Anacapa: A bird watcher’s paradise
Channel Islands Archipelago:
Southern California is the second most densely populated region in the United States. However, just an hour or two away, five of the eight Channel Islands dotting it’s coast make up the Channel Islands National park and contain virtually no human population save a few park rangers. These Channel Islands National Park contain such copious biodiversity that it has earned the title of ‘The Galapagos islands of North America’. In fact, there are supposed to be a stunning 2000+ species of plants & animals in these islands, out of which about 145 species are found nowhere else but here.
| Channel Island Archipelago | Part of Channel Island National Park? |
| Anacapa Island | Yes |
| San Miguel Island | Yes |
| Santa Cruz Island | Yes |
| Santa Rosa Island | Yes |
| Santa Barbara Island | Yes |
| San Nicolas Island | No |
| San Clemente Island | No |
| Santa Catalina Island | No |
At 699 acres, Anacapa Island is the smallest of the 5 islands, and is also the closest island to the mainland (just 12 miles away from the mainland).
How to get here?
The best way to get to Anacapa Island is with a boat ride from Island Packers. There are three islets in Anacapa Island – East Anacapa, Middle Anacapa, and West Anacapa Islands, and most boat trips land in East Anacapa Island and take off from either Oxnard Harbor or Ventura Harbor (just 11 minutes from each other). The boat ride from the mainland to East Anacapa is just around an hour and is an enthralling experience – you will get to see a lot of sea life and birds, and for a portion of the ride, we saw pods of dolphins swimming beside the boat. Once you land at East Anacapa, you need to go up 157 steps to the island plateau for a hike through the island. There is no beach access at East Anacapa. Please do pack in water and food, there is no service at the island at all.
Sea Gulls @ Anacapa:
Here’s a disclaimer from NPS that explains it all:
WARNING: Western Gulls Nesting on Anacapa Island From April Through Mid-August. During this time, visitors will encounter seabird rookery conditions: guano, strong odor, constant noise, bird carcasses, and birds protecting their territory. If visitors consider these conditions adverse, it is advised that they visit another island
We went there at the end of May, and found sea gulls in every square foot of the island. Everyone that visited the island that day was very respectful and maintained a distance from the birds. But we could see that some of the birds, especially the ones with chicks or eggs to hatch were getting distressed. I wonder if it is better for certain trails to be completely closed to visitors especially during rookery conditions.
I sensed that the birds were also being a little more aggressive towards Pankaja than I. Presumably because she was shorter and smaller than me, or because I had a massive tripod I carried everywhere with me. However, as soon as the birds sensed that we were no threat, and are just passing through, they would go calm again.
There is a constant noise and a pervading odor as well. If these things bother you, you should not go.
