Channel Islands National Park Info. needed.
J. Prakash
I have done the web search. There is a ton of information about
visiting the Channel Islands national park. I think I have read
all the web documents completely. Now I have some trouble in
deciding where to go! I just thought I would pass on some info.
to people and ask for some more info. and some suggestions.
There are five islands in total.
* Santa Barbara (too far east and far away from the rest.)
* Anacapa (good snorkeling, diving, kayaking just 2 miles
of hiking)
* Santa Cruz (biggest island in CA, a lot of hiking,
snorkeling, diving, kayaking)
* Santa Rosa - Both are not accessible through
* San Miguel Island Packers ferries until April.
Since this is winter, the Island Packers people don't make any
ferry trips to Santa Rosa Island and San Miguel Island. They
make trips to Santa Cruz island (east end) and East Anacapa.
I chose Santa Cruz. I was late in coming up with any plan,
and there is no place left on the return trip. I would like
to hear about some trip reports.
I suppose one could rent boats at the mainland harbor and go to
the islands all by yourself. One might also be able to rent kayaks
and take them on the rental boats. Is that true? Has anyone
rented boats there? Island Packers said they wouldn't know anyone
who would rent boats and kayaks.
(It is a pain to go from the bay area to these Islands.
You have to be at the harbor at about 7.30 in the morning.
That means you have to stay somewhere near the harbor
the previous night. If you are renting the kayaks at the harbor,
you have to spend the previous afternoon/evening at the harbor!
So, even if you get a 3-day weekend like the President's day weekend,
you will get to waste about 24-hours on the road to the Ventura
county harbor and around that place.)
I would like to hear some people who have planned better. Have
you rented boats to go to these islands? Have you rented kayaks
to kayak around these islands? Which place rents these boats
and kayaks? What are the going rates?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Prakash
--
Prakash (pra...@net.com)
Dchang56
I live in Santa Barbara and have camped and kayaked on Anacapa twice.
Great adventure, very peaceful. Try to time your trip for the
wildflowers. There is lots of coreopsis, iceplant, paintbrush, etc. Also
this would be the time that the gulls are nesting.
Circumnavigating Anacapa is around 11 miles. In good weather, it makes an
excellent tour. Stop at Frenchy's Cove to snorkel and lunch
Island Packers allows you to take kayaks on their boats with a surcharge.
I think it was around 5-10 bucks.
In Santa Barbara, Paddle Sports, (805)899-4925, is a full service kayak
store. I believe you can rent boats there. Unless you're coming down
from the north, ya probably wouldn't rent here though.