Masks, social distancing still required
This Island is open. Visitors welcome. Wear masks.
The Los Angeles County Health Department this week authorized the reopening of hotels, museums, and camping areas throughout the county. The reopening officially begins today, Friday, June 12. The Catalina Island Museum is scheduled to reopen.
Mayor Anni Marshall, during her Wednesday “Minutes with the Mayor” webcast, announced hotels will be open “for leisure travel, so you want have to worry about the words ‘essential’ and ‘non-essential’ any longer.”
She said Catalina Kid Ventures will reopen June 15. She said Steve’s Steakhouse will open Friday (today), and Eric’s on the Pier will reopen within the next 11 days.
She said the Pier is open as an access point, as are any attractions that are available on the Pier
Marshall pointed out that the reopened businesses will have to adhere to masking, safe distancing and sanitation requirements.
“I’m simply delighted,” said Councilmember Cinde MacGugan Cassidy.
“I am ready for us to bring back visitors to our community,” Cassidy said.
She said she was concerned about the health and safety of residents as well, but believed that everybody had protocols in place to ensure the safety of residents.
Mayor Anni Marshall and President and CEO Jim Luttjohann Love Catalina Island (formerly the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Bureau) were also happy about the development.
“The news is fantastic,” Marshall said in a telephone interview. “Businesses are so ready to greet visitors to Avalon.”
“I join with the many island businesses in safely and carefully welcoming visitors back to the island,” wrote Luttjohann in an email.
“The LA County Health orders are thorough and specific and will protect both visitors and residents as much as possible, provided they are explicitly followed,” Luttjohann wrote.
Marshall said the Catalina Express was adding more boats. During her webcast, she said the Express would begin their Dana Point service this Saturday, Sunday and Monday. According to Marshall, next week service will include Friday as well.
This was confirmed by a post on the carrier’s Facebook page. The post said that the Express had added departures from its Long Beach and Dana Point terminals starting this weekend.
Marshall said the Long Beach terminal will add a 10:30 a.m. departure and a 5:30 p.m. return, seven days a week.
She said the Catalina Flyer will begin service on June 19.
In a June 11 email to the community, Love Catalina Island/Catalina Island Tourism Authority reported that “Consumer e-blasts announcing the island’s reopening are set to go to databases cumulatively totaling over 600,000 households.”
“Yacht Clubs from Santa Barbara to San Diego will soon be receiving a fresh copy of the 2020 Catalina Island Visitor Guide with a welcoming cover letter offering resources on moorings, onshore amenities and tools available to make an island boat trip a safe and pleasurable experience,” according to the Love Catalina Island email.
“All of this might just help in a bit of a recovery for our local economy, but recovery alone is not enough, we must all remain diligent in following the directives of wearing face masks, using hand sanitizer/frequent hand washing, personal distancing and limiting exposure to high touch situations. After all, a safe visitor and resident experience will only lead to more success down the road and lives saved,” according to the email.
