Over the past four decades Catalina Island native sons Greg Bombard and Tom Rutter have worked at making the trip to Catalina Island as pleasurable an adventure as being on the island

Greg Bombard and Tom Rutter started Catalina Express in 1981. The childhood friends grew up together in Avalon. Greg’s father Doug moved to the island as a young man and ran a hunting lodge and other operations at Two Harbors, where the boys worked during the summers.

“They needed the ability to get their hunters back and forth from the mainland as well as Two Harbors,” Bombard said. “The big boats that were running in those days couldn’t make that happen, and seaplanes were on their way out.”

So with one boat and a telephone, Bombard and Rutter ran the company’s single 60-passenger high-speed boat, doing everything from captain duties to booking the tickets. After two years the business started growing and the company bought a second boat. Today, Catalina Express operates eight vessels with at least twice daily trips during the high season to Avalon and Two Harbors from three ports in San Pedro, Long Beach and Dana Point.

Last July, Catalina Express remodeled a former sea plane hangar to create a brand new terminal near the company’s original landing dock in San Pedro.

Berth 95, beneath the Vincent Thomas Bridge, with its wine bistro and sun deck, offers passengers a chance to start their vacation early, Bombard explained.  Locals stop there for lunch and glasses of wine while watching the twin hull Catalina Expresses, as well as tugs and giant cruise ships pulling in and out of San Pedro Harbor.

“We really wanted people to feel that they could come down early, sit back and get the freeway behind them and get going on their vacation,” Bombard said.

As the largest carrier to Catalina, Bombard has also become one of the island’s most visible ambassadors. Catalina has the capacity to handle far more visitors than the 1 million passengers Catalina Express has been taking over in recent years. Before the recession, the company moved more than 1.4 million people in a year. That number dropped to about 800,000 in 2009.

“There’s no reason when you have 14 million people in Southern California and Catalina offers what it offers, for us not to be carrying more people today,” Bombard said. “And we have the equipment to do that. We just need people to give Catalina a chance.”

Bombard rattles off the outdoor opportunities like a seasoned tour guide.

“There’s so much room on Catalina for people to spread out,” he said. “There’s mountain biking, camping, diving, so many different beaches. You name it. Now there’s a zip line. There’s a beach club. There are great tours, kayaking, stand-up paddle-boarding. Really, leave it to your imagination. If you’re an outdoors person and you can’t find something to do then there’s something wrong.”

As part of the island’s 100th anniversary celebration, Catalina Express is offering, for the third year in a row, free tickets to anyone on their birthday.

“It’s helped people see Catalina who never would take the time, and they usually bring other people along,” Bombard said.

Some people just like to take the boat ride over to the island and turn right around to come back. The boats can travel fast enough that if they spot a whale or a porpoise they can take the time to let people enjoy it, Bombard said.

“I would bet any of them that [if] they come down here and they get on a boat, what they see on the way will not only be exciting, it will be something they remember,” he said. “There’s just so much going on out on the ocean, to not experience it and live in Southern California, you’re really missing something.”

For anyone worried about sea sickness, Bombard said it’s virtually become a thing of the past thanks to high-tech stabilizers installed on the company’s fleet several years ago.

Rutter, who serves as Vice President of Operations, is still the one in charge of boat maintenance and upgrades.

“We’re always in pursuit of new boats and new business,” Rutter said. “Greg is tenacious. He runs the company hard.”

Rutter, whose father moved to the island in 1932, left Avalon as a young man to join the Merchant Marines. When he returned in the early 1970s, he worked at Two Harbors for Greg’s father. That’s where the two began what would become a life-long friendship.

“I liked the environment down there because at a younger age you could run boats and jeeps and trucks and all that stuff,” Rutter said.

Elaine Vaughan, the company’s Vice President of Marketing and Sales, was one of the partners’ first hires 30 years ago. Vaughan realized early on that not only were they selling a boating voyage, but also the destination.

“Greg is very focused on making sure we have the best, the fastest, the most comfortable boats – all of those things that keep people coming back – that the boat ride is fun and enjoyable and it’s not something that worries people,” Vaughan said. “But we also know people come for a reason so we also have to promote the island.”

Vaughan said consistency and integrity have made Catalina Express successful over the years. Many commuters have come to rely on twice-daily trips to Avalon even when the weather isn’t perfect.

“We do the best we can to take people in comfort,” Vaughan said. “When the season is down and maybe there is inclement weather we’re still out on the seas performing. That’s why I like working here so much. You can have a sense of pride in that.”

Last year, the company moved its administrative offices to the Union Bank Building in Long Beach where Vaughan and the team enjoy plush new facilities overlooking the harbor.

“It feels we’ve developed into a really nice corporation,” Vaughan said.

Behind the helm on any given day is Bombard’s son, who’s worked his way up the ranks like every one of the company’s boat captains. Bombard hopes to keep the company in the family when he retires, and it just might happen.

“I don’t ever want to do anything where I’m treating people differently than how I want to be treated when I’m traveling,” Bombard said. “We all work real hard for our money today and to take that vacation. So we’ve got to do a damn good job when people come down here so they can enjoy their money. We want them to go home as happy as can be. That’s the attitude we have to carry.” B

Avalon celebrates 100th anniversary

Avalon on Catalina Island is celebrating its 100th anniversary by offering free round trip tickets aboard the Catalina Express to visitors on their birthdays. Visit CatalinaExpress.com for details.

Also in celebration of Avalon’s centennial anniversary, Catalina Express has posted an Avalon Centennial Planner on its web site. The planner offers notes on the island’s  history, a calendar of upcoming events, and special offerings by the Island’s stores and services. For more about the Centennial Planner visit CatalinaChamber.com/Avalon100

Following is a sampling of the planner’s contents.

History and trivia

Over 500 film productions have taken place in Avalon over the past century, including movies, TV shows, music videos and commercials.

Clark Gable’s favorite hotel was The Glenmore, the island’s oldest hotel.

Marilyn Monroe lived on the island for one year with her first husband and pulled taffy at Lloyd’s Confectionary.

Catalina Express co-founder Doug Bombard transported Ronald Reagan, who was doing sports radio broadcasting during the Chicago Cubs spring training, to the Mainland for a screen test.

Katy Perry sang karaoke recently at El Galleon.

Tiger Woods played golf at the Catalina Island Golf Course, the oldest golf course west of the Mississippi.

The Chicago Cubs held spring training on the island from 1921-1951

Canadian George Young was the first person to swim the Catalina Channel in 1927 at age 17. Because his trunks chaffed, he swam most of channel naked. The $25,000 prize remains the biggest purse ever offered at a swimming event.

Each August, paddlers, dory men and outrigger canoe paddlers race from Catalina to the mainland.

Catalina Express co-founder Greg Bombard rowed the Catalina Channel

Modern day sport fishing began at the Catalina Tuna Club, founded in 1889. It is the oldest fishing club in the U.S.

Flying fish tours started after Capt. MacAvey took guests out looking for seals at night, turned on his flash light, and attracted flying fish.

“26 miles across the sea” was recorded by The Four Preps in 1957.

Al Jolson recorded “Avalon”  (“I found my love in Avalon beside the bay…”) in 1919.

Upcoming events:

Community fish fry, Xceptional Music Company concert, Catalina movie night on the beach of movies filmed on Catalina: week of June 20.

Summer BBQs at DC3 Grill: June 25 through August 22.

Kid’s Fishing Derbies: every Wednesday from June 26 to August 21

July 4th parade and fireworks show.

23rd Annual Church Mouse Marlin Invitational: August 26, 27.

Catalina Island Women’s Forum Wine Festival: September 14.

Catalina Island Conservancy Half Marathon: September 28.

Catalina Film Festival: September 18-22.

55th Annual Catalina Festival Of Art: September 19-22.

National Museum Day, free admission: September 28.

Catalina Island Jazz Trax Festival: October 3-16, 10-13 and 17-20.

Halloween Costume Party and Parade: October 31.

29th Annual Catalina Island Triathlon: November 8-10.

Catalina Island Eco Marathon: November 9.

Catalina Island Swing Dance Festival: November 10.

Holiday Open House at the Catalina Island Museum: December 14.

2nd Annual Catalina Christmas Parade: December 23.

40th Annual New Year’s Eve Celebration in the Casino ballroom: New Year’s Eve. B