Emerald Bay surrounded by hills near Catalina Island luxury hotels

Mooring Sites

Situated at the Isthmus of Catalina Island, Two Harbors is considered a cruiser’s paradise. With over a dozen nearby coves, landings and harbors offering 700+ moorings and anchorage options, it's easy to explore all the west end has to offer. The crystal clear waters and unspoiled vistas will enchant you, and the friendly locals will do their best to help make your stay memorable.

Although moorings in the Two Harbors system are leased to private parties, they are rented on a first-come, first-serve basis whenever they are not in use. Moorings fees are based on the size of the mooring and the length of your stay. To rent a mooring, just call Harbor Patrol on VHF Channel 09 when you arrive, and give them the name of the cove where you wish to moor and pay your fees. If you cannot reach the Harbor Department, take the closest mooring and pay your fees the next morning. Use caution when approaching Two Harbors. There is a reef, marked by a sign and lights, on the landside of Bird Rock near the entrance to Isthmus Cove.

There are four general mooring areas:

Isthmus Cove, Fourth of July Cove, and Cherry Cove
Emerald Bay, Howland's Landing, and Little Geiger
White's Landing, Moonstone, Hen Rock, Buttonshell
Catalina Harbor, Wells Beach

Mooring lessees can call or email the Harbor Department for their reservation. Please call 310.510.4254 for mooring information. Check-out time is 9 AM. If you wish to extend your stay, please contact the Harbor Patrol on VHF Channel 09 to check availability.

Scuba diver underwater near kelp with light rays piercing the water, close to Catalina Island luxury hotels

Howland's Landing
The next cove west of Big Geiger, Howland's Landing has moorings for 40 boats. Catalina Island Camp is located onshore, and the Los Angeles Yacht Club has shoreside facilities. The Howland’s Landing watershed is the largest on Catalina’s West End.

Emerald Bay
Located west of Howland’s Landing, Emerald Bay has 102 moorings and anchorage for five to ten boats. This beautiful cove offers a long strip of natural sandy beach that boaters can access. Corsair Yacht Club and a Boy Scout Camp have private onshore facilities here.

Buttonshell Cove
Situated seven miles east of Isthmus Cove.Buttonshell Cove has 7 moorings and anchorage for 10 boats. Camp Fox, located onshore, is a YMCA summer camp facility leased to the Catalina Island Marine Institute.

Hen Rock
Located just south of Long Point is Hen Rock, featuring 25 moorings and anchorage for 40 boats. With abundant sea life and several reefs to explore, Hen Rock is one of the best snorkeling and dive sites on Catalina Island. The onshore facilities are leased by Balboa Yacht Club.

White's Landing & Moonstone Cove
These coves are located past Long Point, east of Two Harbors. They have a combined 58 moorings and anchorage for 50 boats. White’s Landing offers one of the nicest and most expansive sandy beaches on the island. Newport Harbor Yacht Club leases facilities at Moonstone.

Catalina Harbor
Catalina Harbor has 96 moorings and anchorage for over 200 boats. Ballast Point, a natural sand spit, extends across a portion of the harbor entrance. A public dinghy dock, picnic facilities, and free pump-out service are available. Contact Harbor Patrol on VHF Channel 09. The village of Two Harbors is a short walk on flat terrain from the dock.

Isthmus Cove
With 242 moorings, and anchorages for well over 100 vessels, Isthmus Cove is second only to Avalon Harbor in boating activity on Catalina. Ferries from the mainland dock at the pier and Two Harbors Harbor Department is based here. Shoreboat rides are available year-round. Shoreboat Hours: 7 AM to 2 AM Daily in the summer and 8 AM to 5 PM Daily in the winter.

4th Of July Cove
This little jewel is west of Isthmus Cove, with 42 moorings and deep water (100+ feet) anchorages. The Banning brothers, who established Two Harbors in the 1900s, held many Fourth of July celebrations here. Fourth of July Yacht Club leases the onshore facilities.

Cherry Cove
Cherry Cove has 99 moorings and deep water (100+ feet) anchorages. There is a Boy Scout Camp onshore, and two stands of endemic trees—the Catalina cherry and the ironwood—are up the canyon behind the cove. Lion’s Head, a prominent land point on the west side of the cove, protects vessels from prevailing afternoon winds.

Little Geiger & Big Geiger Coves
Leased to the Offshore Cruising Club, Little Geiger Cove is an intimate cove with only one mooring. Blue Water Cruising Club leases facilities at Big Geiger Cove, which offers anchorage for 10 boats.

Howland's Landing
The next cove west of Big Geiger, Howland's Landing has moorings for 40 boats. Catalina Island Camp is located onshore, and the Los Angeles Yacht Club has shoreside facilities. The Howland’s Landing watershed is the largest on Catalina’s West End.

Emerald Bay
Located west of Howland’s Landing, Emerald Bay has 102 moorings and anchorage for five to ten boats. This beautiful cove offers a long strip of natural sandy beach that boaters can access. Corsair Yacht Club and a Boy Scout Camp have private onshore facilities here.

Buttonshell Cove
Situated seven miles east of Isthmus Cove.Buttonshell Cove has 7 moorings and anchorage for 10 boats. Camp Fox, located onshore, is a YMCA summer camp facility leased to the Catalina Island Marine Institute.

Hen Rock
Located just south of Long Point is Hen Rock, featuring 25 moorings and anchorage for 40 boats. With abundant sea life and several reefs to explore, Hen Rock is one of the best snorkeling and dive sites on Catalina Island. The onshore facilities are leased by Balboa Yacht Club.

White's Landing & Moonstone Cove
These coves are located past Long Point, east of Two Harbors. They have a combined 58 moorings and anchorage for 50 boats. White’s Landing offers one of the nicest and most expansive sandy beaches on the island. Newport Harbor Yacht Club leases facilities at Moonstone.

Anchoring Policies

The length of stay within each leased cove parcel shall not exceed 14 days. After which time the anchored vessel has the option of picking up a mooring for a 14 day period or vacating that particular leased parcel for an equivalent period of 14 days. **Failure to comply with any of the said above, will result in legal action through the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Two Harbors Mooring Sublessee Waitlist

Boaters may apply to the Wait List to become a Mooring Site Sublessee. There are 11 coves for which you can apply. Each cove listing has a $25 start-up fee, with an annual maintenance fee of $10 per cove listing. The average time for obtaining a Mooring Site Sublease and Service Contract is 15 years, depending on the cove, actual wait times vary significantly depending on the cove and vessel size.

Outer coves, such as Cat Harbor, Wells Beach, and Emerald Bay, generally experience faster turnover and often have immediate availability for vessels up to 44 feet.
Isthmus Cove, Howland's Landing, Hen Rock, Buttonshell, and Whites Landing typically have wait times of approximately 5 to 10 years, regardless of vessel size.
Moonstone, Cherry Cove, and Fourth of July Cove often have wait times ranging from 20 to 30 years.

For customers hoping to secure a mooring sublease sooner, we recommend joining the waitlists for some of the outer coves in addition to their preferred locations. These coves generally experience greater turnover and shorter wait times, while still providing access to the reciprocal benefits available to all mooring sublessees.

Individuals with a sublease agreement may assign their mooring to boats that fall within the size configuration of that mooring. Unreserved moorings are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sub-lessees must reserve 24 hours in advance of their arrival time for weekdays and by 4:00 PM Thursday for weekends.

Subleasee Benefits

MORE INFORMATION: CALL 310.510.4254