Channel Islands NP, Santa Cruz I., Scorpion Canyon Trails (May 7)
On the sunniest day of our Central Coast week, our catamaran sped us 25 miles in about an hour from Ventura Harbor to Scorpion Anchorage on the NE coast of Santa Cruz Island, largest of the five comprising Channel Islands National Park. Before our skipper hit the throttle, we passed near four or five of the ubiquitous sea lions sunbathing on a bell buoy. Before we we reached Santa Cruz, dozens of dolphins in a couple of pods crossed our wake and followed us, gamboling like Flipper.
The Scorpion Anchorage pier was damaged by a storm so we went ashore gingerly in inflatable and bouncy launches holding six passengers apiece. With feet fortuitously dry, Jacki and I ascended by switchbacks to Cavern Point, which began several miles of scenic trails along the northeast bluffs of the Island, which was one big ranch until reclamation over the last few decades.
From the the Potato Harbor Overlook terminus, we looped back down a limestone canyon that took us through historical remains of Scorpion Ranch, where you can camp, austerely. I had time to jog up Smugglers Road to the east for a different view before our return. We fell in with a pod of grey whales, not long before our return to Ventura Harbor, who fascinated us for about 15 minutes.
Read MoreThe Scorpion Anchorage pier was damaged by a storm so we went ashore gingerly in inflatable and bouncy launches holding six passengers apiece. With feet fortuitously dry, Jacki and I ascended by switchbacks to Cavern Point, which began several miles of scenic trails along the northeast bluffs of the Island, which was one big ranch until reclamation over the last few decades.
From the the Potato Harbor Overlook terminus, we looped back down a limestone canyon that took us through historical remains of Scorpion Ranch, where you can camp, austerely. I had time to jog up Smugglers Road to the east for a different view before our return. We fell in with a pod of grey whales, not long before our return to Ventura Harbor, who fascinated us for about 15 minutes.
