As the largest of the Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California, Santa Cruz Island is the perfect destination for those who want to combine kayaking and hiking for a day (or two) of adventure surrounded by a natural beauty that feels worlds away.
Hiking and Kayaking Adventures
Santa Cruz Island is rugged and mountainous, with a steep canyon cutting through the middle. Hiking enthusiasts will enjoy a good challenge here, as well as breathtaking views.
Most visitors to Santa Cruz Island come for the sea caves. Dotting the coastline, these caves are fun to explore by kayak, but unless you’re experienced, it’s best to join one of the popular kayak tours available through Santa Barbara Adventure Company. They offer 1-1/2 and 3-hour adventures with a knowledgeable guide.
If you prefer to kayak on your own, you are responsible for renting or bringing your own kayak from the mainland, but you must reserve a transport spot for your kayak in advance with Island Packers ferry since space is limited. For rentals, call Channel Island Kayak Center at (805) 984-5995.
A National Park Treasure
Five of the eight Channel Islands, including Santa Cruz, are part of the National Park Service (NPS), and the areas around the islands are a Marine Protected Sanctuary.
Pelicans, which were on the brink of extinction in 1970 because of the now-banned pesticide DDT getting into the ocean, along with cormorants and other marine birds, rule the roost here. You can’t miss them soaring overhead in fighter-plane formation and swooping into the sea for a tasty meal.
On land, you’ll run into the cute and surprisingly docile Channel Island foxes scurrying about in search of food. On the water, you might catch harbor seals lounging on the rocks and see California’s official state fish, the poppy-orange garibaldi, weaving in and out of the nutrient-rich kelp forest.
A Little History of Santa Cruz Island
While Santa Cruz Island today feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it was not always like that. The island’s vast grasslands, coastal scrub vegetation, oak woodlands, and rich coastline sustained villages of the native Chumash Indians for thousands of years.
For much of the 19th century, mariners found shelter in its coves, and hunters and fishermen exploited the marine life. Immigrant ranchers grazed cattle and sheep on the island until 1987, when the privately owned property passed to the non-profit organization, The Nature Conservancy, which liquidated the cattle operation and ended the island’s ranching era.
Getting to Santa Cruz Island
It’s not quite as easy to get to the Channel Islands as many other National Parks. There’s no transportation on the islands, no hotels, no Airbnb, and no food to buy. If you’re camping, you have to take everything in with you and then bring everything back out. Fires are not allowed on any of the Channel Islands.
Whether you’re going for a day trip or an overnight adventure, the islands are only accessible by park concessionaire boats (Island Packers, mentioned above) and planes (Channel Islands Aviation), or private boat. The ferry from Ventura Harbor to Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz takes a little over an hour. During the trip, you may spot whales breaching in the distance, depending on the time of year, or catch a pod of dolphins playing alongside the boat.
While this means advance planning is a must, it also means you won’t be overwhelmed by crowds, and it’s easy to find places where your only companion is total silence (and maybe a squadron of pelicans overhead!)
Of course part of the allure of the Channel Islands is that it is relatively unvisited. Like the Galapagos in South America, it is a true sanctuary for the wildlife that live and flourish in this magical place.
To plan your trip, start at the National Park Service website for the Channel Islands. You can read about the five different islands that are part of the NPS, top sites and activities, and the logistics of your visit.
2 comments
Great post 🙂
Beautiful photos!
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