IsLand Adventures

By chuck GRAhAM

Istepped off the Island Packers ferry onto the sturdy dock at Prisoners harbor, primed for a hilly, 13-mile trail run back to my kayak and campsite at Scorpion anchorage located at the southeast end of Santa cruz Island.

The largest of california’s channel Islands at over 60,000 acres and part of channel Islands National Park, the mountainous island is also the most unique with flora and fauna found nowhere else on earth.

I was running then paddling in what is also known as “the Galapagos Islands of the north,” a archipelago that’s close to the mainland of teaming Southern california, yet worlds apart in biodiversity and population — only about 80,000 people a year set foot on the islands, and most of those land at Scorpion anchorage.

once I reached the narrow spine of montanon ridge my legs were burning, the ocean beckoning three miles below. The island’s highest peaks rise more than 2000 feet.

I opened up my stride and followed an old, rutted ranching road descending swiftly into the broad mouth of Scorpion canyon. clever ravens croaked and a peregrine falcon buzzed the cliffs scattering flocks of western gulls into hysteria. a tiny, housecat-sized island fox had beat me to the kayaks and foraged through the empty boats for food.

It was time to cool down. a quick dunk in the cobalt blue water and I was off paddling in and out of the honeycombed cliffs of Santa cruz, sampling the many sea grottos along the wavebattered coastline.

malibu, closer to catalina Island.

after three balmy days on windswept San miguel Island, which sticks furthest out into the Pacific, I made a dash for Santa rosa Island, paddling three miles eastward aided by 25-knot northwest winds whipping up the channel. (Santa rosa is 32 miles off Santa Barbara.)

Swell was building from the south and steady wind swell bumped up out of the northwest, colliding in the channel like mighty titans, enhanced by those perpetual winds sweeping down off Point conception on the mainland north of Santa Barbara.

halfway across the turbulent channel, the seas grew larger and the winds intensified, and before reaching the safety of an anchored down kelp forest I capsized in the frothing cold water.

a yard sale ensued as some of my gear bobbed in the chop while I scrambled back into my sit-on-top kayak. after retrieving my last dry bag I made a beeline for the dense canopy of kelp extending off Santa rosa. It forced the wind to lie down, a much needed reprieve from the challenging sea conditions.

anaCaPa shoWdoWn

anacapa Island, closest to the mainland, possesses some of the best paddling within the entire national park. The small, narrow island actually consists of three tiny islets (east, middle and West Islands) nearly five miles long.

The island has several breathtaking arches to paddle under, an array of sea caves to explore, and spindly pinnacles of volcanic rock jutting 20 feet high, where brown pelicans and Brandt’s cormorants perch and preen and black oystercatchers forage at their base. There are also a couple thousand raucous california sea lions congregating around the southeast end.

san MIGUeL ChanneL ‘tossInG’

Sitting just off the coast of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, the volcanic island chain is one of the best kayaking locales in the world, with sea caves aplenty and beautiful camp spots, and traversed by winding trails that invite hikers and runners to explore.

I was in the midst of a 10-day solo circumnavigation of the four northern islands of the five islands in the national park — Santa cruz, Santa rosa and San miguel, often referred to as the outer islands, and anacapa, closest to the mainland. The fifth, tiny Santa Barbara Island is isolated many ocean miles to the south, off the coast of chucK Graham is a freelance writer and photographer based in Carpinteria, and leads kayak tours at the Channel Islands National Park. His stories and photos have appeared in Canoe & Kayak, Sea Kayaker, Trail Runner, Backpacker, Men’s Journal, Outdoor Photographer and The Surfer’s Journal.

Normally you don’t see too many big sea lion bulls at anacapa. You’ll find them brawling over females and territory on remote sections of Santa Barbara and San miguel Islands.

But on this occasion, near the end of my 10day solo circumnavigation of the islands, there was one big brute sharing a crag with some western gulls and cormorants in cathedral cove.

Territorial bulls will challenge intruders if their space has been breached. most charges are of the bluff variety, but this was no bluff.

I envisioned it breaching and landing on the bow of my kayak catapulting me and my gear into the water, leaving me exposed to gnashing teeth and its thumping girth, my precious gear sinking to the bottom. I quickly stashed the camera away in my dry bag.

Gratefully, the hotheaded bull was defused when a pair of female sea lions entered the fray, quickly diverting his attention away from me. a deep sigh of relief, several quick strokes, one look over my shoulder, and I could’ve sworn one of those females winked at me.

chAnnel iSlAndS nATiOnAl PARk

Getting There: Island Packers is the boat concessionaire to all five islands in the national park. Call (805) 642-1393, or go to www. islandpackers.com camping: a campsite on any of the five islands goes for $15 per night. Go to www.recreation.gov for reservations. kayaking: for kayak tours, contact Channel Islands outfitters, www.channelislandso.com or call (805) 899-4925, ext. 1.