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Channel Islands National Park - Exploring the Park
| Channel Islands National Park consists of five islands, the
surrounding waters and two mainland visitor centers (one in Ventura
and one in Santa Barbara). From the mainland,
several charter companies offer daily boat or seaplane service to the
islands of Anacapa, Santa Barbara, San Miguel, Santa Rosa, and Santa
Cruz. During peak seasons, transportation quotas can often fill up, so
reserving a spot on a boat ahead of time is advised. |
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The Mainland |
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Located in the city of Ventura, the Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor
Center is the park’s primary mainland headquarters. Open year-round
from 8:30 to 5:00, the center features a museum, living tidepool
exhibit, three-dimensional models of all the park islands, 25-minute
film, interactive exhibits, and a tower with telescopes for viewing
the islands. A picnic area and outdoor native plant garden round out
the facilities here. A number of special programs also take place at
the visitor center. Every Tuesday and Thursday from Memorial Day
through Labor Day, rangers conduct a live underwater video program
from Anacapa Island. This unique program features an interpretive dive
through one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, the kelp
forest. Visitors may view this program without ever getting their feet
wet from the visitor center. The Visitor Center is located in the
city of Ventura. The telephone number is (805) 658-5730. The visitor
center is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. In Santa Barbara, the
Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center boasts views of the city and offers
information on Channel Islands National Park, the Channel Islands
National
Marine Sanctuary and Los Padres National Forest. The center is open
daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. |
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Santa Cruz |
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Santa Cruz is the largest island off the coast of
California at 24 miles long and six miles wide. Shaped by two rugged
mountain ranges and deep valleys, the island is surprisingly diverse.
Between the top
of Devil’s Peak at 2,434 feet above sea level and the sandy beaches
and coastline cliffs, Santa Cruz is home to an astonishing breadth of
terrain types and wildlife. Over 650 species of plants and animals can
be found here, including some found nowhere else in the world. Santa
Cruz is also home to some of the largest and deepest sea caves on the
planet. Painted Cave is the largest, a breathtaking tunnel
filled with lichens and colorful rocks, a quarter mile long with a
ceiling that reaches 160 feet in places. Above ground is a
profusion of archeological evidence of the island’s long habitation,
from remnants of Chumash Indians inhabitants to ranch houses and
chapels built by white settlers in the 1800s. Hiking trails and
interpretive signs allow visitors to explore and understand the
interesting geologic and cultural history of the island. |
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The Other Islands |
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Anacapa Island is closest to mainland, only a 90 minute
boat ride away, and the most frequently visited of the five. Steep
cliffs of volcanic origin rim much of this scenic island, and
snorkeling, kayaking, and diving are all excellent in the rich kelp
beds which rippled around Anacapa's edges. Sea birds such as the
California brown pelican are frequently spotted here, as are sea lions
and harbor seals. A museum on Ancala features interesting artifacts
from the Channel Islands’ history, such as the original crystal and
brass lens from the old lighthouse. Santa Barbara is
the smallest of the islands, at only 639 acres. This twin-peaked mesa
is a craggy outcropping, home to rocky beaches. The steep cliffs and
isolation from mainland predators provide safe breeding sites for
thousands of sea birds. Snorkelling and other marine activities are
popular in the shallow waters. San Miguel, 55 miles
off coast, is the farthest from the mainland. Strong sea winds often
blow across the 27 miles of jagged coastline here. The biggest draw of
San Miguel is undoubtedly Point Bennett, where six different species
of pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) come annually to breed and bear
their young. As many as 50,000 of these creatures might be gathered on
the beach here at any one time, making San Miguel an internationally
famous spot for those who study these creatures. Other notable sights
on the island include the caliche forest, stone echoes of long-dead
trees petrified in sand, and the San Miguel wildflowers, which bloom
riotously each spring thanks to the constant moisture from the sea.
Santa Rosa is located 40 miles west of Ventura, an
island of Grass-covered hills, steep canyons, and sandy beaches. A
number of archaeological sites have been excavated here, from the
world’s most complete pygmy mammoth skeleton to early human
habitatsdating back 11,000 years. A small museum exhibits these
artifacts. Several rare plants are also found only on the island. |
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The Water |
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The National Park boundaries include the waters surrounding each island out to a distance of a mile, meaning about half the park is underwater. Sea kayaking, scuba diving, snorkeling, and boat charters are among the ways to experience this aquatic portion of Channel Islands. Snorkelling in the shallow waters near Santa Barbara is great way to see bright sea stars, spiny sea urchins, and brilliant orange garibaldi. Porpoises, dolphins, and whales can be sighted in these shallow waters, feeding in the wealth of kelp forests. Pinnipeds such as harbor seals and California sea lions "haul out" in isolated coves to warm themselves and seek refuge. Large colonies of sea birds, shellfish, crustaceans and other shoreline plants and animals can also be found in the region. |
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