Santa Catalina [key] or Catalina Island, S Calif., one of the Channel Islands, off Huntington Beach, Calif. It is a resort island, 22 mi (35 km) long and 1 to 8 mi (1.6–12.9 km) wide, with a picturesque, irregular coastline dotted with coves and beaches. It was explored in 1542 by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, and given its present name by Vizcaíno in 1602. In 1919, William Wrigley bought the island and constructed vacation and sports facilities. Avalon, the only city on the island, is the center of activities, and is connected to the mainland by ferries. Of interest on Santa Catalina are a seal colony and submarine gardens.
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