Catalina: Something Nice

Quite a lot of things has happened last quarter and I feel like I have been trapped in a whirlpool of constant work and stress; I had been so caught up in my own life that it dawned on me a couple of weeks before finals that-- I REALLY HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING SIGNIFICANTLY NICE for a while. I am not very sure what type of kindness I am referring to but I do not mean the day-to-day ones where you hold the door/elevator for someone or pick up something someone dropped. I'm referring to something bigger, something you go out of your way to do that is slightly more meaningful and special.

Luckily, I was given a chance to redeem myself. My friend, Amy, and I needed something to do for Spring Break and it just so happened that the Catalina Trip we signed up for through UCSD Outback is actually a service trip...or i guess, part service trip because it had the perfect balance of work and fun.

Our Cabin--WINDJAMMER!

The trip lasted 5 days and there were at least two events planned for each day, whether it was work or an activity. The place is actually a camp located at Howland's Landing and we were there as volunteers helping out. Food provided was really good too with everyone trying to get seconds and usually squeezing in a third during last call as well. We looked forward to every meal as it was different every time. I do not know what it was, but we definitely had a larger appetite on the island. Besides us, there were also volunteer groups from UCI and CSUSB.

rain, rain, rain

We left for Catalina on March 25 2012, meeting at Outback at like 8am and driving up to the harbor in two vans to take the ferry. We had 20 people total. We were fed sandwiches a few hours before we got on the ferry which was not a very good idea as the waters were rough that day. What seemed like smooth sailing turned into half our group throwing up which was not a pleasant sight. In addition to the rainy, cold weather, our first night upon arriving on the island was pretty miserable too due to an unexpected power outage. According to one of the guides, we got "lucky" as they haven't had a blackout for years and it was her first time encountering it too. Nonetheless, we survived the dark night with our flashlights as the only light source and the power came back by noon the next day which was nice because with no electricity, the island was seriously pitch black. 


Things got better after that and the rest of the week was awesome. We worked hard and we played hard. 

Removing fennels, an invasive species

We started off the second day with snorkeling and it was really cool because we got to see a "sealion" (i'm not sure if it was a seal or a sea lion but i think it was more likely a seal), sea cucumbers, planktons, garibaldis, sea snails and leopard sharks. And of course, there were lots and lots of kelp. One thing I did not like though was when I accidentally took a big gulp of salty seawater because I felt like I just swallowed a bunch of tiny microorganisms as I could see them when I was swimming around. After lunch we started fenneling for the first time, removing fennel and helping out the native plants by giving them a chance to fight back. The thing about fennel is that it may seem like a tiny plant above the ground but don't be fooled as its  root can be 10x the size of that and super thick. The roots can also go very deep so you want to make sure you get the whole thing or at least 3 or more inches to ensure it doesn't grow back. The night ended with all the volunteers sitting around a bonfire having fun and relaxing: singing, telling jokes, staying warm, etc. That night we also played a new card game called Damn Liar.

Leopard Shark

Day three. We removed more fennel after breakfast and then kayaked after lunch. I shared a kayak with Amy and it was funny because we would keep getting to the front of the group and slowly fall behind to the back. We had some first-timers but that did not stop us from going a long way to a point where you can see the other side of Catalina. Occasionally, we would form a raft/sail and just enjoying being drifted by the waves. After dinner, we night snorkeled and we got to witness bioluminescence. I just hopped in and hopped out of the water but from what I heard, they saw lobsters and other cool marine organisms. We even got hot chocolate after! Another thing I want to point out is that I have not been in a wetsuit before this trip and I have to say, they are absolutely amazing. I mean it's cold at first when you let the water run in but after that, it really does keep you warm and cozy. So far, Emma's also been teaching us some really cool games and one of them I really like is called Animal Roulette where everyone walks in a circle with a person in the middle with his/her eyes closed and whoever the person points to after yelling stop will have to make an animal noise designated by the person in the middle while he/she tries to guess who's making the noise. 

Catching the Catalina Sunrise

The next morning we woke up super early to watch the sunrise. It was breath-taking and B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L. After that, we did some garden work such as placing rocks along the trail to make it safer for the kids to walk along, composting leftover food, and removing more invasive species (this time with the addition of bridal creepers). The downside of this is that quite a few of us got pricked by cactus which were found everywhere since fennel seems to enjoy growing next to them. Bridal creepers are an interesting vine-like plant with its name originating from the fact that in some cultures, the vine are used to make a headpiece for brides. That night we had free time so we hung out in the dinning place and played Super Sherades. When it was my turn, I went with Enrique and Amy and the thing we were given to act out and guess was "Beyonce hunting dinosaurs in Egypt".  It was really entertaining watching people try and guess what they were given.

Composting like a good citizen.

On the fourth day, we split up into smaller groups with some people fenneling, some composting, some piling up rocks for the water station and some working in the garden. I decided to help out with the amphitheatre. It took a lot of effort but it was really interesting to see that this is how landscaping works as we removed the soil and flattened the land making it level. By the end of the day, we had a step-like thing going. I was very impressed and it just goes to show that working together can really go a long way. Now they just need to put some logs in along the sides to prevent erosion and the the place can be another outdoor classroom for the kids to learn.

High Ropes Course

After lunch, we had the high rope course which ends in getting back to the ground by a zip line. It was very scary while I was up there because I was wandering how I was going to balance myself while walking on the log but I was just worrying too much as the ropes are tight enough where it gives you very little space to wobble. My thought process for something like this is usually "oohh this looks fun" to "oh..maybe I AM afraid heights" to "I know I can do this and I'll have fun but I just need to make it to the end" to "whooo, let's do it again!" Anyway, I finished the course and had fun like I knew I would. All those stress for nothing. We then played multiple games of Gaga Ball after dinner which was pretty intense as some people started teaming up by school but it was fun. After tiring ourselves out, it was very relaxing just to lie down on the grass with Emma and David showing us constellations with this far-pointing laser to point out planets and stars. They also told us some interesting stories. Needless to say, we ended the night with some more games and slept at bout 11.40pm (the latest I've slept out of the 5 days yet still relatively early for a college student).

Our guide, Emma, leading us on a hike.

Last day. Emma forgot to tell us that breakfast was earlier today so we were all really confused when the bell rang. After we ate, we started off by going to the tide pool before heading up for our hike. It was nice walking along the trail we lined with rocks but the further we went, the steeper it got. At some point, I just started to walk sideways as that was easier and I feel less like I was going to slip and tumble down the hill. After the hike, we did some last minute checks, making sure we got everything packed away and lined our things by the harbor and headed to lunch which was delicious. It was our last meal there and despite being scared that what happened on our way here might happen again on our way back, we ate those chicken burgers like hungry cavemen. During lunch, we gave the three cards we made to the kitchen staffs, Emma and all the other staffs. In return, Emma also handed us a card the staffs made us. What they did was really sweet but along with the card exchanging also came the slow realization that we will be leaving soon.

The ferry that took us home.

When we are all done and cleaned up after ourselves, everyone waited by the dock for the ferry to fetch us home. It was really sad. I took one last look of the island before I stepped on. Then, just as the boat was getting ready to leave, we looked out the window and saw all the guides waving goodbyes with some of them doing hand stands and even jump in water for a final wave--that's when I teared up a little. The trip back was more pleasant as no one got sick since we were more prepared and also the water was much calmer due to the nicer weather.

Overall, it was a really nice experience and I am really happy that I went on the trip. We had a very diverse group of people but despite all our differences, we all got along very well. I can definitely say that I came back with more friends. I am also really glad Amy was on the trip with me as it is always nice to have someone you know and she made it a even better trip :) However, the story does not end here or rather, I hope it doesn't. I really do wish that these friendships last especially since I have already seen a couple of them roaming around campus since school started. I would recommend this adventure to anyone who is interested as I think it was an absolutely amazing experience. Last but not least, I hope to go back to Catalina someday and see the changes since we left and if not do this again, definitely participate in more projects like this one. Now that I am back, I sure miss the set schedules and those couple of days where you had your days planned out for you (despite having to wake up early). Upon arriving back to civilization, the trip almost felt like a dream. I know it's not but if it was--it would be an awesome one.

Just us, the BEST volunteer group ever!