| Kayaking and Watersports | ||
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Watersports in the Channel Islands National Park Adventures on and in the waters of the Channel Islands National Park can also be enjoyed as part of your visit whether for the day or an extended camping trip. Snorkeling in a kelpforest and kayaking the islands shoreline are two popular watersports activities. Ocean conditions and access to the water vary from island to island. Please review the description of water access areas for the island of your choice found on each island page within this site. Due to the growing popularity of kayaking within the park, several kayak outfitters are designated as concessionaires and may provide guided kayak adventures and rental equipment. The guided kayak adventure is highly recommended and you can make arrangements for all you kayak needs directly through one of the following local kayak concessionaires: |
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| Official kayak guide & outfitting services including Scorpion Area East Santa Cruz Island | ||
| Aquasports | (800) 773-2309 | www.islandkayaking.com |
| Paddle Sports | (805) 899-4925 or (888) 254-2094 |
www.paddlesportsofsantabarbara.com |
| Southwind Kayak Center | (949) 261-0200 or (800) 768-8494 |
www.southwindkayaks.com |
| Official kayak guide & outfitting services other areas exclusive of Scorpion East Santa Cruz , includes all outfitters listed above, and the following additional outfitters: | ||
| Channel Islands Kayak Center | (805) 984-5995 or (805) 644-9699 |
www.cikayak.com |
| Santa Barbara Adventure Company | (805) 898-0671 | www.sbadventureco.com |
| Kayaking and Kayaking Guidelines | ||
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Each of the islands offer a unique and varied coastline including isolated beaches, and scenic geological formations such as arches and sea stacks and emergent rocks that provide habitat for seabirds, seals and sea lions. Kayaking offers an intimate way to explore this aspect of the park. The ocean environment including wind waves and currents can be a challenging and unforgiving environment, you should master the basics of kayak paddling and have experience in reading ocean conditions before setting out on a kayak adventure at the islands. To read more about local weather conditions and watersports safety, click here. In addition, be sure to consult with the on island National Park staff upon arrival to the islands, and review the kayak guidelines and regulations posted on the park bulletin boards. You should preview this important information on the Kayaking page of the CHIS Website before taking a kayak out to the islands. | |
| Transporting Kayaks on Island Packers Boats There is a fee for transporting kayaks, $14.00 for 13ft or shorter, $20.00 for doubles & kayaks longer than 13ft. |
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| If you are an experienced kayaker with your own kayak, or if you are renting equipment to bring with you to the island please prepare you kayak and gear for transportation using the following guidelines: | ||
| 1. When making you reservation for yourself, you must also reserve a spot for your kayak. Only a limited number of kayaks can be transported on each trip. | ||
| 2. Do be certain that your kayak has a 6-8 foot long bow line (a sturdy 6 – 8 foot line attached to the front of the kayak with a clip on the free end). This is required for IPCO crew to move your kayak from our boat to the beach or onto a pier. | ||
| 3. Do not pack any equipment inside the hatches of your kayak when transporting it to the islands. | ||
| 4. Do not attach any seat backs or other equipment to the outside of your kayak when transporting it to the islands. | ||
| 5. When you check in at our office you will be issued a plastic tag to affix to the bow of your kayak. This tag indicates to our crew that you have a reserved spot for your kayak, and it also has the return date so your kayak can be boarded on the boat at the island on the day of your return. | ||
| 6. Do your best to secure your seatback, PFD, helmet, wetsuit and other miscellaneous gear in a bag or bundle by strapping them together and check these items as baggage. | ||
| Snorkeling and Scuba Diving in the Channel Islands National Park | ||
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You may want to view the underwater world during your visit to the park. Island Packers will transport scuba gear, with a limit of two tanks per passenger, diving and snorkeling weight belts must not be packed in baggage, they should be carried onto the boat along with scuba tanks and stowed on deck. There are no divemasters or lifeguards available for visitors diving from shore, all in water activities are at your own risk. Some of the best diving in the Channel Islands National Park can be accessed by booking a single day or multi-day dive excursions with one of the local charter dive operators. | |
| Peace Scuba and Peace Dive Boat | (805) 650-DIVE | http://www.peaceboat.com |
| Spectre Dive Boat | 1-866-Cal-DIVE | http://calboatdiving.com |
| Truth Aquatics | (805) 962-1127 | http://www.truthaquatics.com |
| Snorkeling and Scuba Diving Conditions | ||
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Water temperatures range on an average from 50-65 degrees throughout the year with the warmest water in the summer and fall. Anyone diving or snorkeling for more than a few minutes will need some sort of wetsuit. Snorkelers will often wear suits full or half suits ranging from 3 millimeters to 7 millimeters thick. Most scuba divers visiting the underwater world of the park will wear a full 7-millimeter wetsuit. Of the destinations that offer shore access for diving and snorkeling, Anacapa and Santa Barbara Islands have some of the more desirable diving habitat including rocky reefs and kelp forests. The shore access at Santa Cruz is mostly sandy sea floor except for a very shallow 5-15 foot rocky habitat near the pier at the west end of Scorpion anchorage. Shore access at Santa Rosa and San Miguel are also mostly sandy sea floor unless you can get to other sites with a kayak. Like kayaking, it is recommended that those exploring the water be trained and experienced with the use of their equipment, and in reading ocean conditions including wind, waves and currents. If you need to rent equipment there are several local scuba shops that can provide this service. Island Packers will transport a maximum of 2 scuba tanks per pasenger. Do not pack weight. belts in baggage, please stow on deck with tank. |
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| Dive Shops Located Near Island Packers in Ventura and Oxnard | ||
| Peace Scuba and Peace Dive Boat | (805) 658-0448 | http://www.peaceboat.com |
| Ventura Dive and Sport | (805) 650-6500 | www.venturadive.com |
| Pacific Scuba | (805) 984-2566 | www.pacificscuba.com |