Channel Islands

The rocking of the waves and steady drone of the motor are enough to lull you to sleep gazing out on the steely waves. Occasionally a seal's head appears, pelicans cruise by in long columns, or dolphins investigate the boat. I'm here with Jenn chugging through the cold waters off the Pacific coast. We're heading to the Channel Islands National Marine Park, an archipelago of isolated, rocky isles that jut out from the southern California coast. These islands are a hotspot for marine wildlife and unusual species found nowhere on the mainland.

Our destination is the small island of Anacapa. Approaching the island sheer cliffs encrusted in bird guano rise frame a small lighthouse at the top. In a rocky cove the boat struggles to make purchase to a small landing amongst churning waves. At the top of the stairs the island comes into view. Scrub cactus and huge clumps of asters dot the dry landscape. About every few yards western gulls congregate and shriek - this being a major breeding area. There must be thousands of adults and chicks in downy plumage and the racket they make is deafening.

Dusty trails snake over the island where unusual succulent plants blanket the ground. Mummified remains of dead chicks lie frozen in time here and there and the blue expanse of the Pacific glints in the sun on both sides of us. As the mist of morning slowly burns off Jenn and I feel the warm kiss of the sun on our arms and neck. It feels good and we can't help grinning at each other at how cool it is to be here!

Here where I snapped this photo we took a break for lunch. We couldn't have asked for a better meal - baguettes stuffed with ham, swiss, goat cheese, tomato, roasted red peppers, basil, dijon mustard, and drizzled with olive oil. Grapes and brie cheese as a side. YUM! From the bluff we can hear the barking of sea lions far below and the breaking of wave. Off a small beach in the islands beyond we make out a sailboat and can't help but daydream and imagine how lovely it would be to sail there ourselves camping out on a deserted island. One day....

The bright sun snaps us back to reality. We are burning up and forgot to bring sunscreen! We were too focused on making sandwiches I think...But oh well, we made the most of the afternoon resigned to sunburn. There we sea cliffs to explore, seals playing in the kelp fronds, and many moments for relaxing in the breezes and good conversations.

Later, on the boat to shore we cracked beers and toasted to a fine day together on the roof deck. The salty smell of the sea filled up our noses and a pod of dolphins even accompanied us home. They jumped, dove, and twirled in the waves beside us grinning up conspiratorially. Like them, we now know the Channel Islands are a well kept secret :)