Catalina Island in the late 40's and 50's

Pictured above is Errol Flynn on Casino Point with his large ketch "Sirocco" in the background. Also pictured is one of the "Miss Catalina" speed boats taking a turn in front of the 68' schooner "Shearwater" which spent her summers anchored off Catalina island. "Shearwater" was owned for many years by a patent attorney named Wilton Wann of Los Angeles. "Shearwater" got a bit of a bad rap when a later owner of the schooner took a hammer and tried to kill himself by killing the pilot of one of the little sea plane he was traveling to Avalon on. Other passengers subdued "Shearwater's" owner and the plane landed safely on Avalon bay. My father, George Minney was raised on Catalina island and for several years he skippered the powerful "Miss Catalina" speedboats which were a popular tourist attraction operating off the pleasure pier in Avalon. The photos were courtesy of the Avalon museum.....