There is a rite of passage on the Southern California coast: the first Catalina crossing. For most sailors it happens on a weekend in late spring — marine layer burning off by 1000, a 12-knot northwesterly filling in by noon, and the rounded silhouette of the island materialising out of the haze somewhere around the third hour. By the time the boat picks up a mooring buoy in Avalon and the engine is cut, the sailor understands why every Southern California cruiser eventually makes this trip and then keeps making it.
Catalina is 22 miles long, 8 miles wide at its broadest, and holds 88 percent of its land in permanent conservation through the Catalina Island Conservancy. The interior looks like a different California — rolling golden hills, chaparral canyons, and a herd of several hundred bison roaming freely since a film crew brought them over in 1924 and the studio left them behind. The coastline is rugged, clear, and cold enough year-round to support giant kelp forests that bring divers from across the Pacific Rim.
For cruising sailors, the island offers a useful range. The busy social scene at Avalon on the southeast end. The quieter, more remote Two Harbors at the isthmus. And a string of backside anchorages — Emerald Bay, Little Harbor, Smugglers Cove — that reward boats willing to make extra miles and accept the swell exposure.
The crossing
The standard departure windows are simple: leave in the morning before the afternoon sea breeze builds, or leave in the evening for an overnight passage. Most cruisers target a 0700–0900 departure.
From Marina del Rey (22 nm). The most direct route goes south-southwest through the Santa Monica Bay shipping lanes. Watch for container traffic in the Traffic Separation Scheme; give way to vessels under power in the lanes. Crossing time 3–5 hours depending on conditions.
From Newport Beach (27 nm). A slightly longer crossing, but Newport’s offshore position means less commercial traffic. Depart through the Newport Harbor entrance and bear southwest. Many Newport sailors prefer this route for the favourable angle when the NW is up.
From Long Beach (27 nm). Longer, and the route transits the busy Los Angeles/Long Beach port approaches. Stay clear of the breakwater and shipping. More common as a motor crossing; sailors usually prefer Marina del Rey or Newport.
Weather. The dominant condition from May through September is a steady NW sea breeze 12–18 knots building through the afternoon. The crossing is easiest in the morning. Santa Ana events — offshore east winds, 20–40+ knots — occur primarily October through December; check the forecast before going and be prepared to wait one out in a protected anchorage if it builds while the boat is on the island. The Catalina backside anchorages (Emerald, Little, Smugglers) are exposed in NW swell but are well-sheltered in a Santa Ana.
Avalon
Avalon is the only incorporated city on Catalina — population about 3,700 year-round, swelling dramatically in summer. The harbour is almost entirely mooring buoys; anchoring is heavily restricted. The Catalina Mooring Service assigns buoys on a first-come, first-served basis; call ahead on VHF 09 in peak season.
The town earns the trip on its own. The art-deco Casino building (1929, never used for gambling — casino meant “gathering place” in its original Italian) dominates the waterfront and houses both the Avalon Theatre (still showing first-run films) and the Catalina Island Museum upstairs. The waterfront promenade runs the full length of the bay; restaurants, dive shops, the Catalina ferry dock, and the iconic Catalina-tile murals are all walkable. Rent a golf cart for the afternoon and drive up to the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Garden above town.
Working logistics:
- Mooring buoys: priced by boat length (about $35–60/night)
- Fuel dock at the harbour entrance
- Pump-out is mandatory before going ashore
- Water taxi serves the entire mooring field
- Cell coverage is surprisingly good (Verizon, AT&T)
Two Harbors (the Isthmus)
At the narrowest point of the island, Two Harbors is 400 metres wide — both shores visible at once. Isthmus Cove on the windward (east) side is the main mooring field; Catalina Harbor (Cat Harbor) on the lee side offers better protection in NW conditions and is the working hurricane hole for the island.
Two Harbors is quieter, less commercial, and the cruising community’s preferred base. The Harbor Reef Restaurant is the social centre. Kayaking, diving, and hiking trails are all accessible. The diving at Ship Rock just east of the isthmus is among the best in Southern California — 30–80 ft visibility, large schools of bait, the occasional pelagic visitor.
Working logistics:
- Mooring buoys, similar pricing to Avalon
- Anchoring possible in Cat Harbor in settled conditions
- Fuel at the dinghy dock
- Showers at the campground
- VHF 09 monitored
The backside anchorages
The west-facing (backside) anchorages are exposed to NW swell and are working options only in settled conditions. They are also the most spectacular spots on the island.
Emerald Bay. A narrow cove on the northwest end with mooring buoys and excellent protection except in NW swell. The water clarity justifies the name. Boy Scout Camp Emerald Bay occupies the shoreline — quiet, genuinely remote.
Little Harbor (Shark Harbor). A south-facing double cove on the west side. Mooring buoys in the main cove; anchoring possible in the smaller southern cove. Beach ashore, small campground, good snorkelling. Popular with kayakers in summer.
Smugglers Cove. On the east end of the island, accessible from Avalon by boat or a 7-mile hike. Mooring buoys, crystal-clear water, dramatic cliffs. No facilities — bring everything. One of the quietest spots on the island.
Diving and marine life
Catalina’s waters are part of the Catalina Marine Science Center research area. The kelp forests are among the most intact on the Southern California coast — giant kelp growing 60–80 ft from the bottom, garibaldi (the California state marine fish) flashing orange in the shafts of light, harbour seals on the rocks, and the occasional bat ray gliding through the kelp.
The working dive sites:
- Casino Point Marine Park (Avalon). A shore-accessible dive park with mooring buoys for boats. Garibaldi, moray eels, several nudibranch species, occasional sevengill sharks.
- Eagle Reef. Advanced dive at 60–90 ft. Schooling fish; occasional pelagic visitors.
- Ship Rock (Two Harbors). 30–80 ft, exceptional visibility, broadest species mix on the island.
Planning the trip
Crossing checklist:
- File a float plan
- Check the NWS marine forecast and Catalina-specific NOAA buoy data (46221 off the island’s east end)
- Top off fuel — the crossing is workable under power in no wind
- Carry adequate water (island water is limited)
- Pump-out at the mainland before crossing
- VHF 16 and 09 monitored throughout
Best season. May through September for settled conditions and reliable afternoon NW. October can bring Santa Ana events — beautiful sailing when the offshore wind is moderate, dangerous at 30+ knots. November–April offers uncrowded conditions and whale-watching, with NW storms requiring more weather discipline.
Getting a mooring. In summer, call ahead. Popular weekends fill Avalon’s 700+ mooring field by Friday afternoon. Two Harbors is almost always less crowded.
Closing notes
Catalina is 22 miles from the mainland and feels like a different country. The crossing is short enough to be a rite-of-passage day-sail and long enough to feel like an offshore passage. The destination — Avalon’s town, Two Harbors’ wild coves, the kelp forests at Casino Point and Ship Rock — is among the more rewarding cruising grounds in California given the modest commitment required.
It is the trip Southern California sailors take once and then keep taking. The bison are still in the interior. The water at Emerald Bay is still that colour. The Casino is still on the waterfront. The boat that has done the Catalina circuit in good weather has the photograph the trip is remembered by.
Related: Channel Islands Cruising Guide · Marina del Rey Cruising Guide · Newport Beach Harbor Cruising Guide · Southern California Cruising Guide · Reading Marine Weather