Another stand-out area on Anacapa, Cathedral Cove, is a stunning example of what a beach can look like. Sitting on the edge, overlooking this cove, made me feel like I had left California and was in some tropical paradise like Hawaii. I only wish I was able to go down to the beach, but I will save that for another kayaking trip.
You can hear all of the seals below you as well; when we were there, we saw a ton.
Campground
Visitor Center
To get to Anacapa Island, the boat usually leaves at around 9:30 AM (this is the most popular time) and sets out on the hour ride to the drop off point on the island. During that time, you will cross into the channel and potentially see large freight shipping boats as well as wildlife like dolphins and whales. The crew always seems interested in showing everyone a good time, so they usually slow down by the dolphins and let everyone take pictures.
Lastly, on the south side of the island is a huge rock in the sea that completes a full arch. It is about 40 feet tall and hollow for about 20 feet in its center. This rock is not accessible from the land, and you would need to boat or kayak to it, but it is cool and was the logo that the volunteers were wearing on their jackets.
Nesting Grounds
Anacapa Island
From the dock, you climb about 150 stairs until you reach the central upper shelf of the island as well as the path to the visitor center. This dock is the only area on the entire island with sea access, as the island is on a cliff and has a good 50 to 100-foot drop at all sides.
Arch Rock
After about an hour, we pulled up to the dock at Anacapa, and about 90% of the boat’s 50 passengers got off. While this seemed like a lot, the 2.5 square mile island was large enough to never make it look crowded.
Details
All in all, the Channel Islands are a beautiful trip that everyone in California needs to take at least once. As soon as you set foot on the island and start to explore, I guarantee you will be shocked at how amazing they are. I cannot wait to get to the other islands. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Video Recap
This area is where the boat backs in to let you off and pick you up. It is also the area where you can dive into the kelp forest and drop in your kayaks to explore the caves from the water.
