Chapter 18 Hawaii

Catalina Island receives periodic moisture from the direction of hawaii, and rainstorms called the 'Pineapple Express' which brought heavy rains and subsequent flooding to the southern California region in 2005 caused extensive damage to the area. Unlike Hawaii where the ocean is tropical and warm throughout the year, the water temperature around Catalina ranges from the low 50's to the mid 70's Fahrenheit. The cold temperatures around Catalina can support a more life and a much denser web of life, as there is more oxygen and nutrients in the cold waters. Occasionally but rarely, warm currents will allow sub tropical fish to only reach the most southern islands along California's coast. The Hawaiian Islands also have a dry mild climate on their leeward sides where they receive very little precipitation just like Catalina Island. They are also vulnerable to tsunamis, fortunately that has not been a major problem except for Hilo, Hawaii which was hit by a devasting one in 1946 with 159 deaths.
     Island life is shared by both, with a different sense of time felt by residents. On Catalina, visitors and resident comment on how timeless the island feels because of the minimal changes because of development restrictions. In an esoteric sense, both areas are surrounded by water, hence cut off from the rest of the world phyically and maybe spiritually or something more than that.
     Tourism plays a huge role in both of their economies, with scuba diving, sailing, kayaking, swimming, fishing, and other water activities a major focus of activity. On Catalina Island Ben Weston and Shark Harbor are great surf spots, although Hawaii is of course the birthplace and home to some of the best surfing in the world. Cruise ships visit them both and play a role in local ecomomic activities within  the service sector.


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Surfing at Shark Harbor, with its clear and clean beautiful breaks.



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Avalon with cruise ships

Chapter 16 The North Pacific Coast

Catalina stands in stark contrast with the North Pacific Coast, as it receives less than 12 inches of rain per year on average, as opposed to the latter which receives up to 230 inches at the extreme and is generally very moist and has alot of biomass and tree growth. Both share large areas that are isolated from people and deveopment though, and have the Pacific Ocean as a common influence concerning climate effects and general geographic impacts. As the coastal tribes and local ones on Catalina depended on the ocean for sustenance, fishing and boating are a shared trait for both areas from the beginning of man's presence. Today, commercial fishing in the open ocean and local aquaculture is still a major economic focus in the Pacific Northwest region, but not on Catalina Island, where recreational fishing is popular and done with fishing poles and spearfishing. Abalone cannot be legally caught south of just north of San Francisco, and there are other fishing restrictions that differ between the two. It is interesting to note that the Tongva on Catalina got there canoe materials from the north and strong storms originated in the north produce large waves which effect the islands ecology and physical structure all the coast.
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Avalon looking east



Chapter 15 California

Catalina Island's physical geography is similar to the mainland of California where it sits off the coast from. Unlike much of the coast of California, the water surrounding the island is quite clear and clean being that it is located over 20 miles off the coast and enjoys well circulated water from the ocean currents (less so with Avalon, with its antiquated sewage treatment system and fecal coliform violations according to the Natural Resources Defense Council). Wildlife is abundant in both its kelp forests and protected open space lands across the island. After the fall and winter rains come, like on the mainland, the hills come to life with emerald green grasses and wild flowers. This is in great contrast to the highly developed nature of Southern California. It shares the mild coastal dry summer Mediterranean climate with the mainland. Catalina's big storms are Northeasters in the Fall and Winter primarily, and the northeast side of the island, which is normally quite calm, have to contend with large waves and strong winds. The Santa Ana winds which blow hot air and pollution in during the fall, sometimes create huge waves which require boats to leave the northeast side of Two Harbors at the isthmus to the other side on the now more protected southwest side.
     Catalina island's more pristine environs make it a very special place, where numerous Hollywood movies have been filmed, stars have had homes and vacation time spent on their yachts, and all of the outdoor activities shared with the mainland, and all of its attributes are accentuated for this reason. USC even has a marine research center on the island and a hypbaric chamber for scuba diver's decompression needs.
     Avalon has many amenities for visitors including 34 restraunts and bars, as opposed to only 1 in rustic Two Harbors, numerous various sleeping accomadations, over 1135 moorings around the island, a botanical garden, a hospital and clinic, a campground (and others throughout the island), over 1,200 golf carts used for primary transportation needs, a zip-line, and many other offerings for the more than 1,000,000 visitors the island receives each year.
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Avalon, Catalina Island

Chapter 14 The Southwest Border Area

As mentioned before, the island receives minimal rain, only 12 inches per year on averge, and is a semi-desert climate. Catalina Island is located within the Southwest Border Area and has a historical record that is congruent to the geographical area itself. With tricultural influences, including that of California Native peoples, the Tongva, who migrated from the Great Basin and were Shono speakers, the Spanish and later Mexicans, and finally those of European decent, all formed the initial foundation of socio-economic and cultural impacts on Catalina Island.
     The Tongva, which means "people of the earth" in their own language,  would use plank canoes made from washed up redwood trees from Northern California and would trade with the mainland Native peoples. The first European who "discovered" Catalina was Juan Cabrillo in 1542 and claimed it for the King of Spain and called it 'San Salvador.' Later, Russian sea otter hunters came and subsequently wiped out the Natives with diseases and sent the rest to the Gabrielinl missions on the mainland. Mexico took over in 1820 and smugglers use Catalina to stash their booty and goods for trading and avoiding Mexico's tariffs which were quite high.
     A succession of owners after the United States laid claim to the island in 1850, ranchers and miners occupied it, and Union soldiers during the Civil War built barracks to house 'renegade' Indians. In the late 19th Century, the George Shatto built a pier and the Hotel Metropole in Avalon and develped a tourist trade with the Banning brothers who ran steamships to and from the mainland. The Bannings then sold it to the Wrigley family, after which it became a set for Hollywood movies and getaway place for the stars.
     The population is primarily White and Latino within a  fairly consistent

population for years:   

Historical Population
Census	Pop.		%±
1920	586		—
1930	1,897		223.7%
1940	1,037		−45.3%
1950	1,506		45.2%
1960	1,536		2.0%
1970	1,520		−1.0%
1980	2,022		33.0%
1990	2,918		44.3%
2000	3,127		7.2%
2010	3,728		19.2%



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Catalina Island Casino Building in Avalon

Chapter 13 The Empty Interior

Catalina Island, in terms of the minimal amount of precipitation it recieves each year on average, has a semi-desert climate with cacti growing all over the island. And  because of it's isolation from the United State's second largest metropolitan area, Los Angeles, with most of the island protected with conservation restrictions severly limiting most kinds of development, the island has something in common with America's Empty Interior, the sparcely populated western portion of the United States that doesn't include the West Coast itself. The Empty Interior's land is owned primarily by the US Government, making it sparsely populated and full of open lands as well.
     Catalina Island has Mt. Orizaba at over 2097 ft, it's highest peak among other mountains, as does the Empty Interior. Both are popular places for hiking, camping, mountain biking, and other outdoor activities which I really enjoy.
     There is no better excercise activity than mountain biking on Catalina Island with it's fresh air and mountain trails and spines looking out at blue ocean on each side whilst cranking up some tunes to get up the steep hills....like Shreikback's "My Spine is the Bassline"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp21F4fimkc&feature=player_detailpage

Catalina Island's Airport in the Sky

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Chapter 12 The Great Plains and Prairies

Catalina Island has little in the way of plains and prairies, yet it is covered by grasses that are eaten by mostly wild buffalo left over from a movie shoot in the 1920's. They were originally from the Great Plains so once again it interesting to see another seemingly unlikely connection between the two regions because of man's mobility and effect on transforming his/her environment. The island's restraunts proudly serve up tasty buffalo burgers as well, a healthy alternative to beef as it contains significantly less saturated fat than the latter. Ranching was a focus in both areas in part because both receive very little rain as opposed to the Agricultural Core.

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Baby buffalo Nursing

Chapter 11 The Agricultural Core

Water plays a big role in both Catalina Island's and the Core's geographical history and development, but the Great Lakes are obviously quite different than the Pacific Ocean and the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers represent something of the opposite of what Catalina Is. has with its barely seasonal streams.
     The Wrigley family, famous for owning the Chicago Cubs and the famous gum and candy company of the name, hail from Chicago (within the Agricultural Core of course) bought the island in 1917 for 3 million dollars. The island residents would not focus on growing much in the way of crops but focus on hunting and gathering and fishing, and later ranching. They were and still are surrounded by forests of kelp where they can harvest fish, but most food is imported from the mainland in any case. I really enjoy harvesting and eating the wild cherries from endemic trees on the island. It is interesting that one the wealthiest families from the Agricultural Core purchased and minimally developed the island and has conserved most of the island ultimately.

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Diving in the Kelp Forest Off Catalina Island