SANTA CRUZ
KAYAKING
WHEN SEA KAYAKING GUIDE JIM MCWATERS HANDED ME A FLASHLIGHT,
I wondered how daunting this challenge would be. We had already ventured into two other dimlylit
sea caves on Santa Cruz Island in Channel Islands National Park. But the cave ahead of us, Seal Canyon
Cave, was about 620 feet deep, McWaters said, and so dark, algae and lichen cannot thrive, as they do
in other caves. Extra light would be welcome.
Brace the flashlight between your knees, McWaters suggested,
and expect a partly narrow passage so tight, you won’t be able to
paddle. There, we could touch the walls — which was explicitly
not advised in other caves — to propel ourselves forward. Before
we paddled in, we looked back to
check for any dangerous ocean conditions.
I tightened the strap on my helmet,
gripped the flashlight with my
knees, and trusted McWaters to lead
the way to another thrilling, yet safe,
adventure on a daylong outing organized
by Channel Islands Kayak
Center. As we went deeper into the
cave, I closely followed the beam of
light from the flashlight McWaters
shone, as if our kayaks were tethered. I
was glad the cave’s ceiling was high,
especially in the narrow stretch, where
my kayak bumped against walls, and
that there was little ocean swell. We
eventually reached a larger chamber
where we could turn the kayaks
around. To really “see” how dark it is
in the cave, McWaters suggested we
cover our flashlights’ beams. We did,
and it was inky dark, startlingly quiet and otherworldly.
And wildly fun. Just ahead, I knew, was a bright blue sky, lightdappled
sea, rock archways, rugged cliffs, and other sea caves to discover.
I couldn’t help but squint and marvel at how everything
seemed so much more vibrant than
before, once I was outside the cave. I
leisurely observed a seagull feeding on
mussels, skirted kelpfilled waters, and
scouted for orange starfish and more
seals while McWaters led other kayakers,
one at a time, into the cave.
 Luckily, the sea and wind were relatively
calm that balmy day, allowing
our group of seven experienced and
novice sea kayakers to explore more of
the unpredictable beauty of Santa Cruz
Island. Right from the start, our outing
presented pleasant surprises. We didn’t
paddle into one of the first caves we
steered toward because McWaters
didn’t want to disturb an adult spotted
harbor seal and a baby seal that were
resting on a rock in the cave.
As we paddled, McWaters pointed
out sea birds like cormorants and a
family of oyster catchers, as well as
anemones and other sea life, and spoke of the Chumash Indians who
formerly lived on the island. To our delight, harbor seals frequently
surfaced near our kayaks. Santa Cruz, California’s largest island, is
home to the greatest number of plants and animal species of all the
Channel Islands.The Nature Conservancy protects and preserves the
western 76 percent of the island and the National Park Service owns
and manages the eastern 24 percent. Along its 77 miles of coastline
cliffs are giant sea caves, including
Painted Cave, one of the largest
and deepest sea caves in the world,
which is too remote for sea kayakers
on these outings to reach.
Our sea kayaking adventure
explored the eastern side of the
island, starting at Scorpion Beach,
which is within walking distance
of the historic Scorpion Ranch
complex, dating to the late 1800s.The outing began with a roughly
hourlong boat cruise from Ventura Harbor to the Scorpion
Anchorage aboard Island Packers’ new Island Adventure, which
stopped so passengers could observe sea lions and common
dolphins. Depending on the season, blue, humpback, and gray
whales can be sighted.At the beach, all visitors participate in an orientation
to learn about the island’s history and gather rules and
safety tips.
McWaters estimated that about half who sign up for this
adventure are typically beginner kayakers. Our group of five adults
and two teenagers selected life jackets and helmets and listened to
McWaters’ introduction to sea kayaking basics. Before long, we
were on the water inull sea kayaks, which accommodate
one or two people each, exploring the coastline.
The itinerary of each trip varies, depending on the surf, tide,
wind, weather conditions, and physical ability of the kayakers, but
kayakers can typically paddle 3 1/2 to six miles and enter four to six
caves. One captivating cave we visited is dubbed the “Green Room.”
This cave, which ison both ends, isn’t entirely dark. It has an
unexpected and wondrous shaft of light from anng in one cave
wall that spotlights clear green water and reveals the silhouettes of
kayakers ahead. The scene was so surreal and appealing, we elected
to paddle back through the cave two more times. Then, anxious to
explore what the other caves held in store, we paddled away and on
to our next adventure, eager to find out.
— Deb Behr
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