September was a great month for an adventure at the beautiful Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands National Park. We departed from Ventura Harbor. The boat ride was about 75 minutes long. We were in for a treat as there were many pods of dolphins in the water all around us during part of the boat ride. Making this even more special was that there were some nursery pods of baby dolphins. We got quite a show with some dolphins doing jumps and flips out of the water.
Setting up
We arrived at Scorpion Ranch and then began to offload gear. Having to pull the wagons and coolers all the way to our group camp site was no fun. It was about ¾ of a mile to reach our camp site on an unpaved ranch road. There was a group of three island foxes that were spotted at our camp site looking for scraps. After dinner and nightfall, many stayed up stargazing on the moonless night. The Milky Way Galaxy was in full view, and it was an opportunity to take some out of this world galaxy photos.
Hiking and Snorkeling
The next day after breakfast, the group donned daypacks and headed out on the Scorpion Canyon Loop trail. The trail was mostly on grasslands, but there was a rocky canyon area for the descent and loop back to the campground. It was noted that there were almost no trees along the trail. After lunch, the group hiked back to the pier to so some snorkeling. The water was crystal clear but a little on the cold side. There were some nice kelp beds next to the pier. Some in the group stayed under the pier to relax while others hit the cobblestone beach and did a little snorkeling. After dinner, the scouts decided to do some entertaining at our imaginary campfire by doing skits.
Packing Out
The last day and after a good breakfast, the group broke down the tents and prepared for departure. We arrived at the pier early so that those who had not had a chance to see the exhibits at the visitor center had an opportunity to do so. We placed our gear at the pier, and then most ventured out to the beach to hang out. The boat ride was pleasant, and this time we had even more pods of dolphins come in for a big show. They were doing some back flips on this one. Once back at Ventura Harbor, we formed a bucket brigade handing off gear from the boat deck and moving it up the line. We said our goodbyes and returned home safely.
