Tongva indians sent out a greeting party for the Chumash paddlers on their canoes, bringing oak acorns and carvings to exchange for island soapstone.
One hundred years later, Cabrillo and his Spanish ships arrived with mirrors and leather packs.
Two hundred years later, the island is passed into ownership to ranchers, gold miners, real estate speculators, and eventually, chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr.
Now, yachts pull into Little Harbor, which has a campground, horse ranch, and palm trees.
The colors saturated the sky during the 90 minutes of this fantastic sunset at Little Harbor. I thought of the many eras this perfect settlement had experienced, their shifts and evolution. Beauty was created; pressure was put on resources; newcomers arrived; civilizations changed.
Did the native tribes live in harmony with the island? Perhaps they were good stewards on some levels, but there is also archeological evidence that localized overfishing occurred. Hard to believe, given the small population.
How can we be good stewards of this land? What are the best role models?
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| From Catalina Harbor to Little Harbor: 3 nautical miles |
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