Although there are five islands that make up Channel Islands National Park, I was testing out my motion-sickness pack by just taking a boat ride for an hour to the closest island to mainland California. From Oxnard, California to the smallest island, Anacapa, I was successful in enjoying the boat ride and the 4 hours on the island.

Anacapa Island is a chain of 3 islets named east, middle and west only accessible by boat. We were on East Anacapa hiking the mile-long trail and being sure not to stand close to the sea cliffs on this volcanic island. The notable natural bridge is a forty-foot Arch Rock, seen as we arrive by boat. The captain of the boat did a remarkable job docking in a small cove!

Brown pelicans and western gulls are the most numerous sea birds here; however, during our boat ride I did observe numerous black-vented shearwater just a foot above the water’s surface and a pomarine jaeger flying overhead. Thankfully another birder was on the trip so we could discuss our observations. More easily to observe were the thousands of dolphins and about 10 humpback whales!

The island is small so we walked with a guide who told us the island’s history and pointed out various plants and animals. High school students were on our boat and they were here to hike and also collect native seeds for a project helping one of the restoration plant scientists doing work on the island.

At one end of the island is a lighthouse, first erected in 1912, with the current one erected in 1932. In 1938, Franklin D. Roosevelt designated the islands a national monument. In 1966 the lighthouse became automated and it is still an aid to navigation. In 1980, Congress designated 5 of the 8 islands as Channel Islands National Park.