Chapter 2 - On the way to San Diego with a stop at Catalina.

ON THE WAY TO SAN DIEGO FOR THE START OF THE BAJA HA-HA. 

FIRST STOP - TWO HARBORS, CATALINA ISLAND (NORTH SIDE) FOR SHELTER FROM THE STORM.

This is a view of the West End of Catalina Island.

Significant incoming weather altered our original plan to spend a week or so at Santa Cruz Island before heading south to join the Baja Ha-Ha fleet in San Diego. However, as with all cruising plans, they tend to be written in the sand on a rising tide.  No seriously, a great big southerly storm is presently heading towards the entire south coast threatening to bring rain, thunderstorms, and flooding; generally speaking, the National Whatever Service is anticipating serious conditions. Then again, we are talking about the National Whatever Service, so who really knows?

Trusting the NWS might get it right for a change, conditions at Santa Cruz Island were going to be a bummer, so we headed south to Catalina Island instead. 

Our trip down from Channel Islands was essentially uneventful.  There was no wind at all (or so little that sailing was not really an option) so we ended up motoring almost all the way. Here the NWS was completely wrong.  The forecast was for North wind 5-10 knots followed by west winds 10-15 in the afternoon.  We saw no wind at all until, finally, at around 3:30 p.m., the wind clocked to a good angle and picked up to around 10 knots.  Also, the seas smoothed out quite a bit, and with only 10 knots of wind at about 150 degrees, we skated along at almost 5.5 knots until arriving at Two Harbors.  Really,  you say?  5.5 knots?  I can walk that fast!  But, it is a well known fact that, when it comes to sailing, never has man spent so much to go so slow.  The conditions were perfect, however, with clear skies and blue water.  The sun and gentle breeze were warm and comfortable.  It was so nice that the cats even enjoyed it.

With no plan as to where to stay (although we knew the backside of the island, e.g. Cat Harbor, would be a "no go" as all of the incoming weather would be pouring into Cat Harbor from the south) we arrived at Two Harbors on the front/north side of the island at around 6:15 p.m. and took a mooring right in front of the town.

It's gonna get a little sporty around here early tomorrow morning (10/14/25).

As we got in late, there was nothing really to do but settle in, unwind, and enjoy a cocktail and dinner.  But alas, this is cruising and if something doesn't break, then what have you?  

It was pretty bouncy on the way over.  It seemed as though the swell was coming from a multitude of directions.  The conditions were simply uncomforable.  But as is almost inevitable when it comes to cruising, there was one casualty of the bumpy conditions:  the stainless steel pole holder I use to mount the Starlink antenna broke and we almost lost the dish.  I got to it just in time and brought the antenna into the shelter of the cockpit.  When we got moored up, it was time to fix it.  Well, everything went wrong.  First, the bolts were frozen so I had all hell getting the pole holder mount to release the railing (buster fluid, heat, brute strength, etc).  Then, I dropped the allen wrench overboard.  Blirp!  Fortunately, I had another. Then, once I managed to access the center bolt to tighten the rotating mount, the one bolt I managed to get out would not go back in.  Nothing!  So, I dove into my bolt box and found something that might almost work.  It did a little, but not perfectly.  I drove the mismatched bolt in as far and as hard as I could and then entombed the entire thing in a roll of rigging tape.  It is an ugly-ass fix, but the antenna is standing. I will be sure to dismount it when the boat is moving at least until I can find a replacement pole holder.  Fortunately, Downwind Marine on Shelter Island in San Diego is offering wholesale price discounts to Baja HaHa sailors in the days winding down until the event.  I feel confident I will find a good deal on a good pole holder.  This time, however, I will take those steps necessary to ensure the rotating thingy doesn't come loose and the bolts don't sieze.

That is one ugly-ass repair that will last for a little while until I can get a new pole holder.

After fixing the Starlink mount Brenda made us a spaghetti dinner.  Scupper, however, disappeared.  She went hiding anticipating the fire alarm going off.  We found her later curled up behind the washer-spinner thingy, no worse for the wear as the fire alarm did not go off (and yes, I checked the batteries). 

After dinner, we enjoyed our Holloween Disco Ball in the cockpit and a good glass of bourbon.

The plan is to hang around Two Harbors until Thursday and then sail over to Newport Beach for a few nights in the anchorage there.  We are not bored. There is actually lots to do.  I decided to make a list of the regular maintance boat projects to deal with.  I almost wish I hadn't as the list is already 3 pages deep.  I managed to accomplish a couple things this morning - whipped the ends of dock lines (that I will probably not use until summer), cleaned up the edges of some deck bags with my small torch, reorganized the "garage" (formerly known as Mike's Cabin), and a few other this's and that's.  So, life aboard is never boring and there is always something to do.

For now, our immediate future involves playing cards, reading books, and doing other boat projects. And hopefully, we will get to enjoy a good view of the thunderstorms over land; maybe even a waterspout or two.

Chapter 2 continued.

Two Harbors, aka the Isthmus (where the island pinches to its narrowest point), is the second center of population on Catalina Island, besides the city of Avalon. It is known as Two Harbors due to the fact that there is the town of Two Harbors on the mainland (north) side of the island and a half mile across the isthmus of the island is Catalina Harbor on the Pacific Ocean (south) side of the island.

This is an areal photo of the Isthmus of Catalina Island. 
Two Harbors on the right and Cat Harbor on the left.

This is Two Harbors on the north side of the island.

This is Catalina Harbor (Cat Harbor) on the south side.

Today, Two Harbors is mainly a resort village popular among southern California boaters. It has only one restaurant, one hotel and one general store. The village has about 150 permanent residents who live on the isthmus year-round. 

One notable feature is the Isthmus Yacht Club building that was once a civil war barracks.  

Today, the Isthmus Yacht Club. 
In the 1860's, a civil war barracks.

Believe it or not, Two Harbors, California, was significant during the Civil War. In the 1860's, the area was mined for silver, lead, and zinc. During the Civil War, the Union Army established Camp Santa Catalina Island on the isthmus to protect the area from Confederate privateers and to survey the isthmus and adjacent Catalina Harbor for a future Indian reservation. However, the reservation idea was abandoned, and the camp was never fully operational. The barracks built by the Army on the isthmus were later used for various purposes, including housing film crews and the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II.  And later, in 1951, the Isthmus Yacht Club. 

The Isthmus is a very pretty place to stroll or hike.

The Banning House Lodge. 
Banning House Lodge | Catalina Island Bed and Breakfast

Well, we rounded out our visit to Two Harbors with a Buffalo Milk and a hockey game in the only bar open at Two Harbors this time of year.  I know I said there is only one restaurant, one bar, one General Store, and one hotel.  The truth is that, during the summer cruising season, the bar is open in a number of locations, and the restaurant serves food in a number of locations as well.  And, the menu may be slightly different depending on where you dine, be it the deck, inside the West End Galley, at the bar on the deck, the restaurant serving area on the beach, in one of the ridiculously high priced palapas, or in the back bar.

Buffalo Milk

While many believe this drink has something to do with the herd of American Bison, sometimes mistakenly called buffalo, that roam the island’s interior, the two are less related than you would think. The bison were brought to the island in the 1920's for the film adaptation of Zane Grey’s novel The Vanishing American. The drink, however, was created by a bartender at Harbor Reef in Two Harbors, then named Doug's, and does not come from the roaming bison. Bartender Michael Hoffler was famous for mixing up new drink creations and testing them out on the staff during the quieter winter months. One day, he mixed up the very first Buffalo Milk, a creamy and delicious libation, best enjoyed at the beach. This drink was a big hit and has been on the menu ever since. For many years, Two Harbors was the only place anywhere serving Buffalo Milk.  Over the last several years, however, the drink made it's way into many restaurants and bars on Catalina Island. What does Buffalo Milk taste like, then? Think of it as a White Russian gone wild.

Although we enjoyed our visit to Two Harbors, it was also disappointing.  Actually, it has become more and more disappointing over the years.  We started coming to the West End nearly 30 years ago with fellow boaters from Ventura.  The West End used to be quaint and relaxed.  Over the years, however, it has become arrogant and snotty.  Now, for example, they only take credit cards.  No cash allowed.  They blocked off the beach on the Two Harbors side with fencing and expensive palapas (like $600+ per day in the high season (and you have to buy their drinks and food) which removed the picnic benches and sand volley ball courts.  Buckaneers Day used to be a great pirate party.  Now it is a huge LA dance party that closes off the town except to those who purchase the expensive wrist bands.  It is still possible to enjoy boating in the Isthmus area, but, in my opinion, one has to go all the way around the back side and then anchor in Cat Harbor where it is possible to remain at arms length from the LA crowd making the front side more like LA and less like the rugged, but quaint West End that it used to be. The prices of food and drink are truly exorbitant.  It's as if the Santa Catalina Island Company is not interested in hosting cruisers, but just wants the one hit wonder LA crowd who will go there for a long weekend and spend, spend, spend. Most notably, it no longer celebrates the legacy of Douglas Bombard who founded the place.  Read about him here:  BOMBARD Family, Santa Catalina Island - Islapedia  I'm not going to miss this place in its current form, but I will always miss what it used to be.

These large Raven hang out all over the West End
and can talk and imitate people.  

Yes, Raven can talk like parrots, though not as clearly. They can mimic human speech, among other sounds they hear in their environment. This is because their brain power is similar to that of chimpanzees and dolphins. It can be spooky hearing what sounds like a recording of yourself as you are walking the trail back to Cat Harbor - at night.

The next stop, Newport Beach, California.