Anacapa Island offers summer fun

EXPLORERS-Dave Stoltz, a park ranger and Camarillo resident, and Andrea Moe, a naturalist who grew up in Agoura Hills, finish a scuba diving demonstration on Anacapa Island. While underwater, Stoltz shot video while Moe anchored the aquatic show and used a two-way audio system to take questions from the audience visiting the island that day. The pair explained the habits of the creatures that live in the kelp forest in the sea surrounding the island. From pristine beaches and lakes, rugged islands and attractive museums, Ventura County has much to offer for a quick getaway without jet lag.

Andrea Moe, David Stoltz and Catherine French enjoy the Channel Islands wilderness so much they decided to work or volunteer for the Channel Islands Park Service.

Moe is a marine naturalist who grew up sailing and wind-surfing on Malibou Lake in Agoura. When she's not racing sailboats, the Santa Barbara resident works as an education coordinator for Island Packers, a concessionaire to the park.

Stoltz is a dive officer and park ranger who lives in Camarillo.

BREATHTAKING-Inspiration Point is just one of many scenic spots on Anacapa Island. Marine life thrives along the rugged coastline. In the summer, Moe and Stoltz, along with other divers, combine their diving skills with oceanography. They conduct live audio/visual tours of the sea life in the Anacapa Island kelp forest.

French is at the top with visitors and she makes the process interactive, encouraging questions about what's on the screen while Moe is 30 feet under water, ready to answer expertly.

Few locals visit the rugged but beautiful volcanic islands. It usually takes an out-of-town visitor to get them there, Moe said.

That's probably because people want to go somewhere "exotic" on vacation, and no one thinks about vacationing in their own backyard.

The Channel Islands have much to offer, Moe said, and many plants and animals are unique to the islands. Hiking, kayaking, camping and the boat trip itself are economical.

Anacapa, the nearest of five islands in the Santa Barbara Channel, is a wild spot reminiscent of a National Geographic documentary, with thousands of sea gulls nesting, pelicans above and sea lions on the rocky beaches below. The wild landscape fades gracefully into the vast Pacific Ocean.

A few mission-style structures dot the east side of the island, where boats drop off passengers who may stay for a few hours or camp overnight.

The hour long boat trip from Ventura or Channel Islands Harbor to the landing cove at Anacapa isn't a luxury cruise, but the frequent dolphin sightings make up for the rugged ride. Larger whales also visit the channel but not as predictably.

The skipper stops and circles to make sure passengers have a chance to view the friendly aquatic mammals.

Before landing in a little cove at the western edge of Anacapa, visitors also have a chance to viewthe north side of the island. The boat cruises by the shore as the skipper points to indigenous wildlife--untouched and unafraid.

Anacapa is mostly flat, although visitors must climb about 150 stairs to get to the summit. This place shows what California was like centuries ago-no cars, no smog, just the constant cry of sea gulls calling their young.

While the flora is most colorful in the spring, Anacapa becomes a nesting ground for the common gull during late spring and early summer.

The hiking is easy and it doesn't take long to tour the entire island.

Volunteers like French are on hand to show the sites to those who don't want to discover the island alone.

The longtime sailor started volunteering for the Sanctuary and Park Services when the naturalist corps program started in 2001. As a docent on whale watch trips and a steward, French said she hopes to share her appreciation for the Channel Islands.

"I believe we need to be aware of our surroundings and see beyond today," French said.

Before the short stay on the island ends, visitors can observe the underwater creatures without getting into the frigid water. Divers explore the Landing Cove below.

"The underwater video program is definitely unique," said French, a Channels Islands Harbor resident who writes articles for The Log, a boating newspaper.

Sea cucumbers employ an unusual defense mechanism, Moe said in answer to a child's query. When threatened, they spit out their entire digestive tract, which will regenerate. But if they do it again, they'll die- -the digestive system only grows back once, she said.

A small shark and a feisty lobster were also on view, entertaining adults and children alike before the visitors board the boat back to Ventura County.

The underwater program is presented twice weekly at 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Water and food are not available on the island, which is the smallest of the four northern islands and 11 miles from the mainland.

Santa Cruz is about 20 miles distant from the mainland. The largest in the chain of islands has an extensive natural and cultural history, said French, adding that stands of trees planted by ranchers 150 years ago still remain.

Traveling aboard one of Island Packers' catamarans takes about an hour to Scorpion Anchorage, or an hour and 20 minutes to Mid Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor.

This island is the most diverse with interesting geological features including two mountain ranges, many canyons and a rugged shoreline.

At least 600 plant species, more than 120 species of land birds, including the endemic island scrub jay, and a vast expanse of wilderness exists for the curious to explore by land or sea.

Santa Rosa, San Miguel and Santa Barbara islands are farther away but the longer journey is worthwhile for nature aficionados who don't get seasick.

More information about island trips can be obtained at Islandpackers.com.

Scuba diving trips are also available. Reservations are recommended.