Santa Cruz Backpack - Day 2 - Prisoner's Harbor

Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands NP – 3/18/13 – 3.5 Miles

David was up and moving around early this morning when the curious fox visited again.  The campers next to us had accidentally left a packet of something yummy out and Mr. Fox enjoyed it very much.  David had lots to do, what with cooking his breakfast and enjoying hot chocolate – Jeff and I, not so much.

To protect against windy conditions, a clever setup for cooking with back- packing stoves.

Our tents were covered with dew (the down side of no wind) and we thought we’d wait around for the sun to dry them before packing up, since our hike to our pickup point was very short.  After about 30 minutes of that sitting-around stuff we were crazy bored, so we packed up wet and moved out. 

The walk down to Prisoner’s Harbor included some short but significant ups and downs.

Yesterday’s intense blue sky was replaced by a light gray but rain did not seem imminent.  At our one quick stop for a break (not because we were tired but because a picnic table had been placed at a scenic spot) we caught another fox napping.  He eventually moved along.

First look at our destina- tion, Prisoner’s Harbor.

We had a long wait for our ferry to arrive at 3:00 p.m. and plenty of time for exploring.   After spreading out our tents to dry, Jeff and David wandered off to parts unknown (I didn’t want to follow because I guessed that miles would be logged).  I chose to enjoy the solitude of the cove. 

The prevailing story of Prisoner’s Harbor is here.  In summary, a group of Mexican convicts were delivered here from Santa Barbara in 1830 with the promise of work developing a cattle ranch and living the good life.  Didn’t work out that way.

The beach is all rocks, hard to walk on even in hiking boots, but mesmer- izing to sit and watch the small waves wash up and back.  The rush of water back into the ocean sounded like a busy creek flowing by.  Barely visible to my aging eyes, a group of sea lions barked and cavorted out in the water beyond the dock. 

Resident seagulls hangin’ out

I wandered back to my now-dry tent, packed it up and emptied out my extra water (hey, I didn’t run out!) and sat at a picnic table to jot down some notes about our overnight experience.  Another fearless fox strolled by as I captured my thoughts. 

Jeff and David returned from their wanderings and we boarded our near-empty ferry – not empty for long, as the next stop was back at Scorpion Anchorage to retrieve the daytrippers.  Riding along the coastline, gazing up at the huge cliffs of volcanic rock, watching cormorants and seagulls floating on the water amidst long strands of kelp, and marveling at teasing glimpses of two humpback whales, I was overcome with the awesome power and presence of nature.  Imagine what it is like without us humans making an imprint!

At Scorpion we endured a long wait for 60+ people to board and stow their gear, camping equipment and kayaks.  Finally we headed back to the mainland.  Anacapa Island looked small as we passed by.  I was glad we had visited it first. 

NEXT STOP:  JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

Gilligan:  Hiya, Professor.  What are you doing?
The Professor:  I'm making notes for a book. It's to be a chronicle of our adventures on the island... I think it's a book people will want to buy, don't you?
Gilligan:  Sure, I'll buy one. I'm dying to find out what happens to us.

Santa Cruz Backpack - Day 1

Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands NP – 3/17/13 – 12.5 Miles

St. Patrick’s Day – no green beer, but a very green island in the Pacific Ocean!

Another ferry ride, this time our destination being Santa Cruz Island, the largest of the Channel Islands.  Our plan was an overnight backpacking trip from Scorpion Anchorage to Prisoners Harbor.  Sounds like a very inviting place, doesn’t it?  Lots of history goin’ on at Santa Cruz.  For starters, the website tells us:  “According to legend, Santa Cruz Island was named for a priest's staff accidentally left on the island during the Portola expedition of 1769. A Chumash Indian found the cross-tipped stave and returned it to the priest. The Spaniards were so impressed that they called this island of friendly people "La Isla de Santa Cruz," the Island of the Sacred Cross. Today the protection and preservation of Santa Cruz Island is divided between The Nature Conservancy and the National Park Service. The Nature Conservancy owns and manages the western 76 percent of the island, while the eastern 24 percent is owned and managed by the National Park Service.”  Access to the Nature Conservancy is restricted (unless they catch you) so our backpack plan was legit on the NPS portion. 

This ferry was based at a different harbor than yesterday’s Anacapa Island ferry and we had to be at the dock at 8:00 a.m. to load up backpacks and then wait an hour for departure.  The place was buzzing with day trippers and front country campers.  (Scorpion Ranch Campground is a flat half-mile walk from Scorpion Anchorage, has 31 sites,  reservations only, and campers must haul all their stuff.)  All backpacks and heavy gear gets stowed below deck to make room for all the people above.  This boat was faster and we were dressed more appropriately for the chill.  When the crew slowed down to look for whales, I’ll admit feeling impatient to get on to the island.  Fortunately (?) no whales today.

It’s a habit of mine to keep one eye on a cloudy sky, looking for that sliver of blue, and…look, there it is!  As we crossed the Channel, we left the fog behind and saw that today was indeed going to be a spectacular day.

Scorpion Anchorage – it’s a little hard to see the dock on the right

Three fearless back- packers ready for an adventure

Scorpion Ranch was established in the 1850’s as a sheep ranching operation as the island passed from the Mexican government into private hands.  Ranching prospered at several ranches around the island until 1984. Some buildings perished to fire, some survived, and in 2009 the ranch house was rebuilt as the Visitor Center to serve as an interpretive center.  I am sorry to say that we walked past it all without stopping because it was after 11:00 a.m. and we figured we had 15 miles to go to our campsite.

At the Scorpion Ranch frontcountry camp we filled all our available containers with water.  This is the only place to get potable water on Santa Cruz Island, meaning we had to carry water for two days of hiking, plus cooking, plus some extra in case the ferry was delayed due to weather.  There is no water available at our pick-up point at Prisoners Harbor some 18 miles away.  Of course, we knew all this ahead of time and had planned accordingly.  I was still not happy about carrying the weight of six liters of water when I normally carry a maximum of two, but it was what it was.

If I have the opportunity to go to Santa Cruz again (I can easily be talked into this) I would base camp at Scorpion and dayhike all over the place, plus try out a kayak in the harbor.  Plenty to do there for a few days.

And away we go up Scorpion Canyon Loop Trail, and I do mean UP.  After a brief honeymoon strolling in the valley, the trail turned left and began a serious climb.  Soon we were looking down at all the greenness we had been looking up at.  We went from gentle Irish countryside to Switzerland steepness quickly (minus the Alps).  No laid back island ease here, the mountains are like all others with the exception of no tall trees and 100% long distance views.  After the chilly boat ride it felt great to be in shorts and short sleeves.  Wish I had remembered the sunscreen, though. 

Looking east out across the Santa Barbara Channel to the mountains on the mainland

Jeff steered us to the high point of the NPS section of the island, El Montanon, a 1.5-mile roundtrip off our main trail. 

View south from the summit – now the clouds are low over the Santa Barbara Channel

A different view

Jeff found the “register” to sign, a scrap of paper.  The communi- cation towers at the summit are ugly but great for pinpointing from far away.

David was ready to move on.  He led the way most of the time, with me in the middle and Jeff in the back, frequently disappear- ing to take pictures.  You always need to watch what you’re doing with Jeff behind you…you may turn up in pictures on Facebook.  

After our side trip, the main trail took a steep dive and I slipped twice, landing on my rear end.  Loose scree and me do not agree.

Soft, fuzzy plant

Nonstop views

The terrain alternated between lush green and arid desert, all of it beautiful

Soon after the trail switched to old roads, still climbing a lot but with soft grass to walk on.  Mileage was a bit fuzzy.  According to Jeff’s research, we would have to take a roundabout way to our campsite because the trail on our map was unmaintained and a challenge to navigated.  But…when we found the sign, we took a chance and it was just the opposite, a very good trail. 

So we were cutting off a few miles and my body was grateful.  My feet were hurting and my knees and thighs were tired of the downhills.  Why was this hard at only 12 or so miles?  All that extra water added up to about 8 extra pounds and mentally I wasn’t accepting it.  But with one foot in front of the other and a little self-talk that a physical challenge is good for me and I was in a place that no one else I know has ever been, I got myself to Del Norte Campground. 

Del Norte is the only backcountry campsite on Santa Cruz, just four small sites under a couple of ancient oak trees with a view of the coastline.  Two of the sites were already occupied and no one showed up after us.  Windy conditions are very common and we were prepared with extra guy lines for our tents, but the wind was minimal, not a factor at all, really, and we had a very peaceful night.

But before bedtime was settling-in time and suppertime.  Jeff and I opted to leave stoves and fuel and dehydrated meals at home to avoid carrying even more water.  I didn’t even carry a cup or a spoon.  I think I had a peanut butter sandwich to eat and Jeff maybe had a sausage and cheese sandwich.  David, made of tougher stuff, carried cooking equipment which he fired up for hot tea and a gourmet dinner.  I was okay with my food but felt a glimmer of regret for that cup of tea…

The critter to hide food from on Channel Islands is foxes.  Sure enough, one fellow visited soon after we arrived.  

As the sun went down, so did the temperature, and I added layers of clothing as we sat around the picnic table.  Before it was fully dark I was stretched out in my tent, thinking I would write some notes and read a little, but that definitely did not happen. 

Sunset on Santa Cruz – taken from the privy, best seat available.

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”   ~Epicurus

East Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, Ventura, CA

East Anacapa Island, Channel Islands NP – 3/16/13 – 3 Miles

As I have mentioned in these pages before, my hiking buddy Jeff plans epic extended hiking trips and I sometimes am invited along for the fun.  When possible he combines several destinations to get the most out of travel time and expense.  California is rich with national parks, preserves and wilderness areas and the hardest part is deciding what to see and what to save for another time.  Thus I found myself on an ocean/desert expedition with Jeff and our friend David.

Channel Islands National Park consists of a group of five islands about 15 miles off the coast of Ventura, California.  Occupied by native Chumash for thousands of years and subsequently by sheep and cattle ranchers, the islands are now protected.  They have been called the “North American Galapagos” because they are home to more than 150 endemic or unique species.  To whet our appetites for “it ain’t like this back home” hiking, we spent our first day exploring East Anacapa Island.

Anacapa Island is really three islets, East, Middle and West (clever), each accessible from the others only by boat.  Eroded by waves, the volcanic island has no gentle beaches but towering sea cliffs and sea caves.  We took an hour-long ferry ride to East Anacapa.  Our visit was optimally timed for the wildflowers and prior to nesting activity for sea birds (who aren’t very tolerant of humans when they are protecting nests).  The NPS website says: “Thousands of birds use Anacapa as a nesting area because of the relative lack of predators on the island. While the steep cliffs of West Anacapa are home to the largest breeding colony of endangered California brown pelicans, all the islets of Anacapa host the largest breeding colony of western gulls in the world. Western gulls begin their nesting efforts at the end of April, sometimes making their shallow nests just inches from island trails. Fluffy chicks hatch in May and June and fly away from the nest in July.”

The Anacapa Island web pages tell you everything you want to know about this fascinating place that not many people visit.  We explored the two-mile trail that meanders in a figure-eight pattern towards the western end, then walked over to the eastern edge near the lighthouse that was established in 1932.  Our day was foggy and overcast and the lighthouse foghorn sounded every couple of minutes…pretty darn loud.

Pictures?  Why, yes, I have some pictures.

Ready to board our ferry.  We were a little surprised by the foggy, chilly morning.  I guess we were expecting sunny California?

Sea lions are protected and can hang out anywhere they want.  While they are fun for us tourists, they are noisy and heavy, sometimes too heavy for the docks they like to plop onto, and they can be a nuisance to the boat owners.

But they are cute, huh?

The ferry ride across the Santa Barbara Channel was downright cold as we tried to hang out at the front of the boat.  Something I had not thought about at all was the probability of seeing dolphins and whales in the Channel.  Imagine our delight when we encountered a pod of dolphins, around 200 of them.  They were everywhere around the boat and a dozen or more swam at the bow, seeming to pull the boat along.  Their movements appeared effortless as they escorted us to East Anacapa Island. 

Our first glimpse of East Anacapa’s iconic arch and the lighthouse

The landing cove where we disembarked and the stairway to topside

A park ranger rode the ferry crossing with us to conduct a guided tour.  He was very knowledgeable and everybody wanted his ear to ask questions.  Later in the day while we were waiting to board the ferry for the return trip, I asked him about any effects of the current sequestration on the Channel Islands.  He shared that while the casual visitor will see little effect on this small park unit (unlike the Great Smoky Mountains NP where visitor services have been greatly impacted), their maintenance and improvements list is greatly delayed.  His biggest concern overall was how the hiring freeze already in effect will be extended and its impact on college students graduating with degrees in park service management and recreation.  Those who have worked unpaid internships with NPS have a short window of time to use priority status to take a job with NPS.  But…NPS has a hiring freeze…

Okay, enough politics, let’s see some more photos.

Buildings originally put in place to serve the Coast Guard are now operated by the NPS.  (The Coast Guard continues to operate the lighthouse from the mainland.)  There is a tiny museum (unstaffed) and some brochures about the island and the walking trails, lots of cautions about cliffs and birds and fragile plant life.  Stay on the path, people.

A lovely spot for an outhouse

During my obligatory stop at the outhouse I had a major wardrobe malfunction:  my pants zipper broke off.  No way to fix it.  I only had two pairs of pants for the entire 10-day trip.  BUT…I did have safety pins.  A less than ideal fix (they popped open every time I sat down) but it got me through the day. 

The yellow flowers are called tree sunflower or coreopsis.  I’ve planted them in my yard as annuals, but they didn’t have trunks like these.  We were so fortunate to visit during the prime bloom time.  Sometimes on very clear days (not many of those) the brilliant yellow can be seen from the mainland.

Seagulls are the main residents on Anacapa and somehow they seemed much cuter than the ones at Myrtle Beach or in the Wal-Mart parking lots all across North Carolina.   Most of the time they were on the ground, but several times on some signal they all took to the air.  If you are creeped out by Alfred Hitchcock’s movie, do not go to Anacapa Island.

Seagulls and the Anacapa Lighthouse

The mist hung on all day

Here she comes

And there she goes

At the western- most edge of East Anacapa, looking at Middle and West Anacapa

Steep cliffs on all sides of the island reminded me of the Cliffs of Moher in western Ireland

David waiting his turn at a seagull crossing

I spy seagulls hiding under the flowers

Iceplant, an invasive flower that the NPS is trying hard to eradicate

A boat carrying scuba divers, a very popular excursion from the mainland.  Diving, snorkeling and kayaking are all allowed at Anacapa Island, but the only access to the water is at the landing cove via the dock.  You can put in a kayak there and paddle to access some (small) beaches.

Protecting plants?  Not sure what’s up with these

The lighthouse sits on the high point of the island and we walked as close as we could.  The foghorn was pretty unbearable.  We didn’t hang around.

Because we walk pretty fast, we had plenty of spare time after our exploring, almost too much time.  We may or may not have taken a little siesta at a picnic table near the dock.  Eventually we boarded our ferry which took us for a sneak peak at the back side of East Anacapa.

The arch

The eastern- most end as seen from the ferry

Blow up this photo as much as you can to find the sea lions lounging on the rocks on the back side of the island

On the ride back our trusty boat crew spotted a gray whale that sounded several times as we floated nearby, trying to guess where it would resurface.  No photos, just a great memory. 

Our California adventure is off to a rousing start.  Tomorrow:  Santa Cruz Island and the start of our overnight backpack trip!

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous."  ~Aristotle