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Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands NP, 3/24/07

Posted by Grannyhiker (2007-05-12)

One of the highlights of my visit to my-daughter-the-veterinarian and my-son-in-law-the-physician in southern California was a hike on Santa Cruz Island in Channel Islands National Park. Santa Cruz Island, unlike the other islands in the park, is 76% owned by the Nature Conservancy. This is the section we hiked.

Since these islands are off the east-west section of the coast south of Santa Barbara, they can be reached only by boat. Island Packers runs an excellent service to all the islands from Ventura and Oxnard. At $45/head, this can be expensive, but it's worth it. A naturalist comes along and leads guided tours on the island you visit. The tours are optional except on the Nature Conservancy section, where the guide is mandatory. Technically, you can go off by yourself if one of your party is a Nature Conservancy member. However, right now they are trying to exterminate the last of the feral pigs, so everyone has to stay with the group, evidently so the contracted hunters won't mistake them for pigs.

The day started out foggy but cleared by the time we reached the island:

Boat dock at Prisoners Harbor:

We crossed the boundary into the Nature Conservancy area and promptly began climbing. Here's a view down into the valley with its blue gum groves:

We reached a reconstruction of the old harbormaster's hut and stopped to enjoy the view:

While most southern California wildflowers didn't bloom this year thanks to an extremely dry winter, the Channel Island flowers were in full bloom--late March appears to be the peak. In the foreground is the giant coreopsis, endemic to the Channel Islands. In the background is ceanothus, which grows all up and down the California coast and is sometimes used as an ornamental around here.

Closeup of the giant coreopsis:

Closeup of ceanothus:

You can get an idea of the rugged island topography at this rest stop along the trail. We were constantly climbing in and out of gullies such as this one. Our guide is in the foreground.

View east towards the National Park end of Santa Cruz Island:

Unfortunately, we did not see much sea life on the boat ride, except seals. The last time I was out there (2 years ago) we encountered a pod of at least 1,000 dolphins, and the Island Packers report this year showed daily sightings of numerous whales (gray, blue, humpback) and dolphins. Evidently they were all elsewhere when we went through.

Re: Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands NP, 3/24/07

Posted by chubby fm (2007-05-13)

Thanks Grannyhiker, that sounds like a very special trip. I love that last photo. Is that the mainland coastline, or another island?

Is this the place where they had the feral pig problem and the subsequent golden eagle hunting the little foxes and ousting the bald eagles nests? Oh how we can alter/destroy an ecosystem! If so, did they mention how the eradication is going?

BTW, I have seen Ceanothus in southern OR-in the Cascade-Siskyou National Monument, blooming in early June. I like the little bug on the bloom in your shot.

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