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Adventures on Anacapa Island
Rate it! Votes (1) | Comments (0) By Mitch Mandell Photos: Mitch Mandell Posted August 6th, 2007

Do you live in So. Cal? If so, you probably have passed Oxnard but never stopped. Plan on visiting So. Cal? Then you should stop in Oxnard.

A beautiful little agricultural town on the coast of Southern California between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, Oxnard's small town feel and friendly inhabitants make this seaside village a perfect central base for going on inland hikes and seaward adventures. Before traveling outside of Oxnard be sure to explore Heritage Square where the history of Oxnard can be experienced through tours of Victorian mansions and farmhouses. The area in and around Heritage Square hosts seasonal celebrations and musical performances. This is a West Coast version of America's heartland. Why do I keep rambling on about Oxnard? Because it's quickest way to get to Anacapa Island.

Venturing outside the city, I visited one of our nation's great treasures - The Channel Islands National Park. Not as easy to get to as Yosemite or the Grand Canyon, this National Park can only be accessed by a short one hour boat ride across the Santa Barbara Channel which takes hikers, campers, kayakers, SCUBA divers, snorklers, and adventure seekers to the tiny islet of Anacapa.

Twelve miles off the coast from Oxnard, Anacapa is the closest of the five islands that make up the National Park. While I prefer to take a sailboat, my motorboat trip across the channel was not without some excitement. About two thirds of the way across, Amy - The Naturalist aboard the boat, came over the PA system to announce "Dolphins spotted of the starboard bow." Those of us who knew our port from starboard quickly rushed to the right side of the boat and the rest quickly followed. About 200 yards out we spotted the playful mammals as they turned and headed our way. Apparently dolphins love to surf the wake generated by boats as well as dive under the boats where the churning water scratches their backs.

Everyone on the boat was looking and pointing as we circled the dolphins and they in turn followed us. Amy continued to give us details about these common dolphins as we observed them in their natural habitat. Our boat captain kept us with the dolphins for about twenty minutes -- plenty of time for us to take pictures and get all of our questions answered. We then said good-bye and headed off to our destination.

We toured east Anacapa Island from the boat while the captain pointed out various coves, inlets, rock formations and prime, world class SCUBA diving spots. We pulled into Landing Cove, the only place on the island boats can dock to unload and pickup passengers. Landing Cove is poised in a spectacular turquoise pool of kelp forest and wild life. A perfect place for a cool dip or a little underwater wild life viewing.

The waters around Anacapa are bit chilly. In the summer it's about 62° - 68° and in the winter as cool as 56° or so. It's advised to wear lightweight wet suits for summer snorkeling and heavy suits for diving are a must, but well worth the effort. I've dived all over the world and Anacapa still rates as one of my favorite dive spots.

After walking up the 156 stairs to the relatively flat top of Eastern Anacapa Island, all of the 40 or so passengers split up and went their separate ways. One guy, a real adventurer, filled his kayak to overflowing with camping and diving gear and headed off to points unknown for solitude and fishing. One college girl brought her tent and hiked 1/4 of a mile back to use one of the 6 primitive campsites. As the island gets very little rainfall the vegetation there is mostly scrub, Coreopsis and ice plants. The camping is exposed to the sun and other elements, but if you're looking for solitude and a fantastic ocean view, it can't be beat.

I decided to join about 10 others and go on the nature walk with Ranger Tom. Anacapa is part of the US National Park System and thus has a Ranger that lives on the island. Ranger Tom took us on the not too strenuous hike to Inspiration Point where we looked to the north to get a nice view of the other parts of the island, parts not open for public use. This restriction helps keep the island in its natural state so the birds, fish, mammals and vegetation that live on and around it can be undisturbed.

Along the hike we learned about the Chumash Indians that used the island as a stopping point on their journeys to fish for abalone and rest before crossing the channel back to the mainland Anancpa has a rich history as among the Chumash and is the only Channel Island with a Chumash name.

We walked the entire loop of the hike in less then two hours, including numerous stops along the way to take in the 360-degree ocean view and the sight of Santa Cruz Island to the north. Once back at our starting point a few people walked over to the ever-present lighthouse that helps keep the passing ships off the rocks. Numerous ships have crashed into this tiny island over the years, and while it makes for great SCUBA diving spots now, boaters and ship captains are grateful today for the bright beacon.

After a glorious day of hiking, sightseeing and picnicking we boarded the boat and headed back to Oxnard but not before taking a quick look at one of Anacapa's most distinguishing sight: The Arch. The Arch at Anacapa is one of those natural formations that are cool to look at. Don't ask me why, it just is. And the large groups of Sealions basking in the sun on the rocks around The Arch couldn't agree more.

I arrived back at the harbor in Oxnard before dark feeling much better then when I left. The ocean is a perfect place to leave stress behind -- it's vast enough to absorb more then I can dish out. The events of the past few weeks have left me more stress then I care to think about. My day trip to Anacapa is just what the doctor, uh politicians ordered.

Getting There
By Car or RV
Oxnard is located on the coast of Southern California right off the Hwy. 101, south of Ventura and north of Port Hueneme.

Places to stay
There are lots of great hotels and motels in and around Oxnard. Two places of note are:

Residence Inn by Marriott at River Ridge
2101 West Vineyard Avenue
Oxnard, CA 93030
(805) 278-2200 or 1-800-331-3131

This motor lodge located right on a golf course boasts in room kitchens and a complementary continental breakfasts.

For those who seeking a more resort style vacation check out:

Embassy Suites Hotel - Mandalay Beach Resort
2101 Mandalay Beach Road
Oxnard, CA 93035
805-984-2500
www.embassysuites.com

The beach side resort offers all the amenities you expect a resort to have.

Getting to the Channel Islands
Island Packers is the park's concessionaire for boat travel departing from Ventura and Channel Islands Harbors to all of the islands. They offer a brand new, high speed, catamaran style boat that can whisk more then 100 passengers over to the islands in about half an hour. To reach them for more info or to book your reservation at:

Island Packers
1867 Spinnaker Drive
Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 642-1393
www.islandpackers.com

Camping on Anacapa
Camping reservations for National Park Service campgrounds on The Channel Islands are available through Biospherics Inc. at (800) 365-CAMP (2267). Camping reservations are required for all of the island campgrounds. There are no entrance fees to visit the park, however there is a $10.00 fee for camping in National Park Service-operated campgrounds which includes a reservation fee of $2.65 per campsite per night. Reservations can be made no more than three months in advance. Information required to make your reservations includes; camping dates, transportation information and number of campers.

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