August 2020 - Channel Islands
After two nights on Santa Rosa, we came to backpack on Santa Cruz island. It was about a 4 mile hike in to the campground, up hills and down valleys, and hauling all of our water. It was a bit of a challenge but also a blast!
On the ferry ride back to the mainland, we were treated to an excellent show of dolphins, whales, and seabirds.
After two nights on Santa Rosa, we came to backpack on Santa Cruz island. It was about a 4 mile hike in to the campground, up hills and down valleys, and hauling all of our water. It was a bit of a challenge but also a blast!
On the ferry ride back to the mainland, we were treated to an excellent show of dolphins, whales, and seabirds.
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| Our campsite, nestled in the trees with an ocean view | The view of the ocean from our campsite | Unlike at Santa Rosa island, the campground fox at Santa Cruz Del Norte was unfortunately _not_ shy around people, and had no qualms with poking around the campsites as soon as people stepped away |
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| They're so little! | As soon as we reached our campsite there was an Island Scrub-Jay who came over to check us out | |
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| Watching the sun set | Last light | The next morning started with clouds moving in from the coast |
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| Our morning hike on Santa Cruz island | The ranger house in the interior of the island | The California mainland across the sea of clouds |
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| The fox came to see us off. He has a really grumpy look that must come with begging for scraps. | Beginning the backpacking trip back to the ferry! | Descending into the misty valley |
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| Some lovely valleys | ||
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| With these heavy packs on, it was exciting to see the harbor | A really lovely harbor | |
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| There were a bunch of leopard sharks swimming around the pier | ||
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| A really pretty-looking House Finch | Action shot | A Spotted Towhee |
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| A Bewick's Wren | A pretty molty looking Loggerhead Shrike | Island Scrub-Jay. They were pretty frequent on Santa Cruz Island. |
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| A Hutton's Vireo | Action shot. That's quite a hop! | |
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| An Allen's Hummingbird | A Northern Flicker | A Barn Swallow choir |
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| Painted cave, one of the many sea caves on Santa Cruz island | On the trip back we went right past a huge pod of dolphins, many jumping out of the water as they swam past | Synchronized swimming! |
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| Some real acrobatics | ||
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| We also saw a blue whale, our first. It was big! | The start of the fluke | A Herring Gull flying overhead |
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| A beautiful Brown Pelican | Such wingspan! | An Elegant Tern |
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| The California coast | An eclectic mix of pelicans and cormorants on the breakers | Brandt's Cormorants own this breaker |