The Anacapas ~ A Natural Haven
“The sea! The sea! The open sea!; The blue, the fresh, the ever free! “ - Bryan Procter
Tucked away within the “bight” (a recess) in the Pacific Ocean close to the Southern California shore is an eight island archipelago known as the Channel Islands. Given the biodiversity of these islands they are sometimes also referred to as the America’s Galapagos. Despite their closeness to busy Los Angeles, visiting here is like a getaway to another part of the world.
Five out of the eight islands are a part of the Channel Islands National Park, which are open to day and overnight visitors. Keep in mind that the islands themselves have not potable water or tourist amenities so visiting here requires planning, preparation and self reliance.
I am not a camper, never have been and definitely not in these conditions so I planned as a first time visitor a wilderness cruise to explore the flora and fauna without a lot of physical exertion. I picked Anacapa as my destination on the advise of the Island Packers who have the exclusive contract to ferry visitors to these islands. The Anacapas as it is referred to is a set of three islands. The East Island is where the ferry makes a landing to take on and drop off day trippers and campers.
The islands present a changing face which is how the Chumash Indians named them “Ennapah” in their language. The islands are a feast for naturalists and hikers and many make their way complete with full gear to spend time here. For more difficult treks, you can contact the park rangers and an expert will accompany a group on their scramble through what the island has to offer.
I picked a hot day in Los Angeles for my short 6 hour cruise, the refrain from Gilligan’s island playing in my head as we set out. As often happens when you get to the ocean, the day became overcast which the sailor who checked me assured me was a good thing because this made the water clear as glass. Honestly I couldn’t tell you if the water was smooth as glass, all I can say is that I truly enjoyed myself without any ill effects.
As we slowly made our way out of the harbor we saw sail boating and kayaking schools, one group consisting of fairly young children learning to sail. Hmm might be an interesting activity for my grandson in a few years. As we hit open water, we were quickly surrounded by dolphins who performed acrobatics along the side of our boat. While this was not a whale watching cruise we never the less were fortunate to come across two whales. The whales however was very bashful and kept hiding from us, though I was able to click a glimpse of it’s tail as it dove into the deep.
The trip to Anacapa Island is a short trip since it’s the island nearest to the shore but we wandered around a bit chasing dolphins and whales before we actually sailed into the dock on the East Island where cormorants, pelicans, sea lions and seals make their home.
I am feeling much braver now and hope to make it to the painted cave and Prisoner Island next before the weather turns too cold.
The dolphins were out in full force and served as our escorts with their cool acrobatics drawing many an ooh and aah from the passengers all through our cruise.
As I mentioned the whales were very bashful and we kept rushing from side of the boat to the other to catch a quick glimpse but all I was able to capture was the flip of its tail as it dove below the water.
As we sailed towards the East Island dock we were able to sight the lighthouse located at the highest point of the harbor. After several ship wrecks along this coast the lighthouse was put in place with a lighthouse crew in 1939. It still operates but in 1960 the lens was changed and the lighthouse itself automated so no crew lives on the island to man the lighthouse any more.
The islands are formed as a result of volcanic activity under the ocean and then the constant waves further erode these to create these interesting looking rock formations that emerge from the water depending on how high the water level is at different times.
The captain guided the ship to the landing dock even as I stood on the deck marveling at the beautiful color of the water and the caves that are riddled all through the island. I recalled the blow hole that I had photographed so recently on my visit to Oahu and lo and behold here was one right here in my backyard.
The dock itself is pretty sparse with 187 steps stretching upwards that visitors have to climb to make it on the island itself. Imagine that and carrying all you need for the day or weekend as well as kayaks etc. if you want to go kayaking. Needless to say I chose to forgo the climb and remained on board the boat and contented myself with cruising and enjoying what was on offer from the boat itself.
Arch rock home to seals and sea lions who were clustered all along this side of the island but very difficult to capture via an iPhone camera. When you look at the picture of keyhole rock described in this post you’ll get a feel for how these rocks too were at one time connected to the landmass but over time have separated and eroded into what you see today.
The caves and caverns that riddle the island are a favorite with kayakers.
There are so many pelicans who nest along these rocks and on the island that someone once wrote that it might be akin to the Hitchcock thriller called “The Birds”.
As you sail around the islets, you can see this rock formation called Keyhole rock which is still connected to the main land mass but is forming the arches that we saw at arch rock.
Frenchy’s cove is a naturally occurring beach with tide pools and birds located on the north side of West Anacapa and a popular landing spot for nature enthusiasts. Raymond “Frenchy” LeDreau built cabins here and resided at this location for almost three decades.
The existence of oil rigs off the coast of California has been a continuous issue in Santa Barbara over decades and yet they continue to flourish and make a beacon for the home ward bound passengers on this ship.
We were back safe and sound in the harbor a little later than anticipated thanks to all the marine activity that we encountered on our journey. A wonderful afternoon spent in a cool and beautiful setting away from the heat and madding crowds of Los Angeles.