Catalina Island is a Nuthouse in a Nutshell

Well it's more like being in a nuthouse.
Actually, it's exactly like being in a nuthouse.
Not that I would know...
Too many people.
Too many powerboats zipping by making giant wakes.
Too many jetskis.
Eight billion rent a kayaks.
Some that go under our boat...
Eek!
Avalon was CRAZY!
But we still had fun...
First we had to get there.
And dodge whales on the way.

Then we had to find a place to anchor, as there is no way, no how to get a mooring in Avalon in the summer for a 49' cat.
Not that we wanted to be in Avalon anyway.
But we did want to go there, for our one night out!
So we anchored North right off of Frog Rock.Just at the shore boat limit, figuring we would be out of the craziness.
Not quite.
There is a rent-a-jetski barge between Frog Rock and Avalon.
What will they think of next?
And a boat on the beach.Should have bought a Delta!
We watched who we hoped was the owner strip the boat each morning for a few hours.
And allowed his dog to sit on the beach and bark.
The. Entire. Time.
And watched the Harbor Patrol and Lifeguard patrol cruise by and not seem to care.
So we didn't either.
Except about the dog.
I considered tossing strychnine laced hamburger balls on to the beach.
No, not for the dog, for the owner!

Uh what else?
Watched the "Tole Mour" sail by.Later with full sail up, but partially hidden by the 257 thousand power boats moored in Avalon...

Oh yea ~ time for Luau Larry's!Where we were lucky enough to get our favorite bar stools in the window seats!
The best place in Avalon to people watch...
We watched these teenage boys get lots of hugs.


Smart boys!


Including a hug from Ramrod, the mascot from "Sweet Lorraine".














Don of "Interlude" (crew on "Sweet Lorraine"), Kellie and Dave of "Sweet Lorraine" joined us for drinks and dinner.






And Ramrod, don't forget Ramrod.









Always a fun place!Next stop, The Marlin Club!I had forgotten how cool this bar was!
Might have had to do with the mass quantities of purple drinks I had with Gina Greene the last time I was in there...













Ok, it was time to get out of the nuthouse and head up island.We slowly cruised up the front side, poking our bow into each anchorage and mooring area.
There are lots of cool campgrounds...
Straight out of those 1980 teenage horror films, complete with the individual cabins, floating docks, small sailboats and camping teenagers.

With all the moorings it is hard to find a place to anchor, but we got lucky at Emerald Cove.Beautiful.
Clear water.
Shallow enough water to not have to put 200' of chain out.
Friendly harbor patrol guy who told us exactly where to anchor (saves $37 / night!).
And a boyscout camp with a bazillion little boyscouts...
In kayaks.
In canoes.
Swimming.
Hiking.
Singing.
Sailing.
So fun to watch!

And Jim and Lucy of "Passage II" met up with us!So hora feliz on their boat, which gave us a nice view of our boat.I kayaked.
Hiked part way up the hill.
Beachcombed.
We swam.
We cleaned kelp off of the saildrives, rudders and anchor chain.
We read.
Dinner on "Passage II".
Re-met Denis and Holly from "Tango" and had happy hour on "Meerkat" with "Passage II" and "Tango".
Did boat projects.
Jim changed the zincs.
Dinghied over to The Isthmus to take trash in, check out the poor excuse for a book exchange and explore the general store.





Loved the clear water!







And saw a dog with the longest tongue in the history of dogs.Said adios to "Tango".
Said adios to "Passage II" and headed back to Newport Beach...

Off to Catalina Island Manana...

Here is where we are parked now:On a cheap seat $5 / night mooring in the busy harbor of Newport Beach.We have seen several boats we either knew or saw in Mexico ~ "Beach Access", "Sweet Lorraine", "Mola Mola", "Royal Buzzard", "Moontide", "William B", "Etosha" and one we knew from Ventura, Bob and Sandy on "Renegade"!
As always, we love our small little world...
But it is time to move head over to Catalina as we can only rent a mooring for a total of 15 days.We will spend a week there, then come back in here next week so we can go to Stavros and Delaina's wedding next weekend!Whhoooohoooo!
Time for some fun out there.
A visit to Luau Larry's.
Clean the bottom.
Snorkle.
Hike.
Eat buffalo.
See buffalo.
Watch the tourists.
Swim.
Read.
No internet.
Run into someone we know.

Visit From "Makai"!

We cruised with Eric and Jackie of the Islander 41' "Makai" in 97-98 and again in 99-00.
Pals from the old days will remember them by their water-crazed dog, Teak.Teak would bark at the water until Jackie or Eric would throw a floaty toy for Teak to jump in and rescue.
For hours.
Days.
Weeks.
I remember Jackie from her home-made corndogs.We last saw them in May of 2000 at anchor in San Juanico in the Sea of Cortez.
They were heading back to California to have babies and we were heading back to buy a catamaran.
Success all the way around.
They now have three babies kids and we now have "Meerkat".
Eric sneaked out of work this morning and Jackie sneaked out of home-schooling and they came for a visit!Talk about a full dinghy...



Well, Teak the crazed water dog is now in dog heaven and has been replaced they now have Topaz, the water crazed dog #2.

But this one doesn't bark at the water!



The kids Roy, Genoa and Marie, loved the boat and fit right in.





Faces and all...















So this was sort of like no time had passed.
We still talked boats.
Still talked a little about the old days.
Still talked catamarans.
Yep, just like no time had passed...
Except for the three new small humans.

Finally a "No" Sign I Get...

And this one was found in Orange County...
Go figure.

Turning Pins and Doll Fins Dolphins

I'm not quite sure when it became acceptable for sailing instructors to tell little tiny 8 year olds at the tiller of little tiny sailboats that it is ok to aim for that catamaran.
Turn at that catamaran.
Tack at that catamaran.
Gybe at that catamaran.
Use it as a turning pin.Seriously little child with a hat falling over your eyes, it's ok!
And you, who cannot even see over the sides of your sabot, no worries!
The catamaran owners won't mind!
And you slightly taller 12 year old, who has dumped the laser at least a dozen times in the last 15 minutes, go closer, gybe, tack as close as you can!
It was a giant sabot and laser infestation in Dana Point!
And then the overrun by the outriggers...They too were full of 8 and 12 year olds.
Who thought it was fun to go between the buoy and boat...
Until one almost hit us.

Aaaaggghhhh...
Get us out of here!
So we left.
Alan and Susan of "Toshal" showed up bright and early the next day for the motorboat ride up to Newport Beach.
Aaaaahhhhhhh...
Peace.
Quiet.
Dolphins.

Whales.









Even a few killer whales.More dolphins.
More peace.
More quiet.
Except the sounds of the engines.
And then back into a giant infestation of sabots while entering Newport Harbor.
More 8 year olds sailing backwards at a quarter of a knot.
Into our path.
Instructors just watching...
Oh joy, here we go again!

And This Time We Really Mean "NO"!

Yep, Mission Beach was just a tad overwhelming.
And then the signs started up again.
No.
No.
No.
NO.
NO!




This one concerned me.
No cruising?
Well, they just said it was prohibited.
But that is what we are doing...
Cruising.
Uh oh.
Here come the sirens...




Good thing we parked our dinghy further up the beach, as we didn't have a dinghy parking permit!





This one confused the hell out of me.
Too much "NO".And dogs?What if you were a dog and couldn't wait to pee until 6:15 on April 2nd...

And this one?
Just when I was about to take my burning pallet to the beach...I mean really, who thinks this shit up?

Moving at the Speed of Sludge

Yep, that is us.
Moving up the Coast of SoCal.
At lightning speed.
At the approximate speed of sludge.
First we went to visit Sue and Bill of "Sun Baby".You know, cocktails and dinner at the Yacht Club.
We so fit in.
And bash stories.
Always bash stories.

Then dinner with Mike, Kathy, Ryan and Rudy of "God's Grace".Which turned in to a "Meerkat" slumber party for Mike and Kathy...
Then the hours long trek from San Diego to Mission Beach, with Mike, Ryan, Rudy and Rudy's girlfriend on board.Said "adios" to San Diego for awhile.Then enjoyed the monkey show boys doing boy things on the boat.And tried to figure out if they have grown up or just grown taller...
They left us in Mission Bay, where we spent two peaceful nights.
The day we walked on Mission Bay Beach was not so peaceful.
Eeek!
Talk about mass quantities of humans!
Thousands and thousands of bathingsuit clad people under beach umbrellas, on towels, on bikes, on skateboards, pushing baby stollers, on cell phones, on the rollercoaster (that part didn't seem so bad - I like rollercoasters), driving cars, texting, screaming, parking, making noise and just overwhelming the poor people who were used to being by themselves in The Sea of Cortez.
Ok, get us out of here!
So a dinghy ride around the Bay was next.
Uh oh, here we go again...
Jet skis, speed boats, boats towing kids on floaty things, paddle boards, more speed boats, personal watercraft, aaaaaggghhhhhh too much TOO MUCH stimulation.
Ok, back to the boat in the quiet little anchorage.

Moving...

Yep, we are actually going to un-tie the dock lines today and move this boat!
Why today?
Because "Jesse's Girl" will be coming back from Catalina this afternoon!
No we aren't trying to avoid Jesse and Shanna, but trying to avoid hitting their boat getting out of this tight squeeze...
Where are we going?
Just up the road to the free anchorage in Mission Bay.

Arrrggghhhhh... can't get my photo to upload...

G Dock Has Gone South...

Well a few members of the famous G Dock went to Ohio.
A couple went to Texas.
Some went to Bakersfield.
Bakersfield?
But the majority of G Dock has gone South.
Literally.
"Eyes of The Squirrels World" is in Puerto Vallarta.
"Andanzas" is in Mazatlan.
We are somewhere.
And "Passage II" is here in San Diego!
And so is John Howard!
So a typical G Dock festivity had to be planned and partook partaken partooked in executed.
In "Meerkat" fashion, that meant burgers on the BBQ.



Jim C., Lucy, John and me.



Switch me with Jim.






And how many of you can say you had John Howard create his famous Thai chicken pizza in your galley?













So to thank Jesse and Shanna for arranging this sardine slip we actually shared it with them last night!

Typical G Dock ~ food and friends!