Where's Walla: Catalina - Our First Great Adventure!

We took the boat over to Catalina for the day and night last Tuesday. It was all a bit stressful, not really knowing what to expect or how it would turn out. Eden has been wanting to go to Catalina for a very long time. In preparation for this trip she kept telling us that she was gonna paddle to Catalina as soon as we got there and that she would be the first to the shore. We kept kind of listening to her, not really registering what she was trying to tell us. But sure enough, as soon as Jon parked the boat Eden is clambering to the bow to unload her board and paddle and before we could even get the rest of the boards down she was on the shore. I hurried as fast as I could with Zion and Klamath to get to the shore to be with her, but she was oblivious to me and my whereabouts AND the rest of the world for that matter. As soon as I came into earshot I could hear her singing and she was singing and dancing her way up the beach looking for sea glass and any other treasure she could find. Later in the trip when we asked Eden if Catalina was everything she expected it to be she replied: "No, not at all. I thought there would be houses everywhere like in California. Everyone here must just live on boats." We did not see a single house while we were there. It was as wild and free as anything could ever be and it was such an incredible treat to experience it in that way. The only Catalina I really know of is Avalon - somehow I envision cobblestone streets and ice cream cones. I look forward to introducing them to that too one day but right now this wild and free Catalina is right where we want to be. Now all Eden talks about is that she really wants to get back to Catalina before Christmas (because by Christmas time it will be too cold for her to paddle and dive). We are headed to Mammoth next week, and even though Eden has historically loved Mammoth she is now saying that she would rather not go cause she wants to go to Catalina instead. On a side note Zi fell in love with the boat and fishing this trip. In the past he has said that he does not like the boat and that he does not like fishing. This trip we could not get him off the boat or away from the fishing. He is officially hooked.

We saw so many dolphins on the way over - it was incredible!

This is just outside Catalina. We were catching giant mackerel right and left.

This is as close as we got to Avalon

Eden is the most serious fisher I have ever met!

Watching as Jon retrieves her board

Helping herself to her paddle

And there she goes!

We could barely see her! /: What was she thinking?!

Zi, Klamath & I trying to catch up

Showing off all her booty

Zi and Jonny snorkling

As Eden & I were paddling out to snorkel Eden said "Mommy is that a bald eagle?" Without even looking I went into this long explanation about how bald eagles don't live in Catalina etc etc...turns out it was a bald eagle! I wish I could have gotten a better pic but Eden was super inpatient to go snorkeling and I could hardly blame her so this is the best I got.

Our plan was to anchor in a cove but when the wind picked up, that no longer seemed like a great option. Instead we decided to get a mooring for the night. We ended up out in front of The Balboa Yacht Club and some Christian kids camp. The camp reminded me of the one I stayed at when I was in high school but I'm sure it wasn't the same one.

Zi was amping to surf the beach break.

Sand turtles

I know I have mentioned somewhere on here that we have begun to affectionately refer to Zi as the sand crab. It's stuff like this that had earned him that nickname.

Pajamas on the boat! This was so fun!!!

Here Eden is laying out all the swimsuits to dry. Very meticulously as only she could do.

This guy got super tired & grumpy.

The Blue Heron. One of my favorite birds. My dinosaur bird.

Views from the cabin

While the kids slept Jon and I fished. Below you are looking at the aftermath of The One That Got Away. This is when I told Jon he was the worst fisherman ever. Once we were home and talking about the trip he told me that the only thing I could have done better on the trip would have been to get the big paddle board down (like he asked me to) so that he could have had a better chance of reeling in this fish.

Later we caught this thing. Thats when we decided to give up for the night.

Jon went diving off the boat a couple of times. It was fun to watch him dive a little (something I've never really had the opportunity to experience.) But it was too hard for him. He was clearly too distracted and worried about us the whole time to really have any fun or be productive at all.

While Jon dove that next morning the kids fished in their pajamas. They were both incredibly serious and insistent on doing it all on their own. Most of their fishing looked like the pic below (particularly Zions). He would put the bait in the water just enough to lure the other fish over then he would watch all the little fish nibble away at his bait. This seemed to occupy him for hours.

We found another beach to explore and again Eden is out of there without waiting for anyone.

Looking for glass in rocks

Meanwhile Jon could not get Zion to quit fishing and explore the beach with us.

Even Klamath did not want to go to shore. As soon as I got him there he was crying and whining to go back to the boat to join the boys fishing. I sure am glad I like fishing because I am beginning to see a lot of it in my immediate future.

Jon jumped in the water here to look for fish on our way out. He saw a couple yellow fin tuna but was unable to get a good shot on them. The water looked so clear and beautiful that I decided to jump in too once he got out. I was swimming around out there (trying to dive to the bottom to get a beautiful urchin shell) when all of a sudden Eden is paddling towards me on her boogie. I was shocked! It's wild out there and I was honestly a little scared myself and feeling a little exposed at that particular spot. But here she comes. I was impressed!