Over a million people visit Catalina Island per year. Whether they’re visiting for the fine foods, the scenic accommodations, or to explore the rugged back country, there’s a unique draw to the Island that captures the imagination of all who’ve set foot here. While everyone’s adventure here is different, there’s one thing everyone can agree on - this island has style.

We’ve been invited on an exclusive and extensive behind the scenes tour of three of the most iconic structures on Catalina Island in California.

These buildings feature unique architecture, building methods, and perfectly preserved antique machinery that we will explore up close and personal. First, we’re visiting the Catalina Island Casino, the largest building on the island and one of the most iconic waterfront structures on the West Coast. Then, we’re climbing up to the Avalon Chime Tower to play the mechanism for ourselves. Lastly, it’s off to the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Gardens to end our day and our adventure.

Just one of these treasures would be worth over a billion dollars in today's money, and we're on the trail of two of them. We aren't looking for the treasures themselves, but the remains of those who hid them and others who spent their lives hunting for these treasures over the past 450 years. There's loot hidden by Spanish sailors to prevent it from being captured by Sir Francis Drake, and other treasure from a wrecked galleon salvaged by natives in the 1700's.

Built in 1935 and once owned by famous actor Spencer Tracy, we're taking this beautiful vintage sailboat on a voyage out to Catalina Island for 3 days. This boat can be chartered, but this wasn't a charter trip - my friend, Eric Lara, is friends with the owners of the vessel, who took us all out on this wonderful adventure. I just had to cover the food!

Mike and Pip were wonderful hosts who both knew pretty much all there is to know about both sailing and Catalina Island history.

UPDATE - just before releasing this video, I found out he's no longer chartering the vessel. That's really unfortunate, because I was already getting requests for his information!

In 1912, when the RMS Titanic was the newest ship in the world, the Ning Po ("Peaceful Waters") was the oldest still-functioning ship on the seas. Built in 1753 and originally called the Kin Tai Foong ("Golden Typhoon"), this Chinese merchant Junk quickly turned pirate and smuggler, become one of the most notorious pirate ships of Asia. She was the bane of both Imperial China and the British Empire, eluding all who wished to tame her. By the early 1900's, finally being matched by the iron steam ships of the time, she was retired as a tourist attraction, touring the Los Angeles area for a few years before becoming a restaurant in Avalon on Catalina Island. She then served as a museum ship in Cat Harbor at the Isthmus on Catalina, where she eventually wrecked in a storm in the 1930's.

Much of her early history is based on legend rather than hard evidence, and much of her later history is convoluted with other ships she sat alongside, but let's dive into her what we do know and uncover what's left of her off Catalina Island. While this video does talk a bit about what's left, stay tuned for another video in the future about surveying the various wrecks across Catalina Island, including the Ning Po.

Special thanks to the Catalina Island Museum for the help with research and allowing me to use some of their photographs.

Another huge thanks to CA Wreck Divers and Steve Lawson for some of the photos