Coastal Travel: A Solo Journey to the West Coast

There are some places that stay with you long before you ever set foot on them. For me, this island on the West Coast was one of those places. I'd spent countless hours imagining what it would be like to stand on its shoreline with my camera in hand, listening to the waves and watching the light transform the landscape. This trip wasn't just another destination on my list, t was a place I had been longing to experience and photograph.

So I packed my camping gear, loaded my camera, and set out on a solo adventure to Catalina Island!

"Traveling alone has a way of slowing everything down. Without distractions, I found myself paying closer attention to every detail."

I caught the 8:00 a.m. ferry from Long Beach, California, to Avalon, a scenic one hour ride across the Pacific to one of the most beautiful islands I've ever visited. As the island came into view, I couldn't wait to start exploring.

Once I arrived, I quickly realized I didn't want to spend the day wandering Avalon with a massive backpack, all of my camping gear, and my underwater camera housing. Thankfully, the ferry terminal offers lockers, and the staff was incredibly accommodating, making it easy to store my gear so I could explore comfortably.

I had about five hours to spend in Avalon before heading to the campground, so I planned every minute carefully. Before the trip, I spent hours researching the island, searching for the best viewpoints and hidden gems to photograph its stunning coastline. I knew the shots I wanted, but getting them meant hiking some seriously steep hills. Every climb was worth it, though, because each overlook revealed another breathtaking perspective of the island and the endless Pacific beyond.

 

One thing that makes Avalon unique is that you won't find regular cars driving around town. Transportation is limited primarily to locals, service vehicles, guided tours, and golf carts available for rent. Being from Florida, the unofficial capital of golf carts, you'd think I'd rent one without hesitation. But after seeing the winding roads hugging steep cliffs, I decided I'd rather trust my hiking boots than my driving skills. Some adventures are better experienced on foot, and this was definitely one of them. 

I'm so glad I walked because I got shots of the coastline that I wouldn't of been able to get if I was trying to press the breaks on the golf cart while I speeding down the hill.

 Each stretch of shore had its own personality, reminding me that no two coastlines are ever the same.

Camping on the island allowed me to experience the coast from sunrise to sunset and well into the night. The quiet mornings, golden evenings, and the sound of the ocean became part of the story behind every photograph I captured. Some of my favorite moments happened when I wasn't even taking pictures, but simply sitting still and appreciating the beauty that surrounded me.

One of the reasons I continue to travel is to discover landscapes that inspire me to create. The coast has always held a special place in my heart. There's something about the meeting of land and sea that feels both powerful and peaceful at the same time. It reminds me that nature doesn't need to be perfect to be breathtaking—it simply needs to be itself.

This journey has inspired something new that I'm excited to share.

Over the coming weeks, I'll be introducing a brand new Coastal Collection to my online store. This collection will feature photographs exclusively from my coastal adventures, showcasing the beauty, diversity, and character of shorelines I've explored. From rugged cliffs and rocky beaches to peaceful coves and expansive ocean views, each image tells a story from places that have left a lasting impression on me.

My hope is that these photographs bring a sense of calm, adventure, and connection into your home, while sharing a glimpse of the incredible places I've been fortunate enough to experience.

Thank you for following along on this journey and for supporting my work. Every adventure inspires the next one, and I can't wait to share more coastal stories and photographs with you.

Stay tuned for the launch of the Coastal Travel Collection, and the next blog post that goes into more detail of my first solo camping experience.