Suzanne's Travel Adventures: Channel Islands National Park

When I start planning a trip there is usually one thing I have in mind that I really want to do and is a basis for what the trip is built around. Coming out to California, visiting the Channel Islands was at the top of my list. The islands that are a part of the National Park are made up of 5 uninhabited islands that are only accessible by boat or air with the one that is closest to the mainland being Anacapa Island, which was my ultimate destination. The Channel Islands are known as the "Galapagos of North America" due to the multitude of flora and fauna that are only found on these islands and no where else in the world. The islands are a relatively newer National Park as they did not become a park until 1980 but after becoming a protected area many of the living things on the island that were near extinction are once again doing well. Each island is a different experience with different animals and plants inhabiting the island.

My first day around the islands was spent on a boat looking for dolphins and whales. We were lucky and saw a few different species of dolphins including the common dolphin, offshore bottlenose dolphins, and another kind of bottlenose dolphin as well. The common dolphin were much smaller than the dolphins I am used to from the east coast but they jumped and played around the boat. The offshore bottlenose dolphins were more like the ones that I am use to seeing. They were much larger and were in a pod of 10-12 and it was magical just listening to them come up and breath and make their natural noises all around the boat seeming to check us out as much as we were checking them out.

Offshore bottlenose dolphin off of Anapaca Island

Offshore bottlenose dolphin

More offshore bottlenose dolphin

Common dolphin jumping next to the boat

Common dolphins

The real stars of the day were the gray whales. They travel through the Santa Barbara Channel and the near the islands every year while on their way to Mexico to either mate or give birth. At this point in time they are simply on a mission to get where they are going so there is not a lot of jumping or even feeding along the way but just a slow steady progress forward to their destination. We were lucky enough to see two sets of gray whales- both a mama and her baby. The first one the guide thought the baby was maybe a year old and the second one was very young and probably did not make it to Mexico before giving birth (much like a mama giving birth on the side of the road because she didn't make it to the hospital in time). The adult gray whales have a molten look to their skin from a build up of scar tissue where the babies have a much smoother appearance.

Mama and her baby taking a breath

Mama doing a little "spy hop" to check us out.

The back of the gray whale

It's a little hard to see but that is a whale tail in the middle

We also were able to see and hear some California sea lions that were hanging out along the rocks at the base of the island, basking in the warm sun.

California sea lions blend into the rocks they are lying on

My second day exploring I actually got to get off the boat and explore Anacapa Island. For all of the islands, you are required to take everything with you both on and off the island including your own food and water and removing all of your trash. There is camping available that is very primitive with no facilities or running water. A day trip worked quite nice for me. Anacapa Island is slightly larger than 1 square mile with a lighthouse that is still run by the Coast Guard at one end and an incredible view of Inspiration Point at the other end. It is a haven for seagulls and hundreds were resting and calling out to one another. The views all around the island were serene and peaceful and I was lucky to have a clear, sunshine filled day that helped to make it feel warmer than it really was. My only regret of the trip is that I did not plan one more day to see another island as well. I have said it before and I will say it again...there is so much beauty in this country that we are lucky to have the National Park system to protect and preserve it so it can be enjoyed by all who want to make the trip there.