Catalina Island - early 1960s (test footage)

This 8mm film reel was labeled "Early 1960s". It has to be 1963 or earlier as it captured a view of the Islander ferry that ran to Terminal Island, and that stopped service in November 1963. The trip begins as crowds fill the upper deck of the SS CATALINA, a venerable steamship that served the route for decades until it was retired in 1975. Along the way there are scenes of the US Navy minesweeper USS Pivot (MSO-463), dolphins racing alongside the Catalina, and scenes of various small craft.
At Catalina we see the harbor, with a seaplane taking off, then it's time to visit the town of Avalon and take a glass-bottom boat ride before sailing back to the mainland.
This film was run as a test on a Retro-8 Pro scanner and has not been cleaned or adjusted. I will be redoing it later in better quality when I get my new scanner in a few months.

[@robt5818]

Thanks Bill. Good to see the glass-bottom boat, St. Catherine Hotel and the SS Catalina. I love Avalon!

[@rambojambone4586]

Anyone would love Catalina Island. I heard about it in first grade in the Dick and Jane reader. The family went to Catalina. That was 1956. I finally went myself in 2001. Go there. It’s like no other place I ever was.

[@randysummerhays5988]

About 1982 I was working at Todd shipyard in San Pedro. The Catalina was there tied up to the pier and no one was allowed to go on it because it was tied up in some kind of legality. Well me and the kid I was I snuck on it. I got an engine room and they were giant connecting rods horizontal one on the right and one on the left. I don't remember exactly how long they were 10 or 15 ft. Amazing in all the damn park benches up on the main deck top deck rather. And it was riveted together it was not welded. That was some crazy s*** man and I've been on a lot of ships

[@phila3884]

Do you have more movies of Catalina? I would love to see more clips of the town of Avalon in the 60's.

[@billcotter5262]

Not sure but will post any I find