Backpacking the Trans-Catalina Trail in a weekend, Day 2

Last month I wrote about the first leg of my trip along the Trans-Catalina Trail, and I've finally found time to finish my story.

For readers who, like me, have minimal time off work and wonder if backpacking the trail is possible in a long weekend, my last post made it pretty clear: it is not recommended. Navigating the hills from Avalon to Little Harbor was already going to be a 20-mile trip. Most would tell you that's too ambitious for the first day, when you're still getting used to carrying the load. But when you get lost twice on top of that, arriving at your campsite after dark with blisters on the bottoms of your feet, the next day seems impossible.

And that is why we decided to take the Safari bus the next day to Two Harbors. Call me naive, but going into the weekend, I didn't think we'd have to do it. I took comfort in my new walking poles, and the fact that Catalina's highest point is only about 2000 feet.

The 20-minute ride from the south coast to the north cost was $20 a person. Like the $66 round-trip ferry ride to Catalina, the only cheaper option is to walk (or sail).

Two Harbors is a smaller town than Avalon, with nicer views. Tourists kayaked and snorkeled offshore, as others gathered in the bar to cheer on the U.S. World Cup team. There is one hotel available. As we ate a buffalo burger, a waiter explained that people who live and work in Catalina get access to better jobs and maybe even a car with time. (The island can be strict in allowing residents to bring cars.) The buffalo burger was indeed buffalo, he said, but from the Midwest, not the island's bison.

A mostly flat, seven-mile hike along the coast from Two Harbors ends at secluded Parson's Landing, our beachside campground for the second night. A reservation at one of the eight sites, while not cheap, includes a bundle of wood and water. Hobbling in on sore legs, we made friends with a solo camper, who agreed to combine firewood. She shared her beer; we shared our stories from the day before. Falling asleep and waking up to the sound of waves was serene, and the backdrop of large gray rocks and clouds calming.

If you're aiming for a less ambitious weekend trip than ours, try taking the ferry in and out of Two Harbors,  as our friend did. Camping at Parson's Landing is worth the hike in, and other trails surround the area, if you want to get a view from the hills or go all the way to the western tip of the land.

But if you want to backpack the Trans-Catalina Trail, learn from my mistakes: give yourself at least four days and three nights.

-- Clare Abreu (clare.abreu@latimes.com)

Top photo: Parson's Landing campground. Bottom photo: Hiking the final stretch to Parson's Landing.

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Backpacking the Trans-Catalina trail in a weekend: Day 1

Two weeks ago I wrote about my plan to backpack the 36-mile Trans-Catalina Island trail in three days and two nights. The fact that a nonprofit was leading a group across the same trail in six days and five nights made me a little worried, but I didn't have time or money for that trip.

As it turned out, my concerns were realistic, and my plans were not.

Arriving in Avalon on the first ferry Friday morning, my boyfriend and I scrambled to get our bearings. No detailed maps of the island were available at the Catalina Island Conservancy office. (I had tried REI -- no luck.) Campsite reservations had to be confirmed at a hotel a few streets over, and various strangers helped lead us out of the town in the direction of the trail head.

Already we had the feeling that we weren't in a state or national park. According to Wikipedia, the island was owned by the Wrigley family beginning in 1919. In 1975, their company gave 88% of the land to the conservancy, which Philip Wrigley helped create. While conservation is a priority on Catalina Island, tourism appears to be a bigger one.

During the first leg of the road uphill to Blackjack Mountain, vehicles headed to Catalina's new zip line passed us frequently. After we passed a gate, the trail became fairly desolate; a few vehicles, but no other hikers.

Can the Trans-Catalina trail be conquered in a weekend?

The Trans-Catalina Island trail opened last year, giving hikers the chance to see the entire island for the first time. If that sounds like a good backpacking trip, you have a couple of options: pay to hike it with a group such as Coastwalk, or have a go of it on your own.

I chose the latter. The Coastwalk trip, beginning this weekend, costs $600 per person and spans six days and five nights. The trail is about 36 miles long, and the highest elevation is about 2,000 feet -- which doesn't sound too intimidating at first. But although Coastwalk stretches the trek out to almost a week, the nonprofit warns:

The Trans-Catalina Coastwalk is rated strenuous because of the high mileage covered each day, the need to be able to carry a large amount of water and the elevation gain/loss.  Weather this time of year is usually pleasant, but Catalina is truly a desert island, dry and exposed.  This event is not suitable for children, and walkers must submit recent hiking and fitness history.

 

The problem is, who has $600 and six days to spare for a nearby backpacking trip? Like many people, I have a full-time job and only two weeks of vacation per year.

So after buying my hiking permit and booking my campsites more than a month ago, I'm heading to Catalina tomorrow on the first ferry of the day. My boyfriend and I may cross paths with the Coastwalk hikers, but we'll be attempting the hike in half the time -- three days and two nights. And unlike the group, we'll be carrying our own gear and food on our backs.

Online testimonials warn me of several things -- wandering buffalo, steep trails without switchbacks and lots of exposure. But I've never been to Catalina, and I'm not going to pass up the chance, even if my schedule can accommodate only three days.

Check in next week for my report on the trip. Is it reasonable to hike the entire island if you have only a weekend? Or will I wimp out and hop on the Safari bus?

-- Clare Abreu

Photo: The Trans-Catalina trail, looking north from Two Harbors. Credit: teamg42 on flickr

Next: Backpacking the Trans-Catalina trail in a weekend, Day 1

Fish and Game Q&A: Can I use an air cannon to launch my bait into the sea when surf-fishing?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday afternoon or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I was just watching a commercial about a guy who invented a “fish bait launcher” that launches your fishing line, tackle and bait out 200-plus yards past the surf. It was invented by a dedicated surf-fisher who became handicapped but refused to give up his favorite sport. It looks a lot like the popular old air cannons that could launch large veggies. This one is just large enough to put some small bait in, and is powered by a 12-volt battery, charger and air compressor. I thought air cannons were made illegal in California, no matter what you use them for. Am I right? (Chris D., ab diver/fisherman/hunter)

Answer: If the invention meets certain conditions, it may be legal. According to Lt. John Laughlin, if the launcher does not use any rocket-propelled projectiles or projectiles containing any explosive, incendiary material or chemical substances, it is legal. If the propulsion includes an ignition or combustion, it will be in violation of the law. (California Penal Code 12301 [a][6]).

Q: I am a sport fisherman with a boat and will be taking people on a camping trip to Catalina soon. Some of the people want to go lobster hoop netting. I know everyone who’s fishing for lobsters regardless of age needs a lobster card. What is the rule though for people who are just watching and not fishing or assisting in any way? If someone is determined to be in violation of fishing or assisting while without a lobster card, who is fined, the boat owner or the individual without a card? Thank you for your time and efforts to keep marine life safe. (Jeff)

MLPA process coming to a head in Southern California; anglers hope for the best

Anglers on Sunday will stage a "Yes on 2!" rally at Dana Wharf Sportfishing in support of one of three proposals being considered by the Blue Ribbon Task Force as part of the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative. The BRTF will select its preferred alternative -- either of the three plans or an integrated version -- during a meeting next week at the Hilton Hotel in Long Beach.

(Public comments will be accepted from 1:30-4:30 p.m. and from 7-10 p.m. Wednesday, and the BRTF will choose its alternative Thursday.)

Whichever proposal is selected and ultimately approved by the California Fish and Game Commission, it will establish a network of state marine reserves along the Southern California coast and at the Channel Islands to help conserve fisheries and habitat. SMRs will be off limits to fishing and other types of consumptive activities.

The Marine Life Protection Act, passed by the California Legislature in 1999, requires the state to reevaluate and redesign California's system of marine protected areas, or reserves. The process is already complete in the North-Central and Central Coast regions.

In the South Coast region, from Point Conception to the U.S.-Mexico border, proposal No. 2 is favored by anglers because it's not as extreme when it comes to SMRs.

"We're not out here saying 'no' to conservation -- we're saying yes to a plan that achieves the MLPA's mandated conservation goals while minimizing the economic and social impact on Southern Californians," said Steven Fakuto, president of the United Anglers of Southern California, which was involved in the process as a stakeholder. "Workgroup 2's plan is still going to hurt, but we can live with the fact that it offers the best level of conservation while striving not to severely restrict recreational fishing."

This weekend the ocean will bring out the best in people

Many have said ocean is therapeutic, but this weekend it goes beyond that: The waters off Southern California will become a theater in which kindhearted people will do their best to help others.

On Saturday, Sean Clancy will paddle his kayak from Huntington Beach to Santa Catalina Island to raise money for the Dream Street Foundation, which treats kids with life-threatening illnesses to a unique camping experience.

People have pledged donations and as of Thursday night Clancy had received $10,326. Last year he made the same voyage and raised $16,000. He asks those who would like to help to visit the Dream Street website and find "Sean's Kayak Event" in the "You Can Help" field.

Also on Saturday, the Malibu Invitational gets underway at Surfrider State Beach. It's a high-level surf contest that runs through Sunday, and some proceeds will benefit local surfer Lyon Herron, 16, who has been battling Gardner syndrome, a potentially deadly cancer, since he was 6.

"We're looking forward to a great event with some of the world's best  surfers. But more importantly we're excited to help Lyon," said Brad Gerlach, a big-wave surfer and spokesman for Primo Beer, the event sponsor.

On Sunday is the Catalina Classic paddleboard race from Catalina to Manhattan Beach. The Ocean of Hope uses this grueling 32-mile competition as a fundraiser for the Sarcoma Alliance. Twenty team members will compete to raise money toward finding a cure for this deadly cancer.

Robert Chambliss is the only sarcoma survivor to have actually paddled in the race. But he didn't finish the 2005 competition because his right shoulder began to ache because of the cancer. Robert died in 2007. During the 2008 competition two paddlers, Gene Boyer and Ron Roebuck, delivered some of his ashes across the channel to help Chambliss finish the race.

It was a touching moment when they arrived at the beach, and there figures to be more touching moments this weekend. May the best men and women prevail--heaven knows they'll be trying.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Surfrider State Beach in Malibu will be the site of the Malibu Invitational surf contest this weekend. Credit: Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times

Saltwater fishing report: White seabass bite erupts at Catalina

White seabass are among the most sought after saltwater game fish in Southern California. They're popular because of their freight train-like fight and the tender flakiness of their ivory-white flesh -- and perhaps because they're so finicky that when a wide-open bite does erupt it becomes truly special.

Philip Friedman, the founder of 976-TUNA who provides regular reports for Outposts, was at the backside of Catalina on Thursday at daybreak, when one of these phenomenons occurred.

He was aboard Options, a six-passenger sportfisher out of Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach, with sons Philip Jr. and Patrick, Earl McVicar and Arturo Velasquez. They'd obtained live squid from a commercial boat and McVicar got things started by catching a 25-pound yellowtail at first light. 

They then sat and waited, frustratingly, while watching anglers aboard nearby boats battle 20- to 40-pound seabass. This is another typical thing about seabass. If you're not on the precise right spot, you can miss the bite, and when the bite shuts down it literally shuts down.

But the feeding croakers ultimately swept past Options, and each angler and the three crew members  filled their one-fish limits. Philip Jr. also caught a legal-size halibut, and Velasquez, a novice angler, hauled from the depths a 100-pound black seabass, which was released because black seabass are protected in California.

What's good news for seabass anglers is that Options Capt. Tino Valentine and other skippers have been metering thousands of seabass, and on Tuesday the bag limit increases from one to three.

Meanwhile, on the albacore front, Friedman reports that the longfin tuna remain in an area 120-plus miles south of Point Loma, but that a northbound migration appears imminent. Anglers aboard several San Diego-based vessels will be searching for closer schools of albacore this weekend.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: From left, Philip Friedman Jr., Earl McVicar, Patrick Friedman and Arturo Velasquez display Thursday morning's catch aboard Options. Credit: Philip Friedman
 

 

Catalina Island scientific excursion open to the public

The public is invited to join marine biologists, naturalists and other staff of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium on an exploratory day-trip to Catalina Island on Sun., June 14.

"Catalina Above and Below" is an annual scientific observation and collecting expedition sponsored by the aquarium.

Passengers will have the opportunity to assist in checking fish traps set the day prior. Anything captured will be placed in onboard tanks for close-up study, then later released or kept for display at the aquarium.

Throughout the voyage, staff will be watching for and discussing the variety of marine animals commonly seen in the area, including whales, dolphins and sea lions.

There are also plans to conduct a controlled shark-baiting exercise designed to lure sharks to the surface for observation and attempted tagging.

Flying Fish Festival begins today on Santa Catalina Island

*Updated Huell Howser to link to Huell Howser Productions website

Huell Howser will be grand marshal at this year's Flying Fish Festival, taking place today through Sunday on Santa Catalina Island.

Held to celebrate the return of flying fish to waters off the island, the annual event has a myriad of activities scheduled. Kicking things off this evening is the Taste Around of Avalon, at which attendees can sample fare from local restaurants.

Boat and kayak tours will take place each evening, when the fish are most active and can be lured closer to the vessels using lights.

Other activities include a parade, a street fair and beer garden, musical entertainment, live marine touch tanks, garden tours and children's crafts.

The festival this year coincides with the 80th anniversary of the iconic Casino Building, where a dance will be held Saturday evening. Admission will be $19.29, to commemorate the building's opening date.

Flying fish can be seen near Catalina from May to September. While they don't actually fly like birds, their unusually large pectoral fins enable the fish to take short gliding flights above the surface of the water.

-- Kelly Burgess

Image credit:  Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce

Catalina Chamber Day is May 6; scuba divers needed

When asked about the importance of maintaining the USC Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber at the island's Two Harbors area, dive master Ken Kurtis said, "The chamber provides a vital safety net for divers, and, to put it bluntly, without it people would die."

The chamber, which is used to treat various scuba-diving-related ailments, is funded largely by donations. The annual Chamber Day, chaired by Kurtis, is a primary fundraiser.

This year's Chamber Day and Chamber Evening (a separate event at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach), is May 6. Cost is $90 for two dives, plus $30 for food and tank refills. Cost for the Chamber Evening dinner is $90, which includes a private tour of the aquarium and five raffle tickets.

About 250 people are expected for the dive and 500 for the dinner.  Those who cannot make either and would still like to help can enjoy a mythical  "Flying Dutchman" dive (for $90) and receive a commemorative T-shirt and raffle tickets.

Kurtis, who owns Reef Seekers Dive Co. in Beverly Hills, said donations are down this year and that the chamber needs the help of divers. Please click on the Chamber Day link  to learn more.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A garibaldi. Credit: Ken Kurtis

White seabass fishing bite on at Catalina Island

Passengers on the overnight boat Pacific Quest from Pierpoint Landing sportfishing in Long Beach had an awesome catch of white seabass at Catalina Island on Wednesday.

The eight anglers on board landed seven keepers up to 40 pounds. There were several others hooked that either were lost or shorter than the legal length of 28 inches.

"This could be what we have been waiting for," said Pacific Quest captain Josh Walton.

White seabass are currently spawning, so many can be caught in water as shallow as 6 feet, though most are hitting at about 20 feet, with live squid the bait of choice.

The warmer weather during the past few days has put the large fish in a biting mood it seems. Another Pierpoint boat, Dreamer, radioed in to Philip Friedman of 976-TUNA.com that they have caught limits this morning.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Ruben Marciel from Hemet, Calif., (left) is pictured here with Pacific Quest Captain Josh Walton. Credit: Pierpoint Landing

Sea monster from Sea of Cortez resurfaces in shape of an oarfish

Who said there are no sea monsters?

The 15-foot oarfish in a photo being passed around by Bill Roecker of Fishingvideos.com was actually taken in May 2007 at Baja California's East Cape region, near Rancho Leonero Resort, by Troy Tinney of Encinitas.

These bizarre denizens, who occupy the dark depths most of the time, occasionally surface, usually dead or dying. A few have been discovered in recent years in the Sea of Cortez.

They can measure 50-plus feet and undoubtedly -- with their long, oar-shaped fins and crimson manes -- are among species to have spawned tales of sea serpents among ancient mariners.

You may recall the surfacing of a live oarfish in 2006 inside a bay at Santa Catalina Island. Harbormaster Doug Oudin donned snorkeling gear and swam alongside the fish, before it died, and described its coloring as "metallic silver with bright blue-brown spots and splotches, along with its amazing pinkish-red full-length dorsal fin."

Their modern discovery may date to 1808, when a 56-foot serpent-like creature washed ashore in Scotland. In 1901, a 22-foot oarfish drifted onto the sand in Newport Beach, becoming, according to one reference book, "the basis for many sea-serpent stories told by local bar patrons for more than a decade after its discovery."

The oarfish in the photo looks to have had its tail bitten off. In the Sea of Cortez, apparently, there is no dignity in dying.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A 15-foot oarfish that surfaced last year in the Sea of Cortez is hoisted by three adults who made the discovery. Credit: Troy Tinney