Category Archives: Catalina / Channel Islands

Weekend Beach, Surf and Weather Report

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  |  Comments are closed
Los Angeles Weather Report: A nice and sunny weekend is ahead for the Los Angeles area. The National Weather Service predicts Saturday will see sunny skies throughout the day with light winds. Highs along the coast will hover near 70 degrees with overnight lows in the mid 60s. Inland areas will see warmer temperatures.
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Escape to Catalina

Posted on by in All other recreation, Beach and Ocean Recreation, Boating, California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Coastal Dweller Reference, Fishing, Misc., Visitor Guide  |  Comments are closed

By Doug Hansen, Special to the U-T

This mid-September trip to Catalina doesn’t even compare with the last one I did, 25 years ago. What’s different this time? Everything. My wife and I have been traveling a great deal, and I’m familiar with 75 countries, but I have to tell you that our four-day stay in Catalina rivals any trip we have done.

During my last visit to Catalina, I made the mistake that many do — of just walking around Avalon, shopping and eating, spending the night and then leaving.

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Film Festival Benefits Protection and Restoration of Catalina Island

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
eCatalina.com AVALON, CATALINA ISLAND - Tickets are now on sale for the five-day Catalina Film Festival (CFF) starting on September 18 through 22. Now in its third year, the festival continues its celebration of foreign and domestic independent films, shorts, animation and documentaries. The festival benefits the protection and restoration of Catalina Island. CFF is a competitive festival and film market with awards in up to 10 categories, including the prestigious Charlie Chaplin ICON Award, Stanley Kramer "Social Artist" Award and the Isla Earth Award. “I am very proud of the Isla Earth conservation documentaries that provide young filmmakers an opportunity to bring pressing ecological issues into focus.” said Ann Muscat, president and CEO of the Conservancy, a non-profit dedicated to the protection and restoration of the Island’s wildlands. “We once again welcome the Catalina Film Festival. Several of the Island’s beautiful locations have been used in many memorable motion pictures.” Avalon Mayor Bob Kennedy said he always enjoys seeing the Catalina...
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Sea Otter Populations Growing in California

Posted on by in California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Coastal Dweller Reference, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Misc., Orange County, San Diego  |  Comments are closed
By Laura Poppick, Staff Writer - livescience.com The California sea otter population, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, has grown since last year, according to a recent population census published by the U.S. Geological Survey. The otter population is reported annually as a three-year-running average, and rose to 2,941 this year, up from last year's average of 2,792. The animal still retains its threatened species status, and will continue to do so until it reaches an average of 3,090 individuals for three consecutive years, according to a USGS statement. ...
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Passenger ship Harvard runs aground

Posted on by in Beach and Ocean Recreation, Boating, California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Coastal Dweller Reference, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Misc., Orange County, San Diego  |  Comments are closed
The grounding was reported in the May 31, 1931, Los Angeles Times: Unscathed and undaunted by the shipwreck that interrupted their voyage, nearly 500 passengers of the stranded San Francisco-Los Angeles passenger ship Harvard last night were landed at Los Angeles Harbor by the U.S.S. Louisville, when the new Navy speed cruiser anchored at 7:10 p.m. after having dashed through fog and darkness to their rescue. At almost the moment of their arrival, Santa Barbara reported lines were being put aboard the Harvard by the tug Tamaroa in preparation for floating the vessel from the rocks at Point Arguello, where it went aground before dawn Saturday in heavy fog. Damage to the ship may be greater than first estimated, according to a boat’s crew which brought a line ashore from the Harvard. They said the vessel apparently dragged its entire keel over a reef…. Continue Reading... ...
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Avalon: Catalina’s only city has a century of history

Posted on by in California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Coastal Dweller Reference, Misc.  |  Comments are closed
AVALON >> Catalina Island’s only city has a century’s worth of history since its incorporation, and although the town’s primary claim to fame may be its reputation as a playground for old Hollywood, those who have spent their lives here have their own stories to tell in addition to those told by the black-and-white photographs of movie stars that can be seen throughout the town. Avalon’s 100th anniversary as an incorporated city fell on June 26. Centennial celebrations took place earlier this summer, and the Catalina Island Museum is still preparing an exhibit on the island’s centennial that is scheduled to open in October. Continue Reading... ...
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Weekend Beach, Surf and Weather Report

Posted on by in All other recreation, Beach and Ocean Recreation, Boating, California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Coastal Dweller Reference, Fishing, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Misc., Orange County, San Diego, Surfing  |  Comments are closed
AOL Malibu Patch A look at the weather forecast, surf conditions and beach water quality grades in Los Angeles County for the weekend of Sept. 7-8. Continue Reading... ...
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Tsunami would flood large swath of Southland coast, USGS says

Posted on by in California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Coastal Dweller Reference, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Misc., Orange County, San Diego  |  Comments are closed
Los Angeles Times: By Rong-Gong Lin II, Tony Barboza and Hector Becerra A large tsunami hitting California would cause major flooding in Long Beach and parts of Orange County and force 750,000 people to evacuate coastal areas in a few hours, according to extensive simulation published Wednesday by U.S. Geological Survey.
The study, released two years after a tsunami killed thousands in Japan, identified several communities that are particularly vulnerable to flooding because of their low elevation and lack of protection from waves. They include Marina del Rey, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach as well as a swath of low-lying coastal areas between San Pedro and Newport Beach. Continue Reading...
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DVD Review: A History Of The S.S. CATALINA Part 1, 1924-1975

Posted on by in California Coastal Notes of Interest, Catalina / Channel Islands, Misc., Visitor Guide  |  Comments are closed
Maritime Matters: By Shawn J. Dake Among those who love ships and the sea it is not unusual to form a deep connection to one particular fleet or vessel. David Engholm is such a man; one who is passionate about a ship that was affectionately nicknamed “The Great White Steamer” but was best known by her true name, s.s. CATALINA. For 51 years, with only a break for the second World War, this ship was a fixture in the harbor of Los Angeles and the lovely port of Avalon, on Southern California’s island resort of Santa Catalina, just twenty-some miles across the sea. Continue Reading... ...
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