The Scouting Party Goes To Catalina
Well, it is our anniversary and we celebrate by working in Catalina. MAybe working is a strong word! We mix work and fun! Our anniversary is perfectly timed, six weeks ahead of the Avalon Ball so we can finalize the arrangements (the rooms were secured a year ago but we make the room assignments, we notify the restaurants and arrange for separate checks and locations, etc!).
It was cool but not cold... Make walking quite pleasant!
We Are Off!
Did You Know? - "All ashore that's going ashore" is a naval expression and means the ship is about to sail; therefore any persons not intending to sail with the ship should disembark immediately.
We are ready to sail the bounding main!
On our way...
Did You Know? - The Hamilton Beach Airport (now called Hamilton Cove) was built as an amphibian seaplane airport and opened in 1931. The airline, Wilmington-Catalina Airline, LTD, flew 10-passenger Douglas Dolphins two engine amphibian seaplanes. The fare from Wilmington to Catalina in those days was $5.
A small Spanish-style terminal building welcomed residents, business people & tourists to Catalina. The terminal can be seen in scenes from the 1935 movie “Murder On A Honeymoon” which was filmed on the island.
Following a water landing off shore from the narrow cove, the plane would taxi up a concrete ramp to a large turntable set into the ground. The turntable was similar to those used in railroad round houses.
After the arriving passengers disembarked, the turntable would be reversed by hand until the plane was facing the opposite direction. Departing passengers would board and the plane would head back down the ramp into the sea. The turntable was designed by Philip K. Wrigley. The boat-like hulled seaplanes were designed by Donald Douglas, Sr., a close friend of Philip Wrigley.
Tourists and residents were served at the airport until September 1942, at which time the Coast Guard took over, after the United States entry into World War II.
We were treated to a magnificent show
The sea bubbled and gurgled and all of a sudden... Dolphin time!
The encircled the boat... coming at us from all sides
Did You Know? - Common dolphins live in both warm-temperate and tropical waters ranging from 40–60°N to 50°S. Long-beaked common dolphins mostly inhabit shallow, warm coastal water.[6] Short-beaked common dolphins are common "along shelf edges and in areas with sharp bottom relief such as seamounts and escarpments".
Common dolphin have a varied diet consisting of many species of fish and squid. This includes both mesopelagic species and epipelagic schooling species. They have been recorded to make dives up to 200 metres (660 ft) deep.
Common dolphins can live in aggregations of hundreds or even thousands of dolphins.
There were hundreds all around the boat!
The dolphins can really move
Did You Know? - They are fast swimmers (up to 60 km/h), and breaching behavior and aerial acrobatics are common with this species.
They would come within 2-3 feet of our ship!
Four in a row underwater and they would breach at the same time
There were dolphins several hundred feet from the boat
Zipping right along
Glad we had a telephoto lens... Listen carefully!
As we speeded up, so did they!
They did NOT see the speed limit sign
Hurry... The boat is about to leave!
Here we go... Here they come!
See you later!
Look carefully, there are hundred's of them!
Easy to see from the inside of the ship!
Bye bye!
It happens to all of us!
The mountains are so green!
We will be seeing you up close very soon...
The Avalon Ball
Our trusty steed gets ready for another journey to the mainland!
We have seen the other side of this sign for fifteen years!
Didn't realize the other side was different
and the sign contains a time capsule
Did You Know? - A time capsule is a historic cache of goods or information, usually intended as a method of communication with future people and to help future archaeologists , anthropologists , or historians .Time capsules are sometimes created and buried during celebrations such as a world's fair , a cornerstone laying for a building or at other events.
Did You Know? - Quick Description: This beautiful tiled welcome sign greets visitors as the disembark at the ferry terminal on Catalina Island, in Avalon, the only incorporated town on the Island. A 100-year time capsule was placed here on Oct. 13, 1987.
Eclectic decorations
Great bar!
Corn on the cob... Excellent!
The poppers were OK but needed so be fried longer to get crusty!
Lobster enchilada
Veggie taco's
