Ventura County’s Natural Beauty

Rhett Mauch
Chief Executive Officer - Search Dog Foundation

As a new Ventura County Leadership Academy member, I was allowed to participate in an immersion experience to take an in-depth look into an attribute of our county that I was interested in learning more about. I took this opportunity to visit Santa Cruz Island, the largest of the Channel Islands and one of our community's natural wonders.
Although I had been to Santa Cruz several years ago for a half-day excursion, I wanted to immerse myself fully by camping overnight. The experience did not disappoint! This report details my adventure, capturing the essence of this unique and remote destination. I also wanted to give a special shout-out to VCLA alums Crystal Stratton and Deanne Weik for helping me plan my trip and making some excellent recommendations to help make it unforgettable.
My journey began with a ride from Ventura Harbor on an Island Packers excursion boat. The voyage to the island was a bit bumpy but offered some beautiful scenes of the Ventura coastline as we traversed the Santa Barbara Channel (an incredibly deep channel separating the Ventura Coast from the Channel Islands, and per the Island Packers guides, a "sea life superhighway"). It also offered an odd juxtaposition between the scenic coastline, the approaching Channel Islands, and the several oil platforms doting the landscape.
Upon arrival at Scorpion Anchorage, we were greeted by a Channel Islands Park Ranger and a National Park Police Officer, who gave us an extensive overview of the island's history and the regulations to preserve the pristine environment. I was fascinated to learn that the Chumash people first inhabited the island over 10,000 years ago and named the island "Limuw." I later learned that this meant "in the ocean." The Chumash traveled across the Pacific from the Ventura coast on canoes and settled into large communities on Santa Cruz, which I found astounding given the trip I had just made on a large Island Packers boat and how rough it was!
After the island (and much of California) was "discovered" by European settlers, the Chumash population was severely affected, and the island was converted into private ranches. Remnants of this era are still visible on the island in the form of fencing, rudimentary buildings, and decaying machinery.
In addition to learning about the history of this magnificent place, I hiked along the rocky coastlines, took in the awesome views of the ocean and the Ventura coastline, and enjoyed the serenity of the isolated setting. I was also able to experience some of the native wildlife, including the Island Scrub Jay and adorable yet precocious Island Foxes. Both species are only found on the Channel Islands!
One of the memorable highlights of my time on Santa Cruz was the ocean kayaking tour, a must-do for any visitor to the island. The tour took us along the island's rugged coastline and even through some of the numerous sea caves that line the coast. The stunning blue water and excellent visibility allowed us to see massive kelp beds, Garibaldi (the CA state fish), and a seal pup who was equally curious to see us as we were to see it!
Visiting Santa Cruz Island was a remarkable experience, offering a perfect blend of adventure, natural beauty, and tranquility. More importantly, it served as a poignant reminder of the natural wonders and rich history in Ventura County's backyard and the importance of preserving and treasuring our unique community.