We started our morning off packing the WMSC vans for the camping trip to Parsons Landing, a beach camping site located on the north side of Catalina Island and seven miles west of Two Harbors, a rustic village sitting on a narrow strip of land that separates the leeward Isthmus Cove from Catalina Harbor on the windward side of the island. Two Harbors has not been included in past Census counts but its population was only 298 in 2000. We stopped there on our way to Parsons Landing.
We were heading to a small store to get some snacks, when a massive bison suddenly appeared close to the store for our surprise and admiration. We then had to go back to the parking lot where the vans were parked until the bison was safely removed by city guards. Its huge head and great hump are kind of intimidating. Bison are known to have amazing mobility and they are able to sprint at speeds of up to 30 mph. The bison have been living on Catalina Island for nearly 100 years and are at the heart of an ongoing debate between economic expansion and environmental protection.
After that, we followed a hiking trail up to the mountains right behind Two Harbors. We had a stunning view of the coastline on the way up there. The clear, blue ocean water was fascinating! It was sunny but not too warm, just perfect for hiking.
It took approximately an hour to get to Parsons Landing. The camping site had a barbecue and fire ring, picnic tables and chemical toilets. USC provided potable water and food supply for the camping trip. We first unpacked the vans and set up our tents. In the late afternoon, we hiked up to a cliff along the beach right next to the camping site to see the sunset. The view from up there was absolutely beautiful!
At night, we all cooked dinner together and hung out by the fire pit. We had a long night full of laughter and joy, and some of us laid down on the beach to look at the stars in such a clear dark sky. There was absolutely no light other than our flashlights. It couldn’t have been a more peaceful and relaxing night with new friends!
Stay tuned for my next blog post on the last day of the Spring Break program in Catalina Island!
Published on July 10th, 2018
Last updated on April 1st, 2021