Anacapa is a chain of three islets (East, Middle, and West) about 14 miles off Ventura, the closest of the Channel Islands to the mainland. Its Chumash name 'anyapax means 'mirage,' a reference to how summer fog and heat distort the island's outline when seen from shore.
Details
- Type
- Point of Interest
- Accessibility
- Limited accessibility
Overview
The island runs roughly five miles long and a quarter mile wide, covering about 700 acres, or one square mile. The three islets are volcanic, and wave erosion has cut them into sea cliffs, sea caves, and natural bridges, including the 40-foot Arch Rock off the east end. Annual rainfall runs 8 to 13 inches. A landing on East Anacapa requires a boat trip of about an hour from the mainland and a climb of 157 stairs to reach the top.
What to See
Anacapa holds the largest breeding colony of western gulls in the world and a large California brown pelican colony on West Anacapa. California sea lions and harbor seals use the shoreline, and the surrounding kelp forests support marine life seen on kayak and dive trips. Of the island's 265 plant species, two grow only on Anacapa and twenty are found only on the Channel Islands. The Anacapa deer mouse lives nowhere else.
Know Before You Go
The Anacapa Lighthouse, built in 1932, was the last permanent lighthouse constructed on the West Coast; its original Fresnel lens is on display. Access is by boat only, with most landings on East Anacapa.