Considered a true boater’s harbor, Channel Islands Harbor has more
than 2,000 boat slips and nine marinas. In addition to nautical
recreation, the Harbor offers a range of activities, including sailing,
diving, whale watching, kayaking, surfing, hiking and cycling. Along
with fun seasonal events, shopping and dining along Fisherman’s
Wharf is one of the Harbor’s main attractions. Plus, the palatial
Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort that has truly put this area
on Southern California’s destination map. As the Harbor continues
ongoing renovations during 2008, this seaside destination is likely
to become even more enticing.
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The Channel Islands National Park consists of five
separate islands—Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa,
San Miguel, Santa Barbara—that surround one mile
of ocean. The islands are rich in cultural history and scientific
discovery. Considered the “Galapagos of the North,” the
islands are unique and relatively untarnished by modern life.
The co-mingling of warm and cold currents in the Santa
Barbara channel has created a hospitable environment for
a variety of wildlife. Visitors can watch seals and sea lions frolicking in the many bays and inlets, and birdwatchers are likely to see hundreds of species, including pelicans, boobys and cormorants. Half of the park’s 250,000 acres are actually beneath the ocean’s surface. In winter months, visitors are likely to see Pacific Gray Whales as they migrate between Baja, California and Alaska’s Bering Straits. During recent summers, humpback and blue whales have fed on the western part of the channel. Roughly half a million people visit the islands each year. Some plan brief visits to tour just one of the islands, others experience the wilderness by camping for a few nights. No matter the length of stay, a variety of activities appeal to visitors, who hike, snorkel, kayak, fish, surf, whale watch and bird watch on the islands. The Channel Islands also offers worldrenowned diving, in part because of the incredible array of marine life. Some 2,000 species live along these islands, and approximately 145 of them can be found nowhere else on earth. Copyright © 2008 Discover Ventura County | Contact | Advertise |