2009 Three-Day Kayak and Hiking Tour
of the Channel Islands
(Continued)
Day 2-July 3, Santa Rosa Island to Santa Cruz Island, unplanned trip back to Santa Barbara Harbor
The captain announced that the plan was to put hikers ashore on Santa Rosa Island for a hike up Lobo Canyon with the naturalist. The boat would head around Carrington Point to Bechers Bay, where the hikers would be picked up. The 5 of us from San Luis Obispo County decided that we preferred to spend the day kayaking. I consulted with the captain to assure him that all paddlers in our group had the skills, equipment, and experience to accomplish what would basically be an unescorted coastal paddle of over 6 miles. He agreed to set us down before landing the hikers, which would give us a nice head start before the boat passed us on its way to the bay. The wind would be mostly at our backs as we headed to Carrington Point, then would be offshore once we passed it.
The magnificent rocky cliffs and small caves beckoned to us, and off we went. Part of our group explored almost every nook and crevice, while the others maintained a course just offshore. We saw many California sea lions, eventually seeing perhaps 10-20,000 of these animals on and around Santa Rosa Island. While exploring a narrow crevice below the great rocky cliffs of the Point, we saw a Bald Eagle fly westward. Among the rocks were numerous small but beautifully sculptured caves, and many places where sea lions leaped from the waters surrounding our kayaks.
As we headed to the great bulk of Carrington Point, we sought a beach where we could take a break. We saw a broad beach, but only one of us landed since there was visible surf. Soon after this, we noticed a wide rocky arch with a much calmer beach beyond, so we all pulled in for a snack. Some decided to eat lunch even though it was only mid-morning because we didn't know how soon we would reach another beach.
Just before rounding the Point, we found a gorgeous crescent beach with light sand, deep turquoise water, and no surf. We all landed, and agreed that no lovelier beach could be found even in Mexico or other tropical countries. We lingered here, ate a little more, drank some water, and prepared to paddle around the Point. It was at the Point that we saw the greatest concentrations of sea lions.
Around the Point, the wind didn't seem too strong at first, but soon the breeze had picked up and was pushing us toward the boat which we could now see in the distance in Bechers Bay. However, the wind also was pushing us toward the open ocean, so we needed to constantly correct our course. There was enough wind that I could make good headway by using one end of my paddle as a sail, while using the other end as a rudder. Every so often, I would stroke to stay with the group, but sailing seemed like the best way to go. (The boat crew later told us that they could see the wind pushing us steadily both toward them and toward the open water of the Santa Barbara Channel.)
Back at the boat, we learned that the hikers were not yet aboard. Three of the paddlers were ready to go aboard, but two of us decided to paddle to the beach. The wind was still coming from the same direction, but at this angle it pushed me eastward down the beach. When we landed, we saw people waving at us, and went to them figuring it must be the hikers. Indeed they were, and they told us that several hikers were still coming down the trail. We knew that the skiff would come for them soon, so we paddled back to the boat. This wasn't too difficult, but it was a bit of a challenge to maintain proper direction for landing on the boat's fantail.
The afternoon plan was to motor to Santa Cruz Island, drop anchor, and provide options for either a tour of Painted Cave or snorkeling around a beautiful cove. We soon reached the impressive cliffs of Santa Cruz Island and saw many rocky nooks and sea caves. We went into the entrance to Painted Cave, but did not remain there because other boats also want to show the place to their passengers. We continued eastward a short distance and dropped anchor.
There was by now a wind of 12-15 knots blowing out of the west-northwest, which made the waves dance in our faces. A few turned back, but 5 of us pressed on to Painted Cave. We soon saw the motorized skiff dart past us with the first group of cave explorers. It took our kayaking group over 30 minutes to reach the cave, though the skiff had gotten there in about 5 minutes. But since seeing this cave has been one of my life dreams, I was not about to be deterred by anything less than a storm, and everyone in our small group pressed on.
The entrance to Painted Cave is like that of a great temple. Wide and imposing, it is speckled with different colors from algae, encrusting sponges, and other life. The water in the cave was placid, marred only by the floating carcass of a young sea lion. It extended back many hundreds of feet to an archway that marks the entrance to the inner chamber. We explored several side galleries with our faint lights and quiet movements. The skiff came back with two of the paddlers who had turned back, its second tour of the afternoon. Another company's tour boat also arrived at the cave entrance while we were there, and its throbbing bass engine sound seemed to emanate from the cave itself.
Against this backdrop, I sang a Gregorian chant. The echo in that place was a physical force unto itself. The others listened quietly, then one asked me to sing another chant. This time I sang a Hebrew chant.
We left quietly, paddled back into the wind, and decided to explore the next cave over as well. It is not as large as Painted Cave, but is impressive in its own right. After that, we had the wind and waves at our back as we sped back to the waiting boat. After such a strenuous day, dinner tasted especially good that night.
While eating, the generator shut down, and several passengers let out a sigh of relief. A short while later, the captain came in to inform us that the shutdown was neither intentional nor desirable. A part had broken inside the generator, and this would affect our water system, operating lights, and food storage, particularly refrigeration. While the crew had loaded many replacement parts on board, an internal component wasn't one of them. Consequently there would be no choice but to return to Santa Barbara Harbor that night. The captain assured us that he and the crew would make repairs during the night, and we would leave in the predawn hours of July 4 for the final leg of the trip on eastern Santa Cruz Island. A few people said they would disembark and leave the trip early, but most of us decided to stay for the final day—we had already paid for the entire trip, and were looking forward to more exploration of that island.
Day 3-July 4, eastern Santa Cruz Island and homeward
As promised, we departed early from Santa Barbara harbor, and arrived at Santa Cruz Island about 8:00 AM. There was a planned hike, but we had again informed the captain that we preferred a coastal paddle. We pulled into Potato Harbor, a small narrow cover with steep rocky cliffs. The captain set the 5 of us down there, while announcing that this was an advanced paddle, not recommended for novices. We agreed to meet the group at Scorpion Bay about 3 miles eastward, and bid farewell to those on the boat.
We spent the next few hours exploring rocky cliffs and sea caves, gazing into crystal clear water, looking at fish, sea urchins, kelp, and other marine life, and enjoying the pace. While rounding rocky points, there was a stiff wind at our backs. Progress was easy, but following waves made it challenging at times. In the many coves, the water was calm, so we could take a relaxing pace while there. Some of the caves are fairly large, with multiple entrances. In one, a small flock of Ashy Storm Petrels took off at our approach; we hoped they would soon return after we left.
Arriving at Scorpion Bay, we learned that not all the hikers were back, so I went ashore and hiked for awhile. I was still in my wetsuit, so this wasn't the most comfortable way to hike. I returned to the boat. Everyone showered to rinse off the sweat, we had lunch (a 4th of July barbecue), then headed back to Santa Barbara. We expected a mass of holiday traffic, but arrived by mid-afternoon and were able to head home with no traffic jams.
This was a wonderful trip all the way around. The combination of a magnificent destination, good weather, vigorous exercise that brought us close to our surroundings, good companionship, good food, a knowledgeable crew, and quality leadership while hiking, all made for a great adventure, one which several of us are ready to do again.
|
