Catalina & The Channel Islands

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anyone been to any of these islands?

― gareth (gareth), Monday, 19 May 2003 09:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I've been to Catalina. I got stung by a bee. But it was fun.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Monday, 19 May 2003 11:04 (twenty-two years ago)

where is catalina?

― DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 19 May 2003 11:11 (twenty-two years ago)

off the Californian coast.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Monday, 19 May 2003 11:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Yup, and there's only one town of note, Avalon, on Santa Catalina itself. Always wanted to go for the hell of it. Most of the islands are I believe nature preserves/national monuments. They're readily visible from the coast on a clear day if you're in LA, Santa Barbara or OC.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 May 2003 12:07 (twenty-two years ago)

You want to go because of Catalina Caper, admit it, Ned.

― rosemary (rosemary), Monday, 19 May 2003 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

is there any similarity between Catalina and the Channel Islands?

― DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 19 May 2003 14:24 (twenty-two years ago)

They are part of the same chain.

And for me the answer is yes, being from that part of the world and all.

― jm (jtm), Monday, 19 May 2003 14:25 (twenty-two years ago)

You want to go because of Catalina Caper, admit it, Ned.

"Never steal anything WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET..."

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 May 2003 14:27 (twenty-two years ago)

i lived inland from the channel islands for about a year (ventura), catalina is way more touristy, the channel islands are much more out of the way (are you gonna be in santa barbara?), have little to offer in the realm of convenience... but are great to watch great white feeding on baby elephant seals (check the west shore of anacapa). great urchin and clam diving, great fishing...

but catalina is like a world away though... golf carts everywhere, field trippers, senior retreats.

My room's a mess, but I don't care
I'm tired of sitting at my desk
You can't bother me
I'm far away from you
Got to get away
You can't ruin my day
You can't tell me what to do
You can't make me think I love you

Shoot it in your arm, you can't hurt me
I'm on my way to Catalina
And I'm not going to read your books
My tank's full of squid
And it's getting light
And you whores, you can't make me want
'Cause I got all the rest I need
On the deck of my boat
And you can't take my heart when I'm here
'Cause it's a long swim home
For your cute little arms

I'll steal some gas, fix my motor
Put on my Black Flag tape
And get you out of my head

Ah yes, here I am, far away from everyone
And the only fish I smell
Is on the back of my boat
I want to go but my motor's broken
There's no scotch tape, I'm out of gas,
So it looks like I'm stuck here

I'll steal some gas, fix my motor
Put on my Last tape
And get you out of my head

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 19 May 2003 14:30 (twenty-two years ago)

ehhhhhh, are there American Channel Islands as well as our favourite little funny money centres in the English Channel?

that's just mad.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 19 May 2003 15:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I was going to tell you all about my exciting trip to Jersey, but never mind.

― Vicky (Vicky), Monday, 19 May 2003 15:06 (twenty-two years ago)

yes i was referring to the californian channel islands. apologies for any confusion

― gareth (gareth), Monday, 19 May 2003 15:07 (twenty-two years ago)

oh tell him about jersey he will love that he will

― Mary (Mary), Monday, 19 May 2003 17:38 (twenty-two years ago)

It's very pretty, but it's not very exciting. Apart from the zoo, that's fantastic! I went for a conference in Jersey, and the dinner was in the zoo, and we got to walk through it at dusk, which was cool, as all the birds were roosting, and it was very quiet apart from exotic animal sounds and snuffling. I went back the next day in the daylight, and it's by far the best zoo i've ever been to.

The shopping is fantastic too. Excellent shops, and cheaper than in the uk, cos there's no vat, it was fantastic, but I spent a fortune.

Pub's aren't too good, well I didn't find a great one, but hotel bars are cheap. And the hotel we stayed in had an indoor/outdoor pool, which was great fun. swimming outdoors at the start of Oct, and it wasn't cold!

If I was to go again I'd definitely hire a car and head out into the countryside, it was very beautiful. The architecture is very quaint, mix between english and french, unsurprisingly.

I don't know if I will go again. It was nice, and I'd like to go back, but for the same price I could go somewhere a bit more exciting, exotic, with better weather, so i dunno...

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 07:43 (twenty-two years ago)

so catalina is a better bet than the other channel islands because its easier to get to from LA and stuff?

― gareth (gareth), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 09:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, but it suffers because of it (see gygax!s post). Worth a day or two, definitely. Get out on a boat away from all the people, and it's close to paradise.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 09:36 (twenty-two years ago)

What Nordicskillz said, etc. There are a variety of ferries, I gather.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 13:41 (twenty-two years ago)

also bergerac's dodgy yet basically decent father-in-law charlie is not in cahoots with the authorities

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 13:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I met someone once who was deported from Jersey for vagrancy.

They take a very broad view of vagrancy on Jersey.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I know someone from St Helier who claimed numerous sexual conquests, including his maths teacher and two genuine lesbian twins.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

as opposed to fake lesbian twins?

― C J (C J), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 14:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I've been to Catalina probably about a dozen or so times over the years and it's kinda cool, especially in the off season. Avalon is the only town of note - there is a settlement at Two Harbors, but it's pretty much just a small store and a couple of shops for the visiting boaters. Avalon has got the usual tourist-oriented shops, hotels, and restaurants along with some bars and stores for the locals. The Catalina Airport has really good buffalo burgers. The Avalon Casino has some great deco architecture.

The other channel islands are empty, but you can get to them via boat from Ventura or Santa Barbara. San Clemente Island is the only one off-limits as it's a Naval gunnery range.

― Chris Barrus (Chris Barrus), Wednesday, 21 May 2003 03:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Ahhh...

Back in Ye Olden Days they used to film movies out on Catalina. And one group imported Bison for a Western. The Bison stayed out there for the most part, though I think mose of them have been killed/shepherded off...

― jm (jtm), Wednesday, 21 May 2003 03:24 (twenty-two years ago)

i lived in jersey for about six months over ten years ago and am not yet over the horror of it. my boyfriend at the time being deported for vagrancy didn't help. and now i have to put it out of my head and think of good places like new york and paris.

― angela (angela), Wednesday, 21 May 2003 08:50 (twenty-two years ago)

the odd thing is, your description of the place always made me want to go and live there for a bit.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Wednesday, 21 May 2003 09:05 (twenty-two years ago)

i have relatives that live on Catalina. my uncle's family is like 3rd generation Catalinian. they own the super famous fish restaurant at the end of the Pier in Avalon. he's pretty funny. he was born with no sense of smell, but he's a lobster fisherman. so obviously he stinks really bad all the time. it gets kinda dangerous, though, when he doesn't smell the gas from the oven being left on.

there's really not much to do when you're there, so all the kids and all the old folks just party a lot. my 15-20 yr old cousins drink and smoke pot with their parents and the 50-60 year old neigbors. that's all anyone does over there. my young (20) cousin just had a baby. My aunt just moved over to the other side of the island to Two Harbors and runs that general store Chris Barrus speaks of. i guess

it's cool if you like to go camping.

― JasonD (JasonD), Thursday, 22 May 2003 01:05 (twenty-two years ago)

uh, that "i guess" is supposed to go onto the next line.

― JasonD (JasonD), Thursday, 22 May 2003 01:06 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

I want to go.

Those day-trips around the island - the nature-type ones - are they worth it?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 2 August 2005 15:16 (twenty years ago)

three years pass...

might be moot, as my sister seems to be bogarting LA, but for future reference, best channel island daytrip?

― gabbneb, Sunday, 23 November 2008 04:46 (seventeen years ago)

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