We had no idea that the day we landed on Catalina Island would be so historic around the world! And we didn't think we'd spend so much time watching late night TV last Sunday, May 1, 2011.

But enough of world events.

About one million people visit Catalina every year.

Many movies have been shot on the island, including The Navigator (Buster Keaton), Mutiny on the Bounty (Clark Gable), All Ashore (Mickey Rooney) , The Glass Bottom Boat (Doris Day), Chinatown (Jack Nicholson). Television series episodes filmed here, including Quincy, Airwolf, Arrested Development and The Bold & The Beautiful.

General George Patton met his future wife on Catalina when they were both children. Marilyn Monroe lived here with her first husband. Ronald Reagan came here as a sportscaster when the Wrigley-owned Chicago Cubs held their spring training here. He took a little time off to audition for the movies, and the rest is history. Natalie Wood mysteriously drowned here when she was boating with her husband Robert Wagner and fellow actor Christopher Walken. Actor Errol Flynn wound up with some well publicized legal problems for his alleged activities with young females on his sail boat. For a small island, Catalina has seen its share of fascinating history.

Pat and I spent three days on this interesting island just 22 miles away from our Dana Point home in Southern California, and I'd like to share a bit of them with you.