Channel Islands, CA - July 2005 Loop Trip

[Frank C]

While the American bald eagle is being restored to the Channel Islands, an aggressive program is underway to remove the Golden Eagle. The Channel Islands are home to only four endemic mammals. Populations of one of these, the Island Fox, suffered decimation over the six short years from 1994 to 2000, primarily due to predation by the Golden Eagle. These eagles were apparently attracted to the Islands by the abundant food supply of young feral pigs, introduced by man in the mid-1800s. Both the pigs and the golden eagles are now under eradication or removal programs.

Release Date: January 07, 2004
Golden Eagles Continue to Threaten Island Foxes

Channel Islands National Park Superintendent Russell Galipeau reported today that five of nine Santa Cruz Island foxes released into the wild last November have died, apparently killed by golden eagles.

Golden eagle predation has placed the fox on the brink of extinction on Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel Islands, and is responsible for a 95% decline in the endemic island fox populations since 1994. For the past four years Channel Islands National Park and The Nature Conservancy have been working together to restore the foxes by creating a captive breeding program and removing golden eagles from the islands.

In late November nine foxes were released from captivity on Santa Cruz Island. The purpose of the release was to examine whether the low abundance of golden eagles currently on the island would allow for safe release of captive-reared individuals to augment the wild fox population. The released foxes, which were monitored with radio collars, died between December 21, 2003 and January 3, 2004.

[Frank C]

The Island Fox
The island fox is a miniature version of the mainland grey fox. Mainland foxes are believed to have colonized the northern Channel Islands some 16,000-20,000 years ago. It is thought that native Chumash tribes, who kept the foxes as pets, transported them to the southern islands some 10,000 years later. Over time, the island foxes developed into a distinct species, with sufficient inter-island variations to justify subspecies designation for each island. Subspecies distinctions include variations in tail length, muzzle shape, fur color and other attributes. Slightly larger than an average housecat and weighing 3-6 pounds, island fox feed largely on insects, mice and wild-growing fruits. They can live as long as 10 years, generally mate for life and give birth to litters of 2-5 pups in mid April.

Release Date: March 4, 2004
Channel Islands Fox Listed as “Endangered Species”

The National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy applauded the federal listing of the Channel Islands fox as an endangered species today and welcomed the additional support and resources the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will now bring to their efforts to restore this unique species.

The National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy have worked closely for the past five years to save the island fox, whose populations on Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands plummeted more than 95 percent between 1994 and 2000. Scientists trace the origins of the island fox’s catastrophic decline to predation by golden eagles.

Release Date: March 15, 2005
Feral Pig Eradication Begins on Santa Cruz Island

The National Park Service (NPS) and The Nature Conservancy announced today the initiation of a long-anticipated program to eradicate feral pigs from Santa Cruz Island to save the endangered island fox and nine rare plants from extinction and protect archaeological sites.

Feral pigs—originally imported to the island as domestic farm animals in the 1850s—root up native vegetation, causing massive erosion, spreading invasive weeds, and destroying ancient Chumash archaeological sites. The pigs have also attracted a new predator to the island, the golden eagle, which has hunted the island fox to near extinction. Fewer than 100 foxes exist in the wild.

Release Date: September 1, 2004
Endangered Island Foxes Return to the Wild

Today, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Park Service (NPS) announce the release to the wild of 23 endangered island foxes from their captive rearing facilities on Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands.

... Over the next three weeks, 10 island foxes on San Miguel Island and 13 on Santa Rosa Island will be released to the wild. The foxes will be returned to captivity if three of the 10 on San Miguel Island or five of the 13 foxes on Santa Rosa Island are killed or injured by golden eagles. Releases from captivity on Santa Cruz will not occur this year. ... The foxes on Santa Cruz Island are thought to be at greater risk because they are in close proximity to golden eagle territories.

... Since 1999, 35 golden eagles have been removed from Santa Cruz Island and two from Santa Rosa Island. Six golden eagles, three adults, and three nestlings, were removed from the island in 2004. Today less than 10 remain. There have been no golden eagle sightings on San Miguel in the past year and none on Santa Rosa since March.

[Frank C]

Sunrise over Smugglers Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island


Landing is now permitted on most of the Channel Islands without any permits.
However there are a number of regualtions that visitors should be aware of .... some excerpts follow:

Regulatory Information
There are a number of Federal and State laws and regulations that protect Channel Islands National Park and the people who visit here. Visitors to the park are responsible for knowing and abiding by those rules. This webpage is intended to help people learn about the rules that protect their park. Further information is available in publications such as the park's newspaper and from park rangers at headquarters and on the islands.

Here are highlighted some of the most important rules you need to know. The links (see above-linked page) below will take you to sources of further detail on those and all the other regulations:

• - Fishing is prohibited in the State Marine Reserves
  - Personal Watercraft such as jet skis are not allowed in park waters
  - Pets are not allowed on the islands
  - Fires and smoking are not permitted except in designated areas
  - Landing is not permitted on offshore rocks and islets
  - Hikers must stay on established trails on Anacapa, Santa Barbara and San Miguel Islands
  - Some sea caves at Santa Cruz Island are closed to protect nesting seabirds
  - The shoreline of Santa Barbara is closed to landing except for the cove below the ranger station
  - The beaches at Skunk Pt. and Sandy Pt. on Santa Rosa are closed to protect wildlife
  - The waters on the north side of West Anacapa Island are closed most of the year to protect nesting pelicans
  - Collecting of plants, rocks, animals and artifacts is prohibited

[Frank C]

Map Notes:
Assume that Oxnard and Ventura are co-located.
Same is true for Long Beach (LB) and Los Angeles.
Note that Santa Barbara city (SBc) is distinct from Santa Barbara Island(SBI)
Full Loop is LB to SBc, to Rosa, to Cruz, to SBI, to Catalina, ending LB.

This GIF shows all eight of California's Channel Islands. The five northernmost islands are included in the Channel Islands National Park. The Full Loop is from Long Beach to SB city, then the islands Rosa / Cruz / Anacapa / Barbara / Catalina, and returning to Long Beach after about 10 days afloat. SBI ((microscopic dot) is included mainly because crazy* Dave planned it - but since it's sorta on the line to Catalina - WHY NOT!!

A southeasterly Half Loop would skip the northwest beat from LB to SB, instead requiring a shuttle to get the tow rig from the launch point at SB city down to the end point at LB. From SB launch this Loop would be identical to the Full Loop. However, that highway shuttle delivers "zero adventure points" and would consume almost as much time as just motorsailing up the coast ... so I think I'll do the full 360.

While the larger islands are occupied by Park personnel and open for some camping, there are zero commercial facilities. Our cruise through the Nat'l Park is like being in a wilderness setting. No fuel, provisions or services are available until the end of the cruise at Catalina. Prevailing weather is from the Pacific, west or northwest winds and currents.

The main cruise moves generally south and east to avoid the teeth of the prevailing conditions. Fagan's Guide suggests that Santa Rosa is best reached by "reaching" from SB city. Oxnard to Santa Rosa is usually a very tough upwind beat against the Pacific westerlies. Even sailing across the cut between Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa is generally predicted a pretty rough beat.

Some (or many) will prefer a shorter North Loop, see below.

ETA (edit to add)
* Dave Clark is only "crazy" because he was first to consider single-handing his 26X northwest (against prevailing conditions) from Marina del Rey to Oxnard. He did it quite successfully in summer 2003! Now, 2 or 3 others are hoping to follow him.

[Frank C]

Map Notes:
Assume that Oxnard and Ventura are co-located.
Same is true for Long Beach (LB) and Los Angeles.
Note that Santa Barbara city (SBc) is distinct from Santa Barbara Island(SBI)
Possible North Loop: SBc, to Rosa, to Cruz, to Anacapa, ending Oxnard.

Any cruise in the Santa Barbara Channel is still a great adventure past rugged, primitive Pacific coastlines with compelling natural history. Just the rock formations at Anacapa are awe-inspiring. Several are planning a shorter North Loop cruise. Options include:

• - Launch at SBc to viist Rosa / Cruz / Anacapa, then return to SBc or Oxnard; or,
  - Launch at Oxnard to visit Anacapa / Cruz, then return to Oxnard; or,
  - Launch at Oxnard to visit Anacapa / Cruz / Rosa / Cruz, then return to Oxnard.

Third option - though Fagan's Guide suggests SBc as the best launch for Santa Rosa, it surely appears that short cut between Cruz and Rosa would be easy for a mighty motorized Mac. More power! It seems that a launch on same day from Oxnard, to Cruz to Rosa might arrive at the same time as Oxnard to SBc to Rosa.

There's a rough calendar included on Page one of the thread, but it's still subject to adjustment. For those who are planning a shorter loop, it gives some idea of when Full-loopers might arrive at different stops.

ETA (edit to add) ... third option.

From Inspiration Point, looking towards West Anacapa Island.

[Captain Steve]

Guys,

Frank and Fagan are correct. the current and prevailing wind make it a much smoother cruise to depart from Santa barbara. It is an uphill slog from Oxnard to Santa Rosa...a long day of sailing or a pile of fuel(if its foggy) to get there. True, you can scoot behind anacapa and santa cruz, but you would be crossing the gaps against the wind and current. This makes sailing more difficult and motoring more prevelant. remember this time of year is prone to fog..which means little or no wind...which means means motoring.

The prudent thing is to get as far north as possible and then launch and cross the channel. For those of you that were in the 03 trip and came over to my house I handed out some detailed notes on channel crossing and weather and wind patterns. Read that stuff again to plot this out. I will be around during that time..its right before the San Juans trip so I can help with shuttling and things like that. If you need some of the reprints I handed out before send me an email or a PM it will have to be mailed as it is magazine reprints and notes form a class I took at Ventura college...the title of the class...you guessed it " Navigating the Santa Barbara Channel.

Catalina is a great crusie from Oxnard...about 60 miles to two harbors and the course is usually bent out to santa barbara island for an overnight moorage, unless you can consistantly make 5/6 knots.

talking to the board from MDR, found several unsecured wireless networks to latch on to to get on the net

Steve

[BK]

Steve, we are doing #3. Oxnard, SR, SC ,

[dclark]

[quote="Frank CSBI ((microscopic dot) is included mainly because crazy* Dave planned it - but since it's sorta on the line to Catalina - WHY NOT!!

* Dave Clark is only "crazy" because he was first to consider single-handing his 26X northwest (against prevailing conditions) from Marina del Rey to Oxnard. He did it quite successfully in summer 2003! Now, 2 or 3 others are hoping to follow him.[/quote]

Considering that Tim's idea was to sail west for 3-4 days to see how far we could get before we had to turn around and come home (drifting at night with a sea anchor), I thought my idea was quite sane!

[richandlori]

We are planning on the this option:

- Launch at Oxnard to visit Anacapa / Cruz / Rosa / Cruz, then return to Oxnard.

Actually now that I read the quote, I realize it is a bit off. We plan on leaving Oxnard when the group passes by on their way to SBc, then Rosa-Cruz-Anacapa and back to Oxnard. We were out on the boat last weekend getting more Boat time and experience. I can carry 24 gals of fuel in the locker and will probabally being along some extra, because my wife and kids seem to like the being at the destination more than getting there, so I may motor more than the purists like "Crazy" Dave

Rich

[BK]

Rich, sounds good.

[sailpsych]

Hey Ya'll,
Looks like I'm outta the Channel Islands cruise this year, but am standing by to assist if needed. Let me know when and where you'll be as well as your boats names so we can connect. fI will use call sign Paradox.

Regards,

Bruce

[richandlori]

BK,
I will be heading down and put the boat in the water Friday July 8th and sleep in a guest slip in Oxnard Friday night. I was planning on meeting up with the group on Saturday heading from longbeach and joining them on the sail to Santa Barbara city.

What are your thoughts?

Rich

[BK]

Rich, I misread your post. I will see you guys at Rosa on Sunday the 10th of July.

[BK]

There is a boat show at Ventura Harbor July7-10. Free on Thursday the 7th and discount coupons in The Log.

[richandlori]

Ba-Da-Bing....BK,

My plan exactly....I just wasn't going to tell the admiral, as I always come away from boat shows with less $ in my pocket.


Does anyone comming up from south of Oxnard have a "feel" for when on Saturday the group will be passing by Oxnard?

Rich