Channel Islands National Park | Living at the End of the Continent

This is the Galapagos Islands in North America, but only an hour's flight from the busy California coast. The isolated years on the island have created magnificent coasts, vast waters, and a unique ecosystem. In the Channel Islands, one witnesses another possibility for life.

California is home to nine national parks, and Channel Islands NP is undoubtedly the most secluded of them all. Obviously it is only 1.5h drive + 1h ferry from LA, but no one in my circle of friends has heard of it; near the California coast where millions of people live, it will only receive 320,000 tourists in 2021, an average of 900 a day (this The retaliatory consumption of outdoor activities after the epidemic has been counted). And after I decided to land on the island alone in the face of the final season, I was even more convinced of its legacy-the Channel Islands are so fun!

Off the coast of Southern California, the Channel Islands are dotted, five of which are designated as national parks by the NPS. People typically visit Santa Cruz Island and Anacapa Island , which are an hour's flight away, although the latter is temporarily closed until July due to marina renovations. As for the other three islands , Santa Rosa Island, San Miguel Island and Santa Barbara Island, they are all isolated overseas and require at least three hours' flight. It is suitable for the gods who are used to going out to sea and camping in the wild.

As the park's introduction says: "Close to the California Mainland...Yet Worlds Apart", what this national park protects is the island ecosystem . Under the isolation of the strait, life has moved in a different evolutionary direction. On the island, it is like walking into Jurassic Park. In addition, the natural scenery of the island is definitely worth the return ticket.

Anacapa Island is small in size, and other more remote islands have to unlock the great operation of island camping, so Santa Cruz Island has naturally become the most popular destination in the Channel Islands, and it is also the island I visited this time.

Santa Cruz is the largest island in California . Most of the island is a protected area, and the remaining 25% of the eastern 25% of the island is free to explore. There are two piers on Santa Cruz Island, Scorpion Anchorage in the east and Prisoners Harbor in the middle (sounds not a good place...), most of the boats will stop at the former, and the latter has only one boat per day. The one-hour voyage is not long, but if you go to the island in a windy sky like me, you will be on a pirate ship... If you are worried about seasickness, you can prepare medicines in advance.

There are two classic hiking routes on the island. The most popular is the Potato Harbor Loop , which is 5mi round-trip. It starts from the pier, passes through the campsite where the little foxes are infested, and climbs continuously in the valley. In April and May, wildflowers bloom all over the mountains, and you can see many species unique to the island up close. At the end of the "Tudou Harbor", you can see the land in the distance, and a promontory shaped like a potato is also a good place for sea lions to bask in the sun. Their funny calls echoed around with the sound of the wind.

On the return trip, you can walk along the coastal ridges and enjoy the towering and magnificent coastline of the island along the way. The wind is strong along the coast, and the plants here are all sticking to the ground. During the flowering period, the ground becomes colorful and gorgeous, which is very photogenic.

If you want to be more relaxed, you can also choose the 2mi Cavern Point Loop . The road spirals up the hill along the coastal cliffs, with stunning ocean views on one side and island views on the other. At the end, the view is wide and you can overlook the island of Anacapa not far away.

The archipelago is isolated from the mainland, creating unique evolutionary trajectories for organisms, and writing excellent footnotes for the theory of evolution. When hiking on the island, you must not miss these unique life. The cutest is the island fox with big blinking eyes. They are only the size of a kitten. They are a species that evolved independently in an island environment that lacks food. As the king of the island's food chain, they are not afraid of people, and they swarm around in the valley. There will also be some daring ones who run to the vicinity of the campsite to scavenge for food left by humans.

In addition to the little foxes, there are more than 200 species on the island that live only in the archipelago, even in Santa Cruz Island. From the blue Island scrub jay , to the wild flowers and succulents that you can't name, there's a good chance that every creature you see (except people) is an island-specific version.

Since it is an island, in addition to the wonderful on land, the surrounding vast waters can not be missed. However, the coast of Santa Cruz Island is mostly cliffs, which are not suitable for lying flat on the beach. Visitors to the island prefer more hard-core activities such as kayaking and snorkeling.

To paddle on the island, either bring your own gear or join a guided tour of the island. The guide will provide a complete set of required equipment (even help me tie my sunglasses with shoelaces...), and then we set off together to explore the Sea Cave on the coast. The rock of the archipelago is soft, and the sea erodes into a series of caves of various sizes. In the dark cave, only the sound of the waves crashing on the shore can be heard, put down the paddle, feel the rock wall, and disturb the sleeping sea lions from time to time.

Sea kayaking is not easy, especially single-person kayaking. The waves are high and the wind resistance is large, so you can't move it no matter how you pull it; there are many rapids and reefs in the cave, and the boat capsizes if you are not careful, and the health kayak on the calm water is completely two kinds of sports. Do your best before signing up.

The coast of the island is covered with dense kelp, forming a unique ecosystem called Kelp Forest . You can pick some leaves to eat when you are resting in the rowing boat, the taste is actually not bad. In the gaps of the seagrass, all kinds of marine creatures are shuttled, and if you look carefully, small orange fish will suddenly swim by. The best way to experience marine ecology is of course snorkeling, but the weather is still cold in early May, and it is more suitable to wait until summer.

The archipelago itself is very fun, and the ferry from the mainland is full of surprises. Offshore California is rich in species and there is a good chance of seeing animals on the ferry. Dolphins are the most common visitors, and they will gather near the boat and use their strength to move forward, jumping out of the water from time to time, causing the group of humans to cheer. If you're lucky, you might even see whales swinging their huge tail fins on the surface.

(But at this time, I was so dizzy that I couldn't go out and take pictures...)

Finally, some tips and tricks:

[Transportation] The ferry from the mainland to the islands is monopolized by the company Island Packers ( https://islandpackers.com/home/ ). Boat tickets to and from Santa Cruz and Anacapa Island are $62, with more for the remote islands. They also offer special tours such as whale watching/sea cave watching. Due to the complicated schedule arrangement and the two departure points of Ventura and Oxnard, be sure to confirm on the official website before booking. Local tyrants who drive their own boat/helicopter please ignore this paragraph.

[Itinerary] According to the sailing schedule, Santa Cruz Island needs to depart at 8-9 in the morning and return at 3-4 in the afternoon. There are no commercial facilities on the island, and lunch must be brought in advance; Anacapa Island is small in size, tourists arrive on the island in the morning and return at noon Then return. If you don't want to go back and forth between the two islands on the same day, you can also choose to camp. Other islands have only one boat a day, and all people can only camp. All camps must be booked in advance.

[Seasons] The archipelago is strong in the ocean, warm in winter and cool in summer, suitable for all seasons. Wildflowers bloom in spring and summer cools off with more tourists and ferry trips.

[Trekking] The ecological environment of the island is fragile, and most of the animals are not immune to viruses on the mainland. Therefore, tourists should not get too close. If you have pets at home, you must take good care of your belongings that have been touched by pets. There are also many endangered plants on the island, and it is not advisable to leave the trail when hiking.

【Water Activities】 Guided kayaking trips are monopolized by Channel Island Adventure ( https://www.islandkayaking.com/ ). The itinerary does not require kayaking experience, and the guide will conduct some basic teaching after going to the island. The sea temperature in the Channel Islands is not high, so it is best to wear the one-piece wet suit provided by the guide. There is no guide for snorkeling and you need to bring your own equipment from the mainland.

If your impression of the island is still Coconut Grove Resort, then the Channel Islands will completely reveal another possibility for the island, just as the island species shows another possibility for evolution. Summer is approaching, escape the heat in the wild Channel Islands!