Best Catalina Coves
I hope to encourage you to explore Catalina beyond Avalon, Two Harbors, and Cat Harbor, because some of the best coves on Catalina just do not have any moorings. While I will pick up a mooring periodically, the best cove for any of my sailing trips depends on the season, the wind, the weather, and my sailing objectives – training, relaxing, or a passage stopover, and there are many to choose from. I want to share what I have learned over the years so you can choose the best cove for the conditions on your next sailing adventure. So read on and get better acquainted with…
Goat Harbor
From the beach at Goat Harbor, looking NW
Goat Harbor
Lat 33° 25.2’ N / Lon 118° 23.7’ W
Goat Harbor location and Windy Forecast here
Located about 6 NM from Avalon and 5.5 NM from Two Harbors, Goat Harbor is a good destination for just hanging out for a weekend. Or longer. I also stop here when coming from Santa Barbara Island and returning to Long Beach, or when the nearby Cabrillo Harbor anchorage is full. There is interesting exploring ashore with an old blue fiberglass boat embedded in the sand. Bow and stern anchoring along the western wall is preferred.
Photo by Jamen Rhodes
Goat Harbor has good protection from S, W, and WNW winds when conditions are light to moderate. The cove is open to the NW and this can make it a poor choice in the winter and spring when the wind strengthens and the whitecaps roll right in.
Anchoring at Catalina: No Moorings? No Problem by Marc Hughston
Goat Harbor Schematic with sonar-survey depth contours. Photo by Jamen Rhodes. Sonar survey and rendering by Marc Hughston.
Best Anchorage and Special Considerations
The best portion of the cove is along the western wall where it is much shallower, has less slope, and offers more protection from the wind. This shallower portion of the cove extends from the beach all the way out to the point – note the water color and depth contours in the schematic above. Since you will have the shoreline only a few boat lengths from your port beam, bow and stern anchors are required.
My preferred anchorage is bow and stern lying in the middle of the gravel and rock beach that lies to port. You can set your stern anchor in about 15’, and bow in about 25’ to 30’ with a sandy bottom. Along this western border there are some rocks on the bottom, and you can see them from your deck. I like to keep my beam about two boat lengths from shore in this area to avoid fouling my bow anchor on the rocks.
Study the depth contours shown in the schematic and complete a thorough survey by motoring through the cove while noting the depths. You will find that the western portion of the cove is shallower, and the center of the cove is deep, sloping away from 40’ to over 100’ as you motor out from the beach. Some boats will swing on a single hook in up to 60’ depths out in the center.
During the high season, Memorial Day to Labor Day, expect the wind to start out of the SW, shift during the day to W and WNW. There is often a light E wind overnight.
Moorings
There are no moorings in Goat Harbor.
Going Ashore and Exploring
The best dinghy landing, shown in the schematic above, is to the W of the little rock peninsula extending from the beach. There is more protection in this area, the beach is sand with a gentle slope, and the waves are much smaller.
The beach is wide open for exploration, and camping requires a permit. Hiking up the canyon is rugged, to say the least. Dinghy and kayak exploration of the nearby Twin Rocks point, and to the W toward Cabrillo Harbor is interesting.
You’ll enjoy the shoreside view of Goat Harbor with these two YouTube videos from S/V Californica which include hiking, identifying flora and fauna, and great views of the cove and surrounding landscape. These are well done videos.
- Goat Harbor – Sail to Catalina Island: Anchoring and Nature Hike Ashore.
- Explore Catalina Island – GOAT HARBOR – A Sailor’s Guide to Nature
Times to Avoid Goat Harbor
When WNW winds reach 15 knots plus, wind waves roll right in and can make the anchorage uncomfortable. This condition is common in the winter and spring. On the other hand, the aerial photo here was taken on a beautifully calm December day. Motor into the cove and make your assessment and keep the forecast in mind. Goat Harbor is unprotected from the NE, and while a light Santa Ana wind can be quite nice, this is not the place to be in a NE gale. In fact, I do not want to be anywhere on the N side of the island in a NE gale.
Conclusion
The wonderful thing about Goat Harbor is that there is plenty of room, it is a beautiful location, and the shoreline is interesting and open for exploration. It is too far to dinghy to either Avalon or Two Harbors, so when you are ready for some time on the hook away from the crowds, Goat Harbor should be one of your first choices.
