santa barbara island

The smallest of the Channel Islands is deceptive.

The brilliant yellow coreopsis flowers usually peak between late January and March.

Three of these, the horned lark, orange-crowned warbler, and house finch, are endemic subspecies found only on Santa Barbara Island.Unfortunately, the island's recovery did not come soon enough for the endemic Santa Barbara Island song sparrow. Although nonnative grasses still dominate the landscape, native vegetation is recovering slowly with the help of the National Park Service's restoration efforts.

California sea lions and occasional harbor seals frequent the Landing Cove waters and the surrounding rocky ledges.

However, this island is more challenging to get to due to the limited transportation schedule. Visitors must bring all their own food and supplies. Since Santa Barbara Island is a cliff island, access to the water is only at the Landing Cove via a dock. Remote Santa Barbara Island is the loneliest island in Channel Islands National Park. The steep cliffs also provide nesting sites for the endangered California brown pelicans, three species of cormorants, three species of storm-petrels, and one of the world's largest colonies of Scripps's murrelets.The rocky shores of Santa Barbara Island also provide resting and breeding areas for California sea lions, harbor seals, and northern elephant seals. However, at a very low tide some intertidal plants and animals are visible from the dock or on the small shelf in front of the dock. Fluffy chicks hatch in June and mature to fly away from the nest in July. Formed by underwater volcanic activity, the island is roughly triangular in outline and emerges from the ocean as a giant, twin-peaked mesa with steep cliffs. A variety of seabirds can be seen throughout the year, including brown pelicans, cormorants, pigeon guillemots, and western gulls (gull nesting and chicks can be observed from the end of April through July). The underwater visibility is usually very good and the water is teeming with life. To fish in Channel Islands National Park, possession of a valid California state fishing license with an ocean enhancement stamp is required and all California Department of Fish and Game regulations apply.There is excellent wildlife viewing on Santa Barbara Island.

Today there are 14 landbirds that nest annually on the island. Kayaking north towards Arch Point or south towards the Sea Lion Rookery provides great wildlife viewing, sea caves, and arches. Visitors step from the boat onto a ladder and climb to a small dock. Hikes generally begin 30 minutes after the concession boats arrive on the island. Excellent watersports can be experienced at the Landing Cove. The island is one of the most important seabird nesting sites within the Channel Islands, with 11 nesting species. However, this island is more challenging to get to due to the limited transportation schedule. Santa Barbara Island is the only southern Channel Island in the park. Located far to the south, it’s a tiny, isolated bit of land poking from the wraparound blue. Santa Barbara Island is a great place to see the recovery of native vegetation with incredible wildflower displays. Snorkeling in the Landing Cove, visitors can see bright sea stars, spiny sea urchins, and brilliant orange Garibaldi fish. Since there are no services on the islands, there are no remedies for poor planning once you have arrived. The raucous barking of sea lions can be heard from most areas of the island.

Other plants, like the endemic Santa Barbara Island live-forever, shrubby buckwheat, chickory, and cream cups, add touches of color to the island's palette.This recovery of native vegetation, along with the removal of nonnative predators, has aided in the reestablishment of nesting land birds.

As with all the Channel Islands, visiting Santa Barbara Island is an exercise in preparation and self-reliance.

The destruction of this sparrow's sagebrush and coreopsis nesting habitat and the presence of feral cats led to the extinction of this species in the 1960s. From the dock, visitors must climb 200 feet along a ¼-mile trail to the top of the island.There are no goods, services, or accommodations (lodging) available on the island. Formed by underwater volcanic activity, the island is roughly triangular in outline and emerges from the ocean as a giant, twin-peaked mesa with steep cliffs.

Santa Barbara Island is 38 miles from the closest point on the mainland. Due to the boat schedule, minimum stay is generally three days.Santa Barbara Island is an ideal place for swimming, diving, snorkeling, and kayaking, but there are no lifeguards on the island. After winter rains, the native plants of the island come alive with color.

Visitors must bring all their water with them.A small visitor center is located on the island. From the dock there is …