not a troll
First let me thank all of you for your replies and assure you that we aren’t going to go out there balls out without training. Apparently we underestimated the difficulties we may encounter. I do have my CPR certification, years of surfing (not good anymore though, I haven’t been surfing in too long), and I did pass the SCUBA certification (in Catalina actually, but it was back in high school and I haven’t gone since).We will definitely go with a group of experienced kayakers after reading your warnings. We did intend on leaving early (3am sounded reasonable) to avoid the harsher surf. So now I have found that we will need three 1 man ocean kayaks. Any suggestions on particular kayaks for this type of trip?
Also, you mentioned some certifications and programs to take prior to the crossing, are there any others you can recommend that are located in southern California?
May I Suggest The Ferry?
I understand you can take kayaks with you, or rent some Sit On Tops on the Island.
lessons in/near OC
http://www.southwindkayaks.com/
or
http://aqua-adventures.com/
Many sit inside kayaks at least 16’ (17’ may be better depending on person’s size) and no more than 24" wide will work fine. The above two places for lessons also rent and permit demoing of kayaks. Craigslist is often good for finding a deal on a used kayak.
Bottom line is to get into all this IF you may like kayaking (i.e. forgetting about Catalina for the moment).
btw, another more mild option is to paddle from Two Harbors to Avalon on rental kayaks. At least one company on the island near Avalon will transport the kayaks to Two Harbors. You can then do a two day paddle and camp at one of the primitive camp sites along that coast. The island protects this coast well so you could do such a trip as soon as this coming summer.
probably will do that
that may be how we camp the first time we go there, but eventually we want to kayak there on our own to camp.
Chuck is that you ?
If not go visit Southwind Kayaks or Aqua-Adventures webpages for some classes.
funny
my first thought was Chuck as well
Motion Sickness?
Among other things, make sure you and your friends attmept similar length paddling in a safe environment but in bumpy waters. I personally don’t have a problem with the distance if going at a slow pace but so far I have noticed that about hour 3 or so I begin to get motion sickness. By hour 4 I have usually puked and I’m better but I have not really tried to push it past 5 hours paddling in a day with no breaks (I only do day paddles).
25 miles or so is a serious distance and you can’t back out of it if you are half way into it. I usually go at about 4 to 4.5 mph average speed when I go for 15-20 miles in a day with one short break somewhere on shore. But that’s with an empty kayak and knowing I can get out to shore if need be within at the most 4 miles or so, so I expend more energy paddling that I would be if I had to conserve for a full 25 mile crossing. There I imagine the speed would be at most 3.5-4 mph average, just to be on the safe side. So that makes for a 6-7 hours continuous paddling. To me that means I would most certainly be sea sick half-way through it and to be hones I am not sure for my self how sea sickness progressess after the first symptoms manifest themselves over my spray skirt. And I would not want to find that out for a first time in a situation where I have no other options but to continue or call for help.
Wind is also a considerable unknown. Against a wind and wind chop your progress will be so slow (if any) that you may end up paddlling many more hours (or have to turn back).
Training goals
From what I know about this trip, I’d say it’s possible for beginners to gain the basic training and experience required, in the time frame you mentioned. But it’s going to require a good bit of time, commitment, and probably some money.
The structured coaching programs like the British Canoe Union (BCU) or American Canoe Association (ACA) provide some big advantages for beginners with big ambitions, because the biggest danger to you is the things that you don’t know you don’t know (Rummy’s famous unknown unknowns).
Something like the BCU 3 star assessment will give you the knowledge you need to consider whether this is a safe trip for you, and you’ll gain exposure to some of the skills you need (bracing, efficient paddling, rescues in bad conditions, radio use, towing, and on and on and on). The time it takes people to complete that training varies widely, but I don’t think it’s uncommon for folks to spend a solid year on those skills before they can pass their assessment.
Ideally, you’d have 4 star training as well, but that’s not feasible in your time frame.
I agree with the others above who have said that the road to train for this adventure is long enough that you must make the training the main hobby. You’re much more likely to be successful, IMO, if you are excited about becoming a skilled sea kayaker. Much more so than if your primary goal is just to paddle to Catalina, and the kayaking experience and skills are merely a means to do that one trip. Probably the only way to figure out if you are passionate enough about sea kayaking to make all that training fun, is to go take some classes and get started.
Done that
a number of times. I definitely second the comments from seadart and jcbikeski regarding Southwind and especially Aqua Adventures (ok so I’m prejudiced). A Catalina crossing is a reachable goal if you must insist on your time frame, but focus on the road before you in the mean time - lessons, acquiring skills, LOTS of seat time, rescues, handling conditions, navigation. Kocho mentions wind. Even on calm days you can pretty much count on the wind coming up around midday. I plan crossings to be already launched & paddling by 5am. You could contact the folks in CKF.org. They’re very active in your area and do lots of club paddles. Do LOTS of long coastal paddles and shorter crossings to work up to a long crossing. And if you decide to take your boats over on the ferry, I believe the Marina Del Rey Flyer is the only ferry line that will take full size kayaks. Focus on the steps to get there and enjoy along the way. Catalina’s not going anywhere.
Actually, Catalina IS moving
When we were there in Oct. 2009, someone stated that in fact the island is moving. Not enough to matter for the OP’s purposes, though.
Check it out a little first?
We took a ferry to Catalina and spent half the nights in a hotel, the other half “camping” in a tent cabin at Two Harbors. Got in a bunch of nice day paddles, renting SOTs. What a beautiful place, with incredibly clear colorful water and fish. Make sure to do some snorkeling or diving while you’re there.
There’s a guy named Randy who owns an outfit that will do shuttles for kayak campers. The company is out of Descanso Bay in Avalon. They have Ocean Kayak Scupper SOTs plus others to rent. Friendly, helpful guy who has a diving background so knows the area very well.
I got some small swell on one day, some fog on others, wind on several. That was at a pretty quiet time, though. You best prepare for worse, especially since you might get stuck in one campsite longer than anticipated. IIRC, at some of the sites you can have fresh water delivered and waiting for you. Ask Randy about who does that.
Oh…and though there is a strict policy regarding human waste, from what we saw, actual enforcement was spotty. One really nice campsite was befouled with loose used toilet paper and piles of poop. They didn’t even bother to hike into the bushes and dig cat holes. A lot of powerboaters stop at those places to picnic and who knows what else.
Do it
You have a year to get ready, and it is a challenging but realistic goal. Use the year to get progressively longer day trips in offshore situattions and go for it.
Some thoughts:
Pratice your navigation. At canoe/kayak heigt above the water, I suspect you will be out of sight of land for at least part of the trip.
Choose a boat you can feel safe in for rough water and boarding waves. For me, this would rule out an open canoe.
File a float plan befor you go on this or any long open ocean training runs.
Consider crossing with a group of more experienced paddlers.
Last paragraph is so true
I see some who don’t want to spend the time and effort working on even flat-water skills. They just want a shortcut to get bragging rights for “doing” a big trip.
Take pleasure in climbing up the small steps, no matter what the endeavor.
Maybe a 4th ???
If you can, try out one of those big Seda Tangos or Necky Nootka (sp? ) or Tofinos if you can find one to rent. doubles …
Having a 4th person and two stable doubles would make a good team for support and encouragement + safety if it gets crazy.
Its a long way but not THAT hard. Start doing some coastal trips asap and mess around with emergency stuff inside when its super windy to get the feel and techniques down, work on them and then do it this SUMMER !!!
your water skills are valuable
from a standpoint of knowing what cold water immersion can do to a person. The type of boat is irrelevant right now. It’s like asking what kind of sunscreen or bathing suit and you’re about to learn surfing tomorrow. Take lots of classes and practice, practice, practice. By the middle of the summer start taking rolling classes and get a worthwhile roll down by winter. To repeat, the boat is irrelevant, your skills are the determining factor.
Check out Calamari Chris’s Crossings
The wild man of carlsbad. I met Chris about 2002, only paddled with him once ...
Here he is in the famed "Yellow Tampon" on a whale watch paddle we did with Santacruzmidwife and some other oldtimers ...
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1108265695043972821RSQOJH
Here's his Catalina stories....
http://www.topkayaker.net/Articles/Destinations/Catalina.html
To be honest the paddle to Catalina is a long boring trip, be sure to use the restroom before you push off.....
Thoughts re boats
You don't have to get ideas on what boats right now. If you sign up for some lessons in basics and make sure it includes on-water rescues and a good range of the basic strokes, that answer will become quickly clear to you. The boats that make this stuff the easiest to do and still have adequate volume for carrying gear are the boats you want.
Someone above had an interesting posit - I think it was Onno - to get a fourth and go out in two doubles. Considering that many outfitters use tandems kayaks to provide a margin of safety, and you are talking a long point to point paddle, this makes sense. At least it does if you would enjoy paddling a tandem.
The problem is, right now you really don't know if you'd like paddling any kayak for that long a time, let alone what type. As others have said, to spend that long in open water where most of what you are seeing in more water, you will want to really like sea kayaking. There is also the question whether you want to do this in boats that you rent or that you own... more likely you'd want to own a single person kayak.
You do have a head start on many, including myself, with that scuba training. You are much less likely to have trouble with anxiety from claustrophobia when learning to roll.
Catalina
Hi my name is Rob
It’s funny your thinking of doing this I was just asking a friend if he wanted to do this. I have a 30ft sea ray (Boat) and I would be willing to hall the gear and follow you guys on your trip over to Catalina ( For safety ) I think it would a lot of fun for all of us. So just send me a email.
Anyone doing this in summer 2014?
Hello,
Is anyone preparing to do this trip in late June/early July? I will be visiting my sister at the Navy base and want to do a canoe/backpacking trip while I’m out there. I’m open water certified if anyone is interested in any of the three!
Thanks!
Ariana
Kayak trip to Catalina
If you get a chance watch my video of my kayak trip to Catalina. Please read the comments and my replies on you tube about the trip. If you have any questions feel free to contact me threw youtube etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryd-0t4R4fo