Between Two Harbors: Reflections of a Catalina Island Harbormaster

by Doug Oudin

Catalina Islandthe name conjures images of a pristine tropical island. Located twenty-six miles off the coast of Southern California, Catalina Island is known as the island of romance for good reason. A popular destination for boaters, fishermen, and tourists, its a recreational mecca at seaa place where people come to escape from the reality of urban life. Boasting 86,000 square miles of unspoiled and undeveloped natural beauty, Catalina is an island paradise with wild animals, surrounded by an ocean teeming with fish.

For thirty-two years, Charles Douglas Doug Oudin lived a fantasy life on this secluded oasis. As the former harbormaster, he saw it allharrowing storms, dramatic ocean rescues, traumatic accidents, and the tragic death of actress Natalie Wood. Encounters with sharks, buffalo, wild boar, and even a sea serpent are just a few of the strange and unique experiences he had while living on the island. Now, in this memoir, he shares his story.

For those who know and love Catalinaand those who have always wanted to visitBetween Two Harbors reveals a glimpse of what life on the island is really like.

412 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 30, 2013

About the author

Doug Oudin is a retired harbormaster from Catalina Island, California. For twenty-one years, he wrote a weekly article for the local Catalina Islander Newspaper.

Married for thirty-eight years, with two sons, his life on and around the ocean has given him the essence of a true seaman. Having traveled extensively in Mexico, Central America, and parts of the Caribbean, his seafaring adventures enable him to describe, in vivid detail, the captivating lure of the tropics, the power and beauty of the sea, and the subtle, fragile, and inexplicable diversities of personal relationships.

His two books, ‘Between Two Harbors, Reflections of a Catalina Island Harbormaster’, (a memoir), and ‘Five Weeks to Jamaica’, (a novel), reflect his broad knowledge of the ocean realm, and showcase his ability to capture the fickle nuances of both Mother Nature and human nature.

Reviews

[Victoria Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently for my birthday, a friend and I visited Santa Catalina Island (commonly referred to simply as Catalina Island), off the California Coast. We went to the main city and tourist attraction, Avalon, and wandered around for the day until it was time to catch the return ferry. While I've known about Catalina for most of the 25 years I've lived in California, and occasionally read about goings on there, having actually visited left me filled with curiosity about it. Looking for reading material about it, I happened on this book. Two Harbors is the isthmus of the island, and this book was written by Doug Oudin, who was Harbormaster there for the better part of his adult life. I had no idea what a 'harbormaster' was when I purchased the book, but oh, what an education I got. Clearly this book was written in part as an appreciation and nod to the many people with whom the author worked and befriended over the years, and there are at times laundry lists of names. However, so much shines through in this collection of memoirs, it is a loving tribute to a life well lived in a very special, magical, and adventurous place. I now know what a Harbormaster is, and have a great respect for people who work taking care of people who travel by sea. It's written in a way that makes it easy to put down and pick up again, except, you really don't want to put it down. I learned a lot about the ocean, the island, and boating and fishing, and nature on an island, and really enjoyed every bit of it!

[Marie Silk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a collection of memoirs from decades of time spent working on the water in Catalina. Having already read the author's fiction book, 5 Weeks to Jamaica, I was interested to learn more about island living from a non-fiction point of view. There is so much in this book that it is hard to condense it all in a brief review, but readers can expect to learn a lot about boats, storms, marine life, the rescue process, pros and cons of island living and what it was like to raise a family there. The author is very real, and these stories include a little bit of everything: the adventurous, intense, beautiful, scary, and downright awe-inspiring (swimming with an oarfish!). I enjoy reading biographies of those who have seen and done enough to fill multiple lifetimes, and this does not disappoint. The biggest thing I have come away with from this book is the utmost admiration and respect for harbor patrols, Baywatch, and the Coast Guard, and their combined rescue attempts that have saved so many.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous book that provides true insight to the life of Catalina's West End. A must read for anybody who is a regular to the island!

[Michele Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catalina is indeed one of the most beautiful and rugged places in California. The author, Doug Oudin, lived on the island for 32 years and writes about the island that is enjoyable to all. Not only does he write about his experiences as Harbormaster on the island but also presents what it is like to actually live on the island. He is one of the lucky few that actually lived outside of bustling and touristy Avalon.

I have only been to the island twice and I was lucky enough to spend that time near the Isthmus and backpacking in many of the places that the author writes about. The author spends good quality time detailing and painting a picture of the island and the beautiful harbors and ocean that surround this wonderful place. He also has a great amount of detail about his career as Harbormaster. I can tell from his writing how much love and respect that he has for the island. He writes of the fondness that he has for the people that he worked and lived with on Catalina.

This book does one important this for me, it makes be want to go back to Catalina.

[Annabelle Winters · Rating 5 out of 5]

My brother and his family have a CHB 34 that they take to Catalina for on average one weekend per month, usually anchoring at Isthmus. I bought this book over Labor Day weekend which was only my second visit to the island. Totally hooked, and already imagining several sabbatical volunteer or work experiences I would love to do! This book is fantastic. Makes me wish I were born 10 or 20 yrs earlier so I could've seen this island before the eradication of so many of the animals.

[Sharon Bison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read; I spent some time on the island and absolutely love it and learned so many things from reading this book. thoroughly entertaining, lots of fun facts, interesting turn of events related to Natalie Wood too! want to read Five Weeks to Jamaica next!

[Doug Oudin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thirty-three out of thirty-six, 5 Star ratings on Amazon. (three 4 star).
Thanks to all that have posted a review!

[Madison Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book surprised me in the best way. Doug Oudin captures the magic, danger, and mystery of Catalina Island through decades of firsthand experiences as harbormaster. The wildlife encounters, the storms, the celebrity moments everything feels vivid and real without being exaggerated. What I loved most was how personal and heartfelt his storytelling is. You finish the book feeling connected to the island and its history. If you’re looking for a memoir that’s engaging, adventurous, and genuinely hard to put down, grab this one.

[Dalton Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between Two Harbors is one of those rare memoirs that completely pulls you into someone else’s world. Doug Oudin writes with such clarity and honesty that I felt like I was standing on Catalina Island with him watching storms roll in, witnessing rescues, and soaking in the peaceful beauty of island mornings. His stories are fascinating, emotional, and sometimes unbelievable in the best way. If you love real-life adventure, the ocean, or just a beautifully told life story, this book is absolutely worth reading. Highly recommend picking it up you won’t regret it.

[Alli W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My friend bought this book for me after we completed the Trans Catalina Trail. We had such a magical experience, this book extended that! Was fun to learn so much about what a harbormaster’s job, fishing and boating. So much respect for those who work hard for the island. Thanks, Doug!