Pacific Coast with Mike & Wendy

[Tom and Margi]

I'm sure everything you said is correct, seilerbird.  However, Santa Catalina Island has always been called simply "Catalina" in the same way San Francisco is always called "The City" by natives.

Perhaps not accurate mileage, but it was a catchy song "way back when" when I was moving to Berkeley to go to school.

Margi

 

[Tom]

It might also depend on the route taken by the ferry, or the points of departure and arrival. Since the island is 22 miles long and 8 miles wide, the trip could easily be 26 miles, more if arriving in Two Harbors. Either way, the ferry ride is approximately an hour, give or take for sea conditions.

Google Earth has a number of pictures of and around Catalina.

I think I'd still remember the lyrics if they'd said "22 miles across the sea", and they'd be equally poetic.

 

[Wendy]

Born and raised in southern California and we always called it "Catalina". Can't remember ever hearing anyone refer to it as "Santa Catalina Island" although I know that's the "official" name. Lots of things we don't bother referring to by their "official" names. As for the distance, if we take the boat from Dana Point, it's further than 26 or 22 miles, maybe even Marsha's 33 miles. What's in a song's lyrics?

Quite right about the Channel Islands National Park. Been to the visitor center in Ventura but haven't been lucky enough to go out to any of the islands.

Wendy
Bolsa Chica State Beach

 

[Wendy]

  BOLSA CHICA

We left Bolsa Chica State Beach on Sunday. We really enjoyed our week there and would have stayed longer if they didn?t have a 7-day limit. Bolsa Chica State Beach runs between Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and the Pacific Ocean, between Huntington Beach and Long Beach. The campground is noisy, with traffic noise from PCH on one side and walking / biking / rollerskate noise from the paved trail that runs along the other side. It?s little more than a parking lot with hookups but you can?t beat the location, right on the beach, a short walk across the sand to the water. And it?s hard to beat the sunsets, sitting in front of your RV, watching the red ball of the sun drop slowly into the ocean. After the sun sets, you can carry your firewood to one of the fire rings set out on the beach and enjoy a campfire while you listen to the crash of the surf.

You can leave your campsite on foot or bike and follow the paved, level trail (average grade 0%) that runs between the campground and the sand. Northwest of the campground is Sunset Beach, a fun place to go for a walk or bike ride. There are still quaint little beach bungalows, looking like they?re stuck in the 60s. Go the other direction on the trail, and in a mile you?ll be at Huntington Beach Dog Park. A mile of beach, situated below the bluffs, has been designated for dogs off-leash. The hairy beasts can run in the sand and splash in the ocean. I?ve never seen so many happy dogs, all getting along with no bites, snarls, or lip-curling.

Across PCH from the campground is Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, a natural area with walking trails and fantastic birding. Surrounded by urban sprawl, it?s a quiet area to enjoy the coastal wetlands.

We made a run up to Disneyland while we were staying at Bolsa Chica. It?s about 16 miles from Bolsa so it?s a close enough place to stay if you?re planning on visiting Disneyland and California Adventure. The Christmas decorations were going up so we got a taste of the Holiday spirit at Disneyland. And we found a hidden treasurer - lunch at Thunder Mountain Bbq. You get all-you-can-eat barbecue chicken and ribs, baked beans, coleslaw, and cornbread for $19.95 (pay with a Disney credit card and you get 10% off) AND they?ll give you To Go boxes.

(Bolsa Chica State Beach campground regular price: $65 beach side, $50 inland side, $2 off for seniors, half-off for disabled with a California State Parks disability card that you can get free, electric and water hookups with a dump station one parking lot over; reservations required on weekends and every day in the summer)