Our Trip to Anacapa Island

This weekend (as Eumaios posted) we traveled to Anacapa (one of the Channel Islands), about 12 miles off shore. The island is part of a nature preserve, and while we were there both the Herring Gulls and California Pelicans were nesting. The gulls were dotted all over the island, squawking if we walked too close to their nests. The island was carpeted with wildflowers, as pictured above.

This is one view from the island, which has no sandy beaches, only rocky coves. When you "land" at the island, you have to climb 150 rickety, rusty stairs to get up to the actual land. Derek and I had a picnic overlooking a view similar to this.

As we were leaving, the boat took us around to the other side of the island, where the sea lions like to hang out.

And then, the best surprise of all, as we were traveling back to the shore, the boat came across two frolicking humpback whales, and followed them for awhile. We were close enough to hear them spraying. It was amazing!