From A Local Perspective...

Some of My Favorite Things to do on Catalina Island


Hiking!

That's me, on one of my favorite hiking trails on Catalina Island: the Lone Tree Trail on the south-west side of the Island. It's a bit of a rough hike that's just under a mile long, with lots of steep inclines and declines. But the reward at the end makes all the hiking up and then down worth it. 

The trail ends in an outcropping at the top of Catalina's near-vertical cliffs called The 

Palisades. The elevation is around 1500' and the view ahead is ocean meeting sky and tiny breakers crashing on the rocks far below. On a clear day you may even be lucky enough to spot Santa Barbara and San Clemente, two of the other California Channel Islands.  

It's interesting to note that there isn't a "lone tree" to be seen on the entire length of the Lone Tree trail. I've imagined the tree once stood majestically at the end of the trail over-looking the ocean but I really don't know. Where the tree once stood, or if there even was one at all, is a mystery (to me at least). Catalina has tons of great hiking trails, from easy to advanced. The Trans-Catalina Trail was just finished in 2010. Visit the Catalina Island Conservancy website for trail maps and more great info about one of the greatest things to do on Catalina Island.


Descanso Beach!

There's almost nothing more relaxing than spending the day lying in the sun and playing in the ocean at Descanso Beach. It's one of my favorite ways to unwind during a busy summer day. For more info, check out the Descanso Beach Club website.



The Environment In the News


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Single spider dads caring for eggs suffer no disadvantages despite parenting costs - October 10, 2012 - ScienceDaily.com: Exclusive paternal care associated with mating benefits and lower mortality risk in harvestman spiders.

Skin hair skims heat off elephants - October 10, 2012 - ScienceDaily.com: Hair on skin surface may serve to dissipate body heat rather than keep elephants warm.

Experts Warming means more Antarctic sea ice - October 10, 2012 - BigNewsNetwork: The ice goes on seemingly forever in a white pancake-flat landscape, stretching farther than ever before. And yet in this confounding region of the world, that spreading ice ma ...

Powerful tool to fight wildlife crime unveiled - September 11, 2012 - ScienceDaily.com: A free high-tech tool to combat the wildlife poaching crisis was offered to grassroots rangers by a consortium of conservation organizations.

Aussie wasp on the hunt for redback spiders - September 11, 2012 - ScienceDaily.com: Researchers say a small native wasp that scientists had forgotten about for more than 200 years is now making a name for itself -- as a predator of Australia's most common dangerou ...

Media Advisory - 2nd media technical briefing on Tropical Storm Leslie - September 11, 2012 - BigNewsNetwork: officials from Environment Canada's Canadian Hurricane Center will give a media technical briefing via teleconference only on Tropical Storm Leslie. Chris Fogarty, progra ...

Powerful tool to fight wildlife crime unveiled - September 11, 2012 - ScienceDaily.com: A free high-tech tool to combat the wildlife poaching crisis was offered to grassroots rangers by a consortium of conservation organizations.

Aussie wasp on the hunt for redback spiders - September 11, 2012 - ScienceDaily.com: Researchers say a small native wasp that scientists had forgotten about for more than 200 years is now making a name for itself -- as a predator of Australia's most common dangerou ...

Media Advisory - 2nd media technical briefing on Tropical Storm Leslie - September 11, 2012 - BigNewsNetwork: officials from Environment Canada's Canadian Hurricane Center will give a media technical briefing via teleconference only on Tropical Storm Leslie. Chris Fogarty, progra ...

Powerful tool to fight wildlife crime unveiled - September 11, 2012 - ScienceDaily.com: A free high-tech tool to combat the wildlife poaching crisis was offered to grassroots rangers by a consortium of conservation organizations.

Aussie wasp on the hunt for redback spiders - September 11, 2012 - ScienceDaily.com: Researchers say a small native wasp that scientists had forgotten about for more than 200 years is now making a name for itself -- as a predator of Australia's most common dangerou ...

Media Advisory - 2nd media technical briefing on Tropical Storm Leslie - September 11, 2012 - BigNewsNetwork: officials from Environment Canada's Canadian Hurricane Center will give a media technical briefing via teleconference only on Tropical Storm Leslie. Chris Fogarty, progra ...


Boating!

I lived on my beautiful sailboat, a 35', 1972, Allied Seabreeze Yawl, for about three years on Catalina Island. I would definitely call those years happy ones. This was my boat Perdida back in 2003 - 2006.


Perdida at anchor in Isthmus Harbor and under sail on the windward side of the island.


Boating and sailing around Catalina Island can't be beat. There are many small secluded coves to anchor in and spend the afternoon or even stay over night.


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