Tag: Catalina

take me back to little harbor (reflection)

lizlovelaughLeave a comment

Yesterday morning was my first day back from a fantastic camping trip in Catalina. As I was sitting in class, for the first time I felt really sad I wasn’t biking in the mountains or snorkeling with garibaldi. What’s funny is I did the exact same trip last year but by the end of it I couldn’t wait to get back home and take a shower- this time I wanted just one more day out on the sea.

We hiked from twin harbor to little harbor which is a really pretty bay on the island right next to the beach with long green grass and thick, low, palm trees everywhere. It is the perfect place to camp- there’s wonderful views and at night you can hear the ocean. Because of the recent rain, there was a river between the campsite and the ocean- but luckily there was a big log nearby so we used it as a bridge to walk on which was really cool.

All the hikes, mountain biking, swimming/boogie boarding in shark harbor, and especially paddle-boarding with my friends was magical. There was a lof of little fun stuff too like boat races and campfire singing and night beach games/talks- all of it made this trip really special.

Above all the fabulous night skies and activities, the bikeride back to twin harbor was the best. There was a long, grueling 2 hour uphill at first- but it was more than worth it. Dropping from that peak was unforgettable, I soared down steep, winding orange roads, on one side of me the pacific and the other lush green mountains. It was like I was on Pandora- I was on a different planet.

I so needed this break. The days leading up to the trip were stressful and too busy. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to go to Little Harbor a second time, my only issue was that it was all too short.

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Paradise Pier

kirbyfullyloadedLeave a comment

“Eternity begins and ends with the ocean’s tides.” 

There is something consuming about the sea, something so compelling and wild it cannot be expressed.  Catalina Island is a magical place, surrounded by miles of clean, open ocean.  Toyon Bay is a small hidden cove, near Avalon, on Catalina and in the summertime, the sunset is visible from the beach.  And at dusk, the most enchanting place in the world is the pier.

“But when I climb up to my island peak, Escape awhile the madding world of strife, I envy not an earthly thing, this life, Which sometimes galls, is swept clean of its cares, By friendly winds, and once again I smile, Ay, truly, life seems sweet– A thing worthwhile.” –Captain Eddie Harrison

Toyon Bay pier is very old.  The wood, bleached by the sun, is stained by all manner of sea-filth.  Strings of clear fishing line are pulled taut across the weather-beaten rails to prevent birds from landing on them.  A battered wooden storage box rests tiredly against the right side of the pier, accompanied by a digital thermometer attached to the very end of the railing on the left.  There is a lifeguard chair next to the thermometer.  Covered in cracking white paint, it is wooden and overlooks the bay, facing right off the pier toward the Point; a green fabric umbrella with a faded nut-brown stand, somewhat crooked, shades the chair.  A long steel ramp slants downwards onto the float, where the boats land and cast off.

There are little holes in the planks that make up the floor; you can see down into the clear blue water and observe the myriad of fish and small sharks that swim below.  Waves churn around the stanchions that jut out of the water, resisting the thrashing, pulsing currents.  Seaweed writhes and dances around the supports in a lovely, hypnotic rhythm.

“How the sea took me, swept me back…The only sound was the roaring sea, the freezing waves…and yet my heart wanders away, my soul roams with the sea…”

The water in the bay is pure, crystalline aqua near the shore.  It deepens to a vibrant, striking turquoise as the sandy bottom falls away.  All around the pier, the water is dotted with bright orange spots, friendly garibaldi swish happily in the gently swaying amber forests that grow around the bay.  The marriage of oceanic and autumn colors is magnificent.  Leopard sharks dart in and out of view, their splotches of grayish-black color camouflages them in the shadowy surf zone.

“The best way to observe a fish is to become a fish.”-Jacques Cousteau

Palm tress move gently to and fro, above the stone amphitheater.  They are quite large, even for palm trees.  Their startlingly green leaves are pointy and hang down around the trunk like a peel hangs from a banana.  Clusters of blaringly orange dates hug the trunk, high up by the leaves.  The trunk is made of rough coco-power colored bark.  Deep zig-zagging lacerations create an intricate pattern in the trees that make your eyes fuzzy if you stare too long.Read More »