We pulled out of the slip in Santa Barbara Friday morning headed for the Channel Islands. Winds were calm and on the nose. We could have tacked across the channel but wanted to get to Painted Cave before the swell came up. Hey what can I say, we’re cruisers not sailors. Syd had her first dolphins swimming in the bow wake under the bowsprit.
Next…exploring Painted Cave. As we rowed in we were followed by a tour boat that made it halfway into the cave. It had ad about 6 feet on each side to maneuver…Show off!
Diablo Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island
We had another cave exploring day. Sorry, just gonna dump the photos. Luckily only .003% of the 40 million Californians know about the gem that is Channel Islands NP. We drove all the way to Utah for this kind of natural beauty and had to share it with thousands of tourists from around the globe. This is a 1 1/2 hour ferry ride from Ventura. These photos are all in the mile and a half of coastline between Diablo anchorage and Arch Rock. BTW I counted at least 6 arches at Arch Rock.
Little Scorpion anchorage
9/28/25
Moving our home down to another anchorage at the east end of the island. This is where the Island Packers ferry drops off the visitors—some going inland to explore, some camping, and others meeting their kayaking adventure guide. We had to wait till Syd went aloft to fix the anchor light, then we were ready to pull up the anchor. The highlight of today’s journey was a 1/2 mile long pod of dolphins that swam with us for a half hour or so.
When we got to Scorpion we had just enough time to explore a little with the dinghy. Tomorrow we do a land adventure and stretch our legs on one of the trails in the National Park
Day 2-little Scorpion Anchorage
We pretty much have this anchorage to ourselves. Great conditions just enough swell to rock you to sleep, light and variable winds. We anchored between a couple lobster pots right in the gap between birdshit rock and shore. There is a nice shallow kelp bed to snorkel and caves to swim through. We’re a 5 min dinghy ride from the main landing for water and shore adventures. A little museum, restrooms and ferry dock. There is a little shack where you can schedule a guided kayak outing, rent snorkel gear or buy some Channel isl. swag. Today we did shoreside stuff. Took a hike to Cavern Point. One of those places that deserves a longer stay then you had planned. Just sit and take it in. The rugged coast east and west, the Dropoff down to the sea and sea caves, the coast of the mainland across the Santa Barbara channel. The Chumash people lived here happily for 300 years before the white man arrived. We stopped at the visitors center and old ranch house to see how the island was ranched for the hundred years before the National Park and Nature Conservancy took it over. We saw maybe a hundred folks arrive by ferry to hike or kayak over the course of the day. Quite different from the National Parks that we visited in Utah a month ago where visitors were counted in the thousands.
Day 3-Little Scorpion
Today was a cave exploration/snorkle adventure. We had a kelp bed and swim through cave just a hundred yards from Dr. John. The water is so clear. Wandering through the kelp forest we had a surprise around every turn. Garibaldi(the state fish), Bat rays, abalone, lobster, too many to list.
Swells are starting to come into the anchorage and our motto being keep it as comfortable as possible, we are off in the early morning to Two Harbors on Catalina.
HOMEPAGE Adventures with Dr. John 