Heal The Bay’s new “Beach Bummer” report card pushes Long Beach—historically a champ when it comes to poisoning itself—all the way down to #7 and grants top polluting honors to Avalon Harbor Beach on beautiful Catalina Island. I was a little surprised—considering that I’ve personally seen a seagull with a cigar right in front of the Villa Riviera—and wondered if Long Beach’s reputation as L.A.’s toxic toilet was a bit overstated. Is Avalon at the bad end of even worse pollution outflow? Actually, explains Heal The Bay’s Mark Gold on KPCC today, Avalon has the luxury of suffering only the effects of homegrown pollution. (Unlike Long Beach, “the recipient of ALL the pollution” in L.A. river, he added.) “Decaying sewer infrastructure” at “that little beach right next to the pier” won the harbor the number-one spot on the “Beach Bummer” list, to be held until some agency grants funds substantial enough to really make those sewers shine. Until then, Gold advised Avalon visitors to avoid swimming directly in front of open storm drains—also remember to never under any circumstances no matter how hilarious to put your mouth on an open storm drain—and recommended Catalina visitors spend their water time at any other spot on the island, since the Avalon pollution is concentrated in a very small area.

UPDATE: Public forum on L.A. River pollution and Long Beach tomorrow evening at the Aquarium.

Tags: avalon, beach bummer, beach report card, catalina island, heal the bay, kpcc, Long Beach, mark gold, pollution

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RDM 4 months ago 1 point
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Yes, Avalon really is that bad. Not so much trash as much as decades old corroded sewer drains leaking all the city's toilets onto the beach, untreated.

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Hansolo 4 months ago 1 point
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I wouldn't go into the water in Long Beach for the promise of 40 virgins and a bottle of Jack Daniels

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