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A Chill Weekend Trip to White Cove, Catalina Island (Feb 2026)
March 2, 2026 · 21 min · 1K views · Hurricane Gulch, Catalina Island
Dolphins racing alongside sailboat bow at White Cove
What this video covers
Mark motors his Valiant Yachts 40-2 from the mainland to White Cove, Catalina Island on February 28, 2026, in under five knots of true wind — not enough to sail either direction.1:19 The crossing takes roughly three hours at 2,200 RPM, covering about 15 nautical miles through the shipping lanes off Long Beach.10:04 He anchors in 75 feet at White Cove, sets a 3:1 scope, and reports the anchor holds well overnight with 10–15 knot northwest winds expected.13:58 The return the next morning is also motored; a small craft advisory (15–25 knots) takes effect at 3 p.m., and patchy dense fog was forecast but visibility stays clear.15:06 The primary technical content is a first-voyage evaluation of the Orca Core 2 head unit and Orca Display 2 chartplotter, installed in two minutes via a T-connector into an existing NEMA 2000 network.6:37 Mark notes the display is brighter than his dedicated chartplotter, battery life is strong, charts are included in the subscription with no up-charges, and the instrument overlay is highly configurable — though Mexico charts are absent.7:47 He also briefly encounters an Island Packet 40 named Wannabe anchored at White Cove, and spots multiple whales and Risso's dolphins on the return crossing.17:46
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