The Legacy of Blanche W

William Wrigley Jr. commissioned the sightseeing boat Blanche W in 1924 and named it after his granddaughter, Ada Blanche Wrigley. That June, the new 64-foot Blanche W arrived in Avalon equipped with World War I-era 40-million candlepower searchlights that simulated the silver streaks of large predators, sending flying fish from the waters of Catalina Island into the night air during nocturnal rides. A trip aboard the 98-passenger Blanche W became a quintessential part of the Catalina Island getaway, offering famous flying fish excursions as well as tours to Seal Rocks and cruises to Isthmus Cove. Over 91 years, Blanche W carried more than one million people, including Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, many Hollywood celebrities, and other notable guests. Blanche W was decommissioned in 2015, and the Catalina Island Company donated 21 of her mahogany benches to the Catalina Island Museum to preserve her memory and history.

Avalon, California · United States