We awoke this morning to a dramatic pink sunrise at Anacapa Island. After breakfast, we spent the morning exploring the rugged coastline on Zodiacs. Sea lions chased each other through the kelp forest surrounding the island while a steady stream of pelicans soared overhead. Mild seas and sunshine made for a pleasant morning with plenty of photographs.
During lunch, we lifted our anchor and cruised to Santa Cruz Island. We were joined for lunch by some unexpected guests, as group after group of common dolphins frolicked in our wake, visible from the dining room windows.
The dolphins parted ways with our ship as we reached Santa Cruz, and we went ashore to explore. On our hikes, many hoped to catch glimpses of the endemic island scrub jay and island fox – and many of us did! Island scrub jays flitted between trees on the trail, and a fox lounging beneath a bush was polite enough to stay put while we all took our photos.
Cocktail hour was welcome after an active day in the sun. Our undersea team presented footage of the kelp forest. While we were out on Zodiacs, they did a dive at Anacapa! After a delicious dinner, our certified photo instructor gave a talk on smartphone photography. Tonight, we are all looking forward to a good night’s sleep in preparation for another eventful day in the Channel Islands.
