Flight Level Zerovideo
We Had to Divert—Here's Why Cat Harbor
12 April 2026 · 18 min · 7K views · L.A. Harbor, California
Sailboat enters Cat Harbor, rugged hills ahead at golden hour
What this video covers
A pre-departure walk-around on the Beneteau 57 turns up a missing bolt; Chris sources a replacement at True Value hardware before the boat can leave.▶ 1:20 The original plan — an overnight passage from Long Beach to Santa Cruz Island — collapses when a gale warning forces two other boats to turn back after conditions deteriorate rapidly.▶ 3:00 Chris and Karmen wait out the night, then depart at 5 a.m. Friday for Cat Harbor on Catalina Island instead.▶ 3:10 Leaving L.A. Harbor at dawn means threading through two inbound cruise ships, two outbound container ships including an Evergreen vessel, and multiple pilot boats — dense commercial traffic that demands careful timing.▶ 3:39 Once clear, they motor north along the shipping lanes, rendezvous with a boat called Keel Dragger near the Point Vicente marker, then cross to Cat Harbor.▶ 7:05 The anchorage at Catalina Harbor is described as their favorite on the island: steep hills, calm water, and no city noise.▶ 15:21 Future plans include a Catalina circumnavigation with stops at Whites Landing or Avalon.▶ 14:01 The episode closes with a tribute to Quincy, the crew's dog, who died of degenerative heart disease after the trip.▶ 15:45 The pre-departure bolt discovery reinforces the practical value of a thorough walk-around before any offshore passage.▶ 2:32
Boats in this video
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