This won't make anyone happy, but I'm leaning towards the theory it was an airplane contrail .

I ruled out the launch of a secret spy satellite, because there are too many other ways to disguise the purpose of a satellite, and because I don't know of any missile that can put a payload in orbit and be launched from a sub (or any surface vessel that I know of, for that matter). And if the government wanted to launch something secretly, they'd do it well out to sea away from the shipping lanes, not a few miles off Catalina island.

But I do like the theory it was one of us. Come on, you guys out in California, tell us how you did it.

Onward and upward,
airforce