Catalina trip planning

[dwest]

Preparing for Catalina Island sail tour I am beginning to plan a peddle / paddle / sail tour to and around Catalina Island from Newport Harbor in an Adventure Island. At this stage I am thinking of a 7 to 10-day time budget.

I have been to Catalina twice and collected the tourist literature; I also have looked at a few island websites. I have been camping and canoe touring for years on freshwater lakes and rivers.

But this will be a step up in terms of possible conditions and hazards, and I want to research and prepare in detail. (Please understand I have found that the planning and anticipation will be a pleasure in its own right.)

I am opening the following physical files and computer directories based on past experience plus new concerns:

1. Navigation, including maps, trip plan, and notifications
2. Communication gear and information, contact list
3. Water safety gear and information
4. Weather and ocean condition information: sources, planning, hazards, and contingencies
5. Camping gear, reservations, and locations
6. Food and water: supplies, gear and replenishment options
7. Repair gear and spare parts kits, including island sources
8. Photo gear, spares, and island resources
9. Health and hygiene gear, supplies, and island resources
10. Fishing gear, supplies, guides , and island resources
11. Clothing, outer gear, and washing stuff, including island resources
12. Kayak rigging and equipment, including island resources
13. Budget and island access to funds

Thoughts? Thanks.

[PerryC]

Wow, that sounds like a very fun trip to do I have never sailed one of the Hobies, but it looks like one would do it with the right conditions. I'll say this though, I would start of with arranging the trip over and back utilizing a chase boat. If I could arrange one, great. If not, I would do another trip. It can get breezy in the channel which is ok, but it can get some serious swells and wind also. When the outrigger clubs have their annual race to Catalina each club has a chase boat, and they're not small.

After I had that taken care of both ways, I would look into the camping situation. Theres different campsites on the beaches around the island. I can't remember the name of the service, but one will drop people and their kayaks off at certain places, and you could probably find them on the net. Once I was sure I had a safe passage and a place(s) to stay while there, I would plan the rest of it.

Thoughts on the chase boat??

PerryC.

[dwest]

My buddy Steve has a 30-foot or so power boat and will be the mothership for the trip.

Anybody know if there is camping on the back side of Catalina at Little Harbor (next to Shark Harbor) or Silver Canyon Landing? I think the rest of the way around the island there are suitable campsites / anchorages.

Assuming Steve brings his boat for the whole trip, I may just "camp" on his boat. It may be that he will only be able to provide escort service to and from Catalina, though.

[dwest]

Found these:

http://www.kayakcatalinaisland.com/html/camping.html

http://www.ckf.org/Reports/2001/01-0...ndCatalina.htm

[dwest]

Anyone have a sense of how long it would take to kayak around the island (Avalon to Avalon, for example)?

From the maps and other information so far it looks like 2 very long days or 3 typical days would do it in reasonable conditions.

I am hoping to fish and dive a little so a 5 or 6 day circumnavigation looks very "doable."

Other information? Thoughts? Thanks

[dwest]

Another link to kayak fishing Catalina to add to the mix:

http://www.kayaksportfishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3024&highlight=