April Archipelago Adventure-one day hike option

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/b/2/2/f/600_440325615.jpeg

Becher's Bay with Torrey Pine grove along the background ridge. You will be greeted by the beauty of this bay upon arrival.

This posting describes the one-day hiking option for Santa Rosa Island (Sunday, 4/10/2016). There is a separate Weekday Trailblazer's posting for the 2 nights and 3 days camping and hiking trip. Those of you doing the one-day hiking option will meet the camping group at the pier on Santa Rosa Island. The plan for Sunday is to do a walk along the nearby beach at Becher Bay and possibly do a hike up Water Canyon.

The passage out to Santa Rosa Island is always interesting and beautiful with a sail-by of Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands. If you are fortunate, the boat out will traverse along the south side of Santa Cruz Island, and the return boat will traverse along the north side, providing vistas of much of the island's rugged and undeveloped coastline. If the tides and swells are favorable on the return, the boat may make a close-in visit to the spectacular Painted Cave. Bring your camera and be ready for some marine mammal shows as passage through the Santa Barbara Channel is usually accompanied by sightings of whales, porpoises, and sea lions (Large Gray Whales pass through the Channel in April on their migration to the Gulf of Alaska).

What's to do on Santa Rosa Island? How about hiking in a coastal wilderness, great beaches (not as many cliffs as Santa Cruz Island; so long sandy beach walks and great laying around), and swimming and snorkeling (bring a wet suit). Santa Rosa Island is known for its abundant marine life (fish, fowl, and mammal), and pristine coastline-it's what the SoCal mainland coastline must have looked like before the Europeans arrived.

I led a Santa Rosa Island trip last August and we had some great hikes and swims. Photos and comments for that trip: https://www.meetup.com/The-Weekday-Trailblazers/events/224258734/ (https://www.meetup.com/The-Weekday-Trailblazers/events/224258734/.)

The hikes are all in and out, on the same trail or beach, so you can turn around at any point-just let us know your plans. If you want to invite a friend, that's okay. There will be several geologists on the trip, and I will bring a geologic map of the island, so if you want to hear a bit about that just let us know. At the bottom of the page is a link to the National Park Service web site for Santa Rosa Island where you will find a trail map, more photos, information, and of course "the don't do stuff."

Transport is via Island Packers boat service. Prices to Santa Rosa Island: Day only hikers: $82.00 RT adult, $74.00 senior RT. At the bottom of this write-up is a link to Island Packers (you need to make your own boat reservations). Please read carefully the Island Packers' restrictions on gear and what not to bring on their boats (the restrictions appear on the reservation confirmation and are enforced).

There is no phone service on the island, or on most of the boat trip out to the island. Bring lunch-there are no stores/restaurants on the island. The Island Packers boat does sell a limited selection of food and drink. It can be cool (in the high 50s to low 60s), and at times windy or foggy. If it's clear, the interior of the island can get warm (high 70s to 80s). Bring your usual hiking gear, sun block, etc., and swim suit and towel if you plan on swimming. Light boots and trail runners will work fine for hiking. There is drinking water at a couple of locations but you should bring your canteens and pack bladders with water to save time.

I recommend that you book your boat trip now as the islands are popular places during the spring due to whale watching. I will be with the camping group on the island on Sunday morning and will not meet you at Ventura Harbor. Again, there is no cell phone service on the island so you will not be able to contact me after early Friday morning (4/8) with any last minute changes.

This will be a fun adventure and I hope you can make it.

Thom

Cell 818-429-4278
www.thomasldavisgeologist.com (http://www.thomasldavisgeologist.com/)

Island Packers: http://islandpackers.com/santa-rosa-island-2/

Camping info: http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/santa-rosa-island/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70979

Santa Rosa Island info: http://www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/santa-rosa-island.htm

DISCLAIMER / RELEASE OF LIABILITY

IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ BELOW IN ITS ENTIRETY:

The hike host is a volunteer and not responsible for the group. Safety should be a priority for everyone in the group. Please treat this meet-up as hiking with a group of friends. If you become fatigued and unable to continue the hike, it is expected you will advise the hike host of this and return to our starting point on your own. If you are able to proceed, it is expected that you will maintain line of sight with other members of the group at all times and help to promote the group’s safety and fitness goals.

Outdoor sports and other events we plan can be inherently dangerous and accidents may happen. By participating in any posted event, you are taking responsibility for your own safety and well-being. The Weekday Trailblazers Meetup Group and its organizers are not trained leaders and we do not confirm the qualifications of any of its members to lead or participate in trips. All participants take full responsibility for their own actions.

If you choose to sign up for this or any Weekday Trailblazers Meetup event, you are releasing the Weekday Trailblazers Meetup Group and its organizers from all liability in case of possible injuries. Your personal safety depends on your own judgment and experience.

PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS!

** No one 18 yrs or younger allowed without a parent or legal