Avalon Harbor Cleanup Feb 23 2008

[Codyjp]

Bill, has are there any numbers kept as to how many visitors avalon gets/will get? Will this slow people or is it just a price/demand issue? I am hoping to make it out for one of the next weekends.

 

[paradicio]

Boy are we pricing ourselves out of the market... $14/day parking, $60+ RT on the Express, a small fortune for a hotel. If I didn't already live here, I couldn't afford to dive the island.

No kidding DrBill, and it's quite sad. I love diving the park in Avalon, but as it is (when you factor in food and everything) it's almost the same price to hop on a dive boat in Long Beach and dive off of that then take the express over and dive the park.

One of the things I love so much about diving the park is that I get to take advantage of some of the other things Avalon has to offer while I'm there. Drinking at the watering hole, eating at a restaurant, and shopping the local shops. We usually make a day of the trip.

Hopefully it's just the $2 increase in parking...

 

[cruiser]

Just wondered if there are underwater pictures of the event, stories of the strangest things found, pounds of trash hauled up?

 

[Kevfin]

With all of the other costs associated with diving, the $2.00 per day increase doesn't seem like much. But, it does add up when you combine all of the other costs.

I haven't been on the island lately, have the other costs of staying on the island increased substantially?

Bill, what are massages going for now?

 

[drbill]

Codyjp, they do keep a tally of all the visitors who come over by cross-channel boats, cruise ships and aircraft although I'm not sure about private boats. The numbers have been on a decline for several years now. Uncertain as to how much of it is the economy and how much is due to the fact that we just don't vary what we offer much for the repeat visitor.

One of the things Mayor Bob Kennedy (of SCUBA Luv) and I are planning for divers who visit is a series of diver get-togethers and talks about marine life current sightings, dive conditions, etc. here. We are arranging with the new owner to hold them in Flip's sushi restaurant.

Paradicio, I often suggest to divers visiting SoCal that they hop on a mainland dive boat and come out to the island rather than incur all the added expense... unless they are eager to spend more than a day here on the island.

Kevfin, the only massages I've received here on the island were from my ex-SO, Janet, who was training to be a massage therapist. I was impressed with what a great job she did... I was often so relaxed I fell sound asleep before she was done. By the way, she didn't charge me.

Well, I'm excited. "Our" dive boat is going out Fri thru Mon!!!

 

[Codyjp]

Sad to see this happening. I wonder if the conservancy is trying to limit the number of people to some degree to limit overcrowding. BTW I will be at the island over the weekend wohoo! Will you be around?

BTW I booked a room (2nights) for 2 and 2 boat tickets for 280. that isn't too bad. I am sure food/fun/air/parking will add up a bit but not bad for 3 days on the island.

 

[drbill]

The Catalina Conservancy doesn't have any control over who comes to either Avalon or Two Harbors, nor do I suspect they would want to limit access into the interior. They just offered some kind of a deal to visitors for access into the interior (not sure what it was since I'm a resident), as well as a free membership for residents. That's a pretty welcoming move in my mind.

 

[wall2wallanimals]

We will be there... John and I will be there... But not sure about Nathan because we don't know what to do with him when we are in the water...

this is my 15th straight year doing it... though last year I was busy being preggers...LOL

 

[Codyjp]

I am the first to gladly shell out cash to visit the island. Weither it is on the boat, in restaurants, camping fees, shuttles, or landing fees at the airport. I am ok with all of that, whatever it takes to keep out the development and condoramma. But what I would like to know is where does the $35 go? I pulled lots-o-trash out of the kelp/sand last year while at little harbor camping and it cost me exactly $0. I'm just curious?

Oh yeah, if you lost your mylar balloon I am pretty sure where you can find it.

 

[merxlin]

Oh yeah, if you lost your mylar balloon I am pretty sure where you can find it.

We went over last Feb 16. It looked like trap markers all the way from Long Beach to the Island. Big bright shiney red and silver balloons from Valentine's Day, all limp and floating in the channel. They should be outlawed!