by Nancy Armitage
We have a magical island across the Pacific Ocean, 26 miles away from Los Angeles, CA. It is called Santa Catalina Island, it runs from the north at Palos Verdes Peninsula to the south in Laguna Beach, CA in the Los Angeles County. The island runs 22 miles long & the highest peak is Mount Orizab at 2,097 ft. & the coordinates: 33* 23N 118* 25 ‘W. On Catalina Island, there is a major city/village called “Avalon” that looks to the mainland, which has been a popular tourist spot since 1898.
It is magical & romantic place for my family because one of my nieces got married there & my grandmother & grandfather honeymooned there. So many good memories are attached to this special island.
Catalina Island is part of the Channel Islands dotted along the coast of California; all the way up to Santa Barbara & to the south, along side Oceanside CA. Nowadays, to get to the Catalina Island, you need your own boat or the Catalina Ferry called the Catalina Express. It takes about 1 hour for one of their fleet of boats of Catalina Express to get you over there. In the old days, we would take the Catalina Steamship, which was quite exciting as a young girl.
There is a (1956) romantic song dedicated to the Catalina island called “26 miles (Santa Catalina)” by the 4 Preps. The lyrics go…..”26 miles across the sea, Santa Catalina is a-waiting for me, Santa Catalina, the island of romance, romance, romance, romance……Water all around it every where, tropical trees & the salty air, but for me the thing that’s a waitin’ me, there’s romance. It seems so distant, 26 miles away, restin’ in the water serene, “…..
Santa Catalina Steamship (1898-1970’s)
For decades, there used to be a large steamship (there actually were 2, called the “Catalina” & the “Avalon”. These large ships took 100’s of people over to Catalina Island on weekends & in the summer. The Catalina Steamship was owned by the Wilmington Steamship Co. & the Bannings owned it for decades. In 1918, H. E. Huntington bought the company, Wilmington Steamship Co. Then the Wrigley family owned it for decades. The Catalina Steamship was so popular from 1800’s to 1900’s, the steamship(s) exists until the 1970’s.
Sweet memories of Family trips to Catalina Island – 1970’s
When I was a little girl, this was great fun to ride the grand Catalina steamship to the island in the Pacific Ocean. With my family, we would drive down to San Pedro, then the ship would take us over to Avalon, CA. We visited the island on weekends, sometimes we stayed a week & rent a summer cottage. There were great adventures the whole time! I remember the glass bottom boats & you could see the fish swimming around under the boat. We took a bus to the middle of the island to see the grand buffalo. My sisters & I would rent bikes & ride around Avalon. We would go swimming & snorkeling in the ocean, always shell collecting and get ice cream cones in the hot afternoon. In the 1960’s, there was a floating dock we could swim out to.
The Tuna Club (Santa Catalina Island, CA)
The Tuna Club of Avalon is a members-only club located on the shore in the Harbor of Avalon, Catalina Island. It is located close to the Catalina Casino, the island’s icon. The Tuna Club was founded in 1898, by Dr. Charles Frederick Holder. Holder wrote a great book called “The Channel Islands of California”.
The Tuna Club existed since 1898. It was founded by Mr. Holder, who love to deep sea fish. It was/is a big game – sport fishing club (tuna, marlin, swordfish & dolphin). In 1898, C. F. Holder of Pasadena, Cal. is recorded catching a large leaping tuna at 183 pounds! He must have been quite thrilled with his catch!! I wish they recorded how long the fishermen took to catch the fish.
The 1st lady to catch the large tuna was Mrs. Walter Raymond of Pasadena, Cal, who took a 150 lb. fish after a struggle of several hours, during which she played the great game with the skill of a man & with additional cleverness”. This was the beginning of the fishing story. What I did not realize was that “Big-Game Sportfishing” actually started on Santa Catalina Island, California.
Dad’s Fishing Stories
My father, Matt Desmond, who was a deep sea fisherman (Blue Marlin – 212 lb.). He often was telling us fishing stories. He caught his marlin on a large fishing exhibition in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. He was so incredibly proud of that accomplishment. He had it mounted (taxidemy) in our den, no one ever knew the price he paid to do that. He always said if you give up your reel at the time of the fight – it is no longer your catch. So you can’t be a quitter & keep fighting for it. That’s why the fishing boat has chairs, to secure the fishermen with a seat belt buckle & they secure the reel in place on the chair or the floor of the boat.
The “Leaping Tuna“
Dr. Chas. Holder (1910) in his book, “Channel Islands”, educated us about “The Leaping Tuna (Thunnus thynnus), of Catalina Island, Calif. It was not only a game fish but edible…all that are taken with rod & reel are mounted by Chas. C. Parker, the Avalon taxidermist…to take a tuna over 100 lb. in weight, according to the Tuna Club rules, is supposed to mean something.”
Tuna Club Fish Flags
They have a fun tradition at the Tuna Club for the successful deep sea fishermen – Fish flags. They send the fishermen out to sea to fish – with rod & reel, supplies, & these Tuna Club flags (above). That are different colors & the words, like “Dolphin” or “Tuna” on them. Once you catch your great big fish, when the boat is driving you into the Tuna Club….. The boat is raising your special tuna or fish flag, so boatmen & people on the shore, all know that you caught a fish! At this exciting moment, people are congratulating you on your great success!
1909 Some Stats on Tuna Fishing
Tuna fish were quite large & abundant in the Catalina waters of California. The tuna come in schools often in the month of May to June to the middle of August (Holder tells us in his book). In the 1909 Fishing Season, the Tuna Club logged in from Aug. 19 – Aug. 29th – Large ” Tuna Catches” from 109 lbs. to the largest at138 lbs. Mr. C. G. Conn on August 23th 1909 catching 3 tunas at 128 lb, 120 lb. & 109 lb. The famous Catalina Island’s “Flying Fish” with wings are the “Bonne bouche” ( the tasty appetizer – the fish bait) of the Tuna fish, its favorite food, Holder tells us .
Fishing Story by Dr. Chas. Frederick Holder
Dr. Holder’s Fishing Stories (Founder of the Tuna Club of Avalon, Catalina Island, Cal.)
Dr. Chas. Holder had quite a poetic writer’s hand; in his chapter “Incidents of Tuna Fishing” (1910):
“We pushed out one morning, a friend & I, on a glass-like sea. The east over the Sierra Madre [mountains] was a rich [red-orange] vermillion & the waters of the bay seemed to reflect it in the centre, while along the shores there were purple shadows melting into green, the colors & tints of the sea grass & weed that in bands & zones covers the bottom of the bay of delights…..”
“…..We had rods of 16 oz. & 7 1/2 feet long, Vom Hofe silver & rubber reels, splendid machines, made with all the care of a watch, & holding 600 ft. of 21 thread line wet….The launch is a 10-Horse power, 18-20 ft., broad-beamed craft, built on the island for this particular purpose. The gasoline engine is small & well forward, the anglers sitting side by side in armchairs facing the stern; the gaffer stands behinds them, where he acts as engineer, baiter, gaffer, & man at the wheel, the latter being on the side of the boat.”….
…..”The engine is started & we move out at a 3-mile per hr. or more pace, slacking out, overrunning lines until 100 ft. or more feet is out, then each of the anglers drops the butt into the leather cap fastened to the chair between his legs, holding the angle of 45 degrees, beginning the wait with which all fishing events are associated. At this moment, the angler has his thumb on a leather pad that is lashed onto the upper cross-bar of the reel ready to press on the line, this being the brake par excellence.” -Dr. Chas. Holder, Book: Channel Island of California (1910)
Tuna Club’s famous members & guests:
The Tuna Club of Catalina Is. CA, has hosted many famous people in its past like US Presidents: Theodore Roosevelt, Grover Cleveland & Wm. McKinley. Famous Los Angeles people were George S. Patton & Henry E. Huntington & movie stars like Charlie Chaplin. Famous people like Winston Churchill was not a member but he caught a great big fish(1929) we can see in the black and white photo. Document: HEH Collection HEH MS 19/5 uncat (HEH Bio File – 3 box) Huntington Library, San Marino, CA. (I found in 1917, Henry E. Huntington paid dues to the Tuna Club of Avalon, but I think he was a member a lot earlier then that. Probably he was a member as early 1900’s, when HEH and Huntington Land & Improvement Co. owned Wilmington Steamship Co. – Wilmington Steamship brought the steamships back & forth from Catalina Island to the mainland, Los Angeles)
Mr. Henry E. “Edwards” was a member of the Tuna Club on Catalina. Did he deep sea fish? I’m not sure. When you catch a fish off the island of Santa Catalina Island, The Tuna Club weights the fish & then takes a b/w photograph of the fisherman & their huge fish. I never found any pictures like this of Henry E. Huntington in his private papers. If a picture like this exists, it could be filed in different places at the Huntington Library or inherited by his family. But that he was member of the Tuna Club of Avalon on Catalina Island.
The Tuna Club was famous for spectacular dinner events, probably after a weekend of big game fishing. I found on-line this great menu titled MENU Annual Banquet of the Tuna Club at Hotel Metropole Avalon – Santa Catalina Island, California June 15th, 1901. On the cover was a good simple sketch of a raw oyster & a oyster fork. It was probably a 2-page menu with a deckle edge paper & the menu for the Catalina Tuna Club Dinner inside.
Dinner Menu – Tuna Club Annual Banquet June 1901
A 11-course formal dinner was served for the members of the Tuna Club Annual Banquet Dinner at the Hotel Metropole, Avalon, Santa Catalina Island, CA . it read MENU:
1st Course was Little Neck Clams [with lemon wedges] & served with Sauterne Wine,
2nd course was Green Turtle Soup served with Amontillado Sherry,
3rd course Small patties of [California] Abalone served with a relish dish of ripe [California Olives] and toasted salted [California] Almonds
4th Fish course Fried Plaice, a la Catalina served with Reisling [German white sweet wine] served with Iced Cucumbers & Potatoes Parisienne
5th Entree or Beef Course Fillet of Beef Pique, a la Godard served with Potatoes Dauphine
6th Poultry Course Supreme of Chicken, a la Perogeux served with String Beans
7th Course: Tuna Club Punch* also served with Mumm’s Ex. Dry Champagne [Champagne was crossed out & Pommery written in]
8th Game Course: Braised Squabs, au Cress [watercress] served with Asparagus
9th Salad Course: [Sweet Garden] Tomato Mayonnaise [Salad]
10th [California Summer] Fruit & Ice Cream Course
11th Cheese Course Cheese [maybe Roquefort, Port Salut, Camembert] & Crackers [Cream crackers], usually served with grapes & summer berries or California fruit (Santa Rosa summer Plums & Sunkist oranges from San Marino Ranch)
Coffee served with [French] Cognac
Cigarettes & Cigars
Document found images.nypl.org (New York Public Library )
Tuna Club Punch
It is said it was a vibrant zesty party punch.
2 1/2 c. Myers Dark Rum
1 c. Curacao (Orange Liqueur)
1 qt. Orange Juice
1 1/2 c. Lemon juice
1 c. Simple syrup (sugar & water boiled down)
1 qt. Ginger Ale or Club soda
Makes about 10 cups
In a large punch bowl, mix the ingredients except for the ginger ale or soda water (at the last minute). Just before the guests arrive, pour in the ginger ale or soda in punch. This punch could become a Champagne Punch by adding cold champagne instead of ginger ale or soda water. Garnish with lemon & orange slices and keep iced cold with Ice block or large ice cubes with orange slices, pineapple wedges, fresh mint or spearmint leaves.
Inside the Huntington's Story 