Avalon in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
The Legacy of Blanche W
| | The Flying Fish Boat | |
Photographed by Craig Baker, August 6, 2022
1. Blanche W Marker
In all the world there was no trip like a nocturnal ride aboard Blanche W, skimming through a spray of flying fish darting from the waters of Catalina Island. William Wrigley Jr. commissioned the sightseeing boat in 1924 and named it after his granddaughter, Ada Blanche Wrigley. That June, the new 64-foot Blanche W arrived in Avalon equipped with World War I-era 40-million candlepower searchlights to simulate the silver streaks of large predators, which propelled the fish from the sea into the night air.
A trip aboard the 98-passenger Blanche W was a quintessential part of the renowned Catalina Island getaway. Over 91 years Blanche W treated more than one million people to her famous flying fish excursions, tours to Seal Rocks, and cruises to Isthmus Cove. Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, many Hollywood celebrities, and other notable guests were among her passengers.
Blanche W was decommissioned in 2015. The Catalina Island Company donated 21 of her mahogany benches to the Catalina Island Museum to preserve her memory and history.
photo caption:
Linen Postcard Depicting
this page online
Printed on reverse: "In Catalina waters the famous flying fish (12 inches to 22 inches long) fly as much as 40 miles per hour for distances as great as 300 yards, only to drop back into the water when their wings become dry."
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Environment • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1924.
Location. 33° 20.614′ N, 118° 19.683′ W. Marker is in Avalon, California, in Los Angeles County. It can be reached from Metropole Avenue 0.1 miles south of Crescent Avenue, on the right when traveling south. Located at the Catalina Island Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 217 Metropole Ave, Avalon CA 90704, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles and in the Transverse Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds
Photographed by Craig Baker, August 6, 2022
2. Marker Detail - The Flying Fish Boat
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Channel Crossing (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Tuna Club of Avalon (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Leaping Tuna (approx. 0.2 miles away); First Flight - Newport to Catalina (approx. 0.2 miles away); Independence Day - Catalina Island (approx. 0.2 miles away); Catalina Island Yacht Club (approx. Ό mile away); Wrigley Field in Los Angeles (approx. Ό mile away); Avalon Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Avalon.
Also see . . . Catalina Island Museum. (Submitted on October 19, 2022.)
Additional commentary.
1. My Experience
During a Flying Fish Boat excursion aboard Blanche W in the 1980s, the high-speed trip exposed passengers to cold wind and ocean spray, and some dropped their hat or camera when hit by a fast-moving flying fish. We were warned to let employees throw fish back into the water because the wings had sharp points. Overall, it was an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience I
— Submitted November 24, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
Photographed by Craig Baker, August 7, 2022
4. Catalina Island Museum
The Ada Blanche Wrigley Schreiner Building, built in 2016.
Photographed by Craig Baker, August 6, 2022
5. Catalina Oddities
This sign is near the marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 3, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 19, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 531 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on October 19, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
