My first trip to Catalina was in September 1966 on my honeymoon. We had spent the previous night in Santa Barbara and headed south in the morning. Next up would be the traffic of Los Angeles before we reached San Pedro and the ship that would take us to beautiful Avalon and Catalina Island—the S. S. Catalina aka the Big White Steamer (round trip tickets were $7.50, today the ferry costs $91). It would be the final days of our short honeymoon trip but Avalon proved a wise choice to finish our trip. There were several sights to see, the city itself had a certain romantic air to it, especially at night, and an island in the Pacific was a nice place to spend the night before heading back to reality.
However, there was a slight faux pas on my part. On the morning after our arrival, I awoke early and found the newly crowned Mrs. Jones still asleep. What to do? Well, why not go fishing? After all, this was Avalon, one of the most famous fishing spots in California (if not the world). I slipped on some shorts and headed down to the Green Pleasure Pier where there was a place that rented boats and tackle. Soon after I was rowing out to deeper waters in the small skiff from which I proceeded to catch some mackerel, kelp bass, halfmoon and senorita. When Pat woke up, she found me missing and a note saying that I was going fishing. I don’t think she was amused albeit she was somewhat used to it (my fishing) by that time. It did however emphasize from an early point that there would be a second, (though far less) “significant other” in our marriage, my fishing.
However, there was a slight faux pas on my part. On the morning after our arrival, I awoke early and found the newly crowned Mrs. Jones still asleep. What to do? Well, why not go fishing? After all, this was Avalon, one of the most famous fishing spots in California (if not the world). I slipped on some shorts and headed down to the Green Pleasure Pier where there was a place that rented boats and tackle. Soon after I was rowing out to deeper waters in the small skiff from which I proceeded to catch some mackerel, kelp bass, halfmoon and senorita. When Pat woke up, she found me missing and a note saying that I was going fishing. I don’t think she was amused albeit she was somewhat used to it (my fishing) by that time. It did however emphasize from an early point that there would be a second, (though far less) “significant other” in our marriage, my fishing.
