Looking down from the upper floor of the casino, (go here for a shot of the covered walkway), you see the small breakwater that separates Avalon Harbor from the lesser protected Descanso Beach area. Moorings in the Harbor are astronomically expensive, out of the average boat owner's price range. If an owner is not in town, you can rent the available mooring, counting on the fact that you will probably be moved around more than once. Boaters waiting for a mooring will more than likely first be directed to Descanso Beach, where they join the queue.