Unusual for January, the harbor measured only .02 inches of rain and recorded several days of very warm temperatures. On the 14th the high temperature reached 80 degrees. The forecast for Martin Luther King holiday called for calm wind and sea conditions to the delight of the almost 150 boats arriving to visit over the 3 day weekend.
Unusual for January, the harbor measured only .02 inches of rain and recorded several days of very warm temperatures. On the 14th the high temperature reached 80 degrees. The forecast for Martin Luther King holiday called for calm wind and sea conditions to the delight of the almost 150 boats arriving to visit over the 3 day weekend.
The first Saturday of the month was a busy one for emergency responders. At 11:50 a.m. the Coast Guard received a distress call from a 55’ vessel approximately 10 miles east of Avalon, reporting that they were taking on water. Vessel Assist and Baywatch Avalon responded to the scene and during the transport of the 4 occupants by Baywatch to Avalon a call of an airplane down approximately 5 miles North of Avalon was received.
Our Rescue boat responded to the scene as well as Baywatch Isthmus and Baywatch Avalon. Fortunately a passing boat retrieved the 2 passengers from the airplane reporting no injuries. The airplane passengers were put aboard Baywatch Avalon along with the 4 boat passengers and all 6 were brought to Avalon for assessment.
On the 27th Avalon welcomed the Carnival “Imagination”, a sister ship of the “Inspiration” that will call on Avalon every week. The “Imagination”, a Fantasy class ship, was built in 1995 and has previously operated out of Miami, cruising the Caribbean. She left the east coast on January 10th, transited the Panama Canal and arrived in Long Beach on January 26 after stopping at six ports of call in the Caribbean, Costa Rica and Mexico.
Twenty-eight island residents were aboard. The “Sapphire Princess” called on Avalon twice also, including Avalon in their “West Coast Getaway” cruises.
January 2014 stats:
People aboard boats 1976
Rain .02
Vessels Moored 494
Moorings Sold/transferred 1
Vessels Anchored 41
Citations Issued 1
Lost/Stolen Reports 0
Discharges 0
Accident Reports 0
Cruise Ship Passengers: 17,229
Average Temp – High 66
Inspiration – 4 weeks 12,341
Average Temp – Low 56
Imagination – 1 week 2,227
Average Sea Temp 60
Sapphire Princess – 2 weeks 5,516
The Harbor Department is responsible for assigning moorings, providing security and enforcement of state and local laws, maintaining a fleet of boats, floats and structures on the waterfront, administering waterside business permits and scheduling dock times for commercial passenger vessels.
The Harbor Patrol has a fulltime staff comprised of the Harbor Master, Assistant Harbor Master, Administrative Assistant, 11 Harbor Patrol Officers and 4 Maintenance Personnel. During the summer months an additional 8 Harbor Patrol Assistants and 5 Sanitation Workers are added to the staff to serve the boating public and citizens of Avalon.
