, Tyler Schmidt, Austin Murison and David Pringle – risked misdemeanor convictions. They, along with surf access and ocean advocacy organization Surfrider Foundation, claim that access to Martin's Beach is granted to individuals through California's Coastal Commission, which formed 40 years ago and passed the California Coastal Act in 1976. The Act was designed both to conserve marine resources along the Pacific, from Oregon to Mexico, and to maximize opportunities for the public to access and recreate on California beaches. Continue Reading... ...
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Catalina Film Festival a Success

Posted on by in All other recreation, Beach and Ocean Recreation, California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Los Angeles, Misc., Visitor Guide  |  Comments are closed
eCatalina.com AVALON, CATALINA ISLAND - The Catalina Film Festival continues to grow and returned this year with and expanded festival featuring quality films. parties, bigger crowds and celebrity attendees. On Day 3 of the Catalina Film Festival, Patricia Arquette was honored with the Career Tribute Award before the West Coast Premiere of Best Man Down. Arquette graciously accepted her award, dedicating it to the generation of actors in her family and her daughters in attendance. On Day 4, rising young actress Bailee Madison was honored with the "Catalina Crest" award before the screening of her non-profit film, The Magic Bracelet. Continue Reading... ...
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Should Long Beach shell out $100K yearly to keep a one-room Catalina Island schoolhouse open?

Posted on by in California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Coastal Dweller Reference, Los Angeles, Misc., Orange County  |  Comments are closed
By Nadra Nittle - Press-Telegram The little red schoolhouse in Catalina Island’s tiny village of Two Harbors has kept its doors open since 1987, despite fluctuating enrollment. At its busiest, two dozen students have attended Two Harbors Elementary School, which has just one room. At its slowest a mere three students have attended. Today Two Harbors serves six students, an enrollment number that is too low to justify keeping it open, argues Karen McKay, a retired schoolteacher who worked at the nearby Avalon K-12 School until 2002. Both schools fall under the jurisdiction of the Long Beach Unified School District, and McKay said that school officials have not taken her views seriously. “My concern is that the school district is spending $100,000 a year on six students,” said McKay. “Keeping this school open is almost like a pet project.” Continue Reading... ...
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Island to Island Relay Raises Money to Fight Cancer

Posted on by in All other recreation, Beach and Ocean Recreation, California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Misc., Orange County, San Diego  |  Comments are closed
SUPConnect.com SANTA BARBARA, California - Giles Finlayson recently beat cancer. ·Now his life's work is to raise money for other people stricken with the horrible disease! You can help out in the cause in less than three weeks by participating in the Island to Island Waterman Relay! Saturday October 12th, 2013 will be the Island to Island Waterman relay!  It's a 28 mile relay for 14ft. stand up paddleboards, prone paddleboards and outrigger canoes made up of 3 people per team. Continue Reading... ...
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Video: Backpacking The Trans-Catalina Trail

Posted on by in All other recreation, Beach and Ocean Recreation, California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Coastal Dweller Reference, Misc.  |  Comments are closed
laist.com The 37-mile Trans-Catalina trail opened in early 2009, affording hikers the chance to make the cross-island trek and take in some spectacular vistas. The trail goes as high as 1,752 feet in elevation in some spots, with the lowest point at a mere 10 feet, and includes a mixture of terrain from Class I to Class III (relatively flat and easy to some rough terrain, may be steep, difficult). Continue Reading... ...
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