Sailors Choice - Catalina Island, California

"If you can't get a mooring, you can always drop a hook." How many times have you heard this about Catalina Island? And yet, I've only had to drop the hook once and that was after arriving late for New Year's Eve. But then again, droppin' the hook on a busy summer weekend will improve your solitude and serenity if that's what you're looking for! Either way, what the heck.

Avalon has 400 moorings, all of them privately owned by individuals or the City of Avalon and are "rented" out to you on a first come, first served basis. The Harbor Patrol will meet you outside the breakwater to make the temporary assignment and will often escort you to the mooring. During busy hours, you can wait a while "in line" circling for you turn, but hey, you made it, the fun's almost beginning and its better than the freeway! Be aware that the mooring you are on is temporary and you may be asked to move the next day. It's just life from a different point of view. And, sooner or later, the Harbor Patrol will pull along side your boat and ask for permission to come aboard. They are not checking out your women, guys, they're putting a dye tab in your head. Avalon Harbor is a "NO DISCHARGE" harbor and they mean it. The pump-out is located on Float 5 at the Mole in the southeast corner of the harbor. If you do pump overboard, the water and your boat will turn a lovely color and you will be fined and asked not to return for an entire year. Remember , generator use is allowed between 0700 hours and 2200 hours only.

MOORING AT CATALINA?
Get rid of handling the usual messy sand line that connects the bow and stern hawsers.

This new product, called a MOORING-COIL, lets you and the boat stay clean. Attached to a tether, it captures and slides along the sand line so that you can easily and cleanly retrieve the stern hawser, after cleating the bow hawser

At the same time, the MOORING-COIL, will give you better control of the boat over crosswinds that may push the stern away.

The substantial stainless steel MOORING-COIL, is $58.85 plus tax and shipping. Additionally, various lengths tethers, spliced on, are available - or you can provide your own.

The MOORING-COIL, is made by Yacht Rigging Associates. For info and orders, please call 310-823-2627

Avalon Mooring Fees (for Avalon Harbor, Descanso Bay and Hamilton Cove) Latitude 33.20.83/Longitude 118.19.42 (As of 5/30/07)

Boats 39' and under

$23.00 per night

Boats 70 to 79'

$60.00 per night

Boats 40' to 49'

$30.00 per night

Boats 80' to 89'

$70.00 per night

Boats 50' to 59'

$40.00 per night

Boats 90' to 99'

$80.00 per night

Boats 60 to 69'

$50.00 per night

Boats 100' and over

$90.00 per night

Special rates:
Sept 15 to Oct 14 & Palm Sunday to June 15th: Pay Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, in Advance, get Monday, Tues and Wednesday Free.
October 15 to Palm Sunday: Pay any 2 nights in Advance, get the next five consecutive nights free.
2 Hours or Less Mooring: $12
Towing Fee on non-emergency basis: $55

Two Harbor Enterprises Mooring Fees (Cat Harbor, Isthmus & Isthmus Coves, Emerald, etc.) As of 5/30/07- (310) 510-4253
There are 257 moorings at Two Harbors and anchorage for over 100. Cost Per Night - Check out is usually 0800 but check. Contact the Harbor Patrol on Channel 9:

Boat Size:	Daily	Weekly
Boat Size:	Daily	April thru Oct	Nov thru March
String Line	$21	$126	$44
0-30	$23	$138	$48
31-40	$26	$156	$54
41-50	$33	$198	$68
51-60	$40	$240	$82
61-70	$49	$294	$100

Descanso Bay just West of Avalon around Casino Point has 47 moorings in 65 to 85 feet of water and can anchor off the point outside the buoys.

Hamilton Cove has 36 moorings and a view of the condos, can be pretty at night.

Toyon Bay has 9 moorings but room to anchor 6 boats. Shore facilities are leased to the Catalina Island Marine Institute.

Willow Cove No moorings. Fair weather anchorage for 4 boats with a sandy bottom.

Moonstone Beach has 38 moorings, shore facilities leased to Newport Harbor Yacht Club and no one else but there is room to anchor 12 boats here.

White's Landing has 17 moorings and is good place to be in westerlies. Balboa Yacht Club and the Angeles Girl Scout Council share the shore. Great place to anchor, will handle up to 16 boats in 40 to 48 feet of water.

Hen Rock Cove has 24 moorings and anchorage for 10 and shore facilities are leased to the Balboa Yacht Club. The bottom here is rock and sand. Good diving area.

Buttonshell Beach with only 7 moorings does offer good anchorage for up to 10 boats. Shore facilities leased to Glendale YMCA

Goat Harbor has no moorings but is a good fair weather anchorage for 5 to 10 boats with a sandy bottom at 6 to 8 fathoms and hosts two beaches.

Cabrillo Beach also called Little Gibraltar after the large rock offshore has no moorings but offers good anchorage for 7 to 10 boats in fair weather. The west beach side is leased to the Long Beach Boy Scouts.

Rippers Cove has no moorings but a good sand bottom for anchoring up to 10 boats in fair weather. Good diving and swimming.

Empire Landing has 2 very private moorings but up to 20 boats can anchor here in fair weather . Shore facilities leased to the Connolly Pacific Company

Big Fisherman's Cove located on the Eastern side of Isthmus Cove is reportedly the only true shelter during Santa Anas on the north shore of Catalina Island and is leased, water and all, from headland to headland to the U.S.C. Marine Science Center, who discourages anchoring in all but the most foul weather conditions.

Little Fisherman's Cove shore facilities are leased to the King Harbor Yacht Club and the Channel Cruising Club. Camp and barbecue facilities available through the Catalina Cove and Camp Agency.

Isthmus Cove has about 245 moorings and a stringline for 42 boats 25 feet or less as well as room for about 100 boats to anchor in up to 60' of water, give or take a few depending upon the flotilla boat size. Moorings are maintained and leased by the Catalina Cove and Camp Agency who handles all moorings outside of Avalon Harbor. They operate a patrol boat that will meet you at the entrance to whichever cove you choose or can be reached on Channel 9. Be patient, they'll get to you next. Moorings are stern and bow ties. Like Avalon, moorings are on a first come, first served basis and are assigned upon arrival

Fourth of July Cove is leased by the Fourth of July Yacht Club who own the 42 moorings. There is no anchoring here.

Cherry Cove is leased to the San Gabriel Valley Council Boy Scouts and has 103 moorings and no anchorages.

Little Geiger Cove only has 1 mooring and anchorage is sketchy here when the wind blows, best to use stern and bow anchors. Shore facilities are leased to the Offshore Cruising Club.

Big Geiger Cove has no moorings but is a good fair weather anchorage for up to 10 boats. Shore facilities are leased by the Blue Water Cruising Club.

Howland's Landing is a private beach leased to the LA Yacht Club and the Catalina Island Camps with about 40 moorings but no anchorage.

Emerald Bay offers a small beach on to the east but shore facilities are privately held by Corsair Yacht Club and the Great Western Council Boy Scouts. There are 99 moorings with room for about 10 anchorages. Stay away from Indian Rock and the surrounding rock outcroppings.

Parson's Landing is only a stopover site in fair weather with room for about 10 to anchor but is best visited by dinghy or overland from Emerald Bay.

Catalina (Cat) Harbor is an all-weather harbor, protected in most weather and has 77 moorings with room for 200+ boats at anchor in a tight situation. There is a landing pier for dinghies and the shore is open except for those areas leased to the Del Rey Yacht Club and the California Yacht Club.

Little Harbor on the south side of the island has no moorings but anchorage for about 15 boats. Watch out for the reef when entering and remember that the bottom is gravel and big rocks so anchor well. Water is available.