ISLAND HEIRLOOM FOR SALE WHITE ROCK ON BLOCK FOR $2.75 MILLION.

Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer

Growing up, Michael Caffey often heard stories about the island he owned off the coast of Santa Catalina - the thriving reef encircling its shores, the prickly pear cacti peppering its hills and the swarms of sea gulls nesting in its nooks.

Benjamin Franklin Caffey painted romantic ideas in his son's mind about the tiny, 1.3-acre White Rock Island that was purchased by his partners in the 1920s for $140 - truly a song compared with the $2.75 million Michael Caffey wants to sell it for today.

``It was my father's dream to own an island and he fought for this one. He often laughed, saying, 'It may be worth $1 million one day,''' said Caffey, 73, a Glendale resident who inherited two-thirds of White Rock from his father and then went on to purchase the rest of the island for $1,000 in the mid-1980s.

``White Rock always sounded interesting to me and we thought it was neat to have an island in the family. But it was really my father's dream to own such a thing. Not mine.''

So the tides have changed.

The notion of owning an island faded fast for Caffey. His father's fantasy island was far from reality. The island is nothing but a rock with a two-inch thick layer of bird droppings on its surface. It has no electricity or fresh water.

If anything, Caffey says simply owning an island should be enough incentive to pay his asking price.

The island, a half mile off of Santa Catalina Isthmus Cove, has at least one taker but not at Caffey's price: The University of Southern California's Wrigley Marine Science Center.

``It's for sale? I can't believe that. It seems like it would be a worthless piece of rock to a human being. I mean, it's guano heaven,'' said Kathy Ann Miller, resident scientist at USC's marine center on Catalina Island.

``But it's certainly a little natural treasure to us. And I'd like to see nothing happen to it.''

The Caffey family rarely visits the island, which Catalina locals have dubbed Bird Rock for its notorious odor. Once on the island, experts say its lunar-like landscape isn't conducive for building anything.

``It's just a rock outcropping. I don't think anyone can build on it and who would want to? It's currently unclassified in terms of zoning, which means a potential owner would have to go through all sorts of paperwork to construct something,'' said Maria Masis, a planner with the Department of Regional Planning in Los Angeles. < County records indicate that the island is currently appraised at $3,800.

Yet the island does have ecological value and plenty of lore. White Rock is home to Malva Rosa, a rare plant that was eaten away by goats on Catalina Island. Production companies have used the island and its plants as a backdrop for myriad South Sea island films.

``White Rock Island itself, a haven of seabirds for centuries ... indubitably a piece of real estate if 50,000 square feet of rocky, marine plateau could be called real estate,'' read a Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine article published April 7, 1940.

Perhaps, the island's most treasured characteristic is its reef, laden with deposits of marine life - an aquatic laboratory for USC students and faculty.

``Sure USC would like me to donate the island, but I've decided to see if I can get a few dollars first,'' Caffey said. ``It's one of the only privately owned islands around.''

Caffey also has 12 kids who couldn't agree as to whether the island should remain in the family.

``So better distribute the money among the kids than listen to them argue,'' he said.

When the Caffey family first purchased a portion of White Rock in the 1920s it was a coup as the Wrigleys - the original owners of Catalina - thought they were entitled to the island's ownership rights.

Not so.

And William Warmington, among the original owners of White Rock, began to study `'the island's contours, humped up there against the landward mountain range background like Melville's old Moby Dick himself,'' the Times' article read.

Given the island's location, environmentalists are sensitive to its development and local officials say the prospective owner should be cautious.

``Even if someone had millions and millions of dollars to develop this island, environmentalists would most likely intervene,'' said Audra McDonald, who does planning for the city of Avalon.

Several plans for White Rock Island have never come to fruition including a proposed casino and yacht club. Caffey's broker Bud Mauro said he wouldn't be surprised if an oil company expressed interest in the island.

The Santa Catalina Island Co. currently owns 11 percent of Catalina Island, with no initial plans to acquire White Rock. Ronald Doutt, president, said though he has never set foot on the island, it would be challenging to obtain the necessary permits to break ground.

``There's also several navigational hazards, making it difficult for boats to dock at the island,'' Doutt said.

USC's Miller holds out hope that donating the island to university would best serve the Caffey family and the school's educational needs.

``The Caffey family would get a tax break and we would have a great resource for our research,'' she said. ``That would be an ideal situation, of course.''

Evan Pondel, [phone]

evan.pondel(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) The 1.3-acre White Rock Island, a favorite stopping place for birds, is for sale with an asking price of $2.75 million. Glendale residents Michael and Ann Caffey own White Rock Island, near Catalina. The island is home to a rare plant as well being a stopping place for birds.

(3) University of Southern California has expressed interest in obtaining tiny White Rock Island as a resource for research.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer