A slow cruise along the front (north) side of Santa Cruise and Santa Rosa Islands is a visual wonderland. People tend to grow silent while taking in the breathtaking beauty of sheer rugged cliffs, picturesque little coves and fascinating birds.
Sea caves abound, and they look so inviting, until you consider what happens inside that cave when powerful oceanic swells sweep along the island.
One special cave – Painted Cave – is big enough to take a boat inside of when the swells aren’t too big.
Most of our party boat and private charter operators take passengers into the cave. It can be spooky, and for some, like me, it becomes a spiritual event. Painted Cave is my absolute favorite place in the world.
Smaller caves can be found all along the north side of the island, and many look just right for exploration by kayak (check out Santa Barbara Adventure Company. It can also be great fun to stack some yaks on a private boat and head across for a day of paddling and exploration.
One amusing moment comes when the calm and serene mood is pierced by the shrill sound of bird calls. We know the gull’s cry only too well. Our pelicans are mostly quiet, thankfully, and I love them for that.
Other birds make some eerie sounds. The rocky rugged waterline of Santa Cruz Island is perfect for the funny looking and wild sounding birds that inhabit the rugged rocky terrain.
We often watch oyster catchers and boobies launch themselves off the rocks at water’s edge and fly in their typical semicircular pattern to another equally precarious perch. These birds are special because of their shape and colorful appendages.
There is another rewarding birdwatching opportunity at this island. This is the home of the Island Scrub Jay, which only lives on our Channel Islands. These grow to about 25% larger than mainland scrub jays.
All of this makes it a very special bird to log into a bird watcher’s book. Another one is the majestic bald eagle. They are thriving on fish around the Channel Islands.
It is so relaxing and rewarding to spend a day crossing the Santa Barbara Channel and watching for pelagic seabirds, then drifting along a wide canyon looking for Island Scrub Jays, then noticing raptors flying high above the island or sitting in lone trees.
Next comes enjoying the scenery of the quiet little coves, and feeling special about spotting the cute shorebirds of the rocky coastline.
The trip back across the channel offers more pelagic seabirds and at this time of year, Santa Barbara Harbor’s entrance is home to thousands of pretty terns.
We have some precious resources around us. Let’s enjoy it all!