For our family’s spring break this year, I wanted to encourage our family to live outside of our comfort zone and do something completely different; that we haven’t done before. One of the things on my bucket list is to explore the beauty of Channel Islands National Park, and after doing some research, I decided upon taking a guided kayak tour AND surfing lessons with the Santa Barbara Sea Adventure Company; after all, they are rated the #1 choice for Channel Islands National Park tours. Let me just say that our kayak tour was amazing!
Here at Santa Cruz Island in Channel Islands National Park, lie some of the most magnificent sea caves found in the whole world. Teeming with marine life, this coastline is the perfect environment to explore by kayak.
Their guided kayak tours take you on an adventure through some of the most stunning scenery along Channel Islands, including Scorpion Anchorage, the ultimate destination for nature lovers, camping and hiking adventurers, kayaking enthusiasts and of course visiting the breathtaking sea caves. Suitable for all levels, age 5+ our tours are led by experienced guides who will ensure a safe and enjoyable adventure.
WHAT IS A SEA CAVE?
A sea cave is formed in a cliff by waves coming from either the ocean or a lake. Sea caves occur on almost every clipped coast where waves break directly on a cliff’s surface. Although the majority of inland caves are formed by a chemical solution process, sea caves are mostly formed by mechanical erosion.
HOW DO SEA CAVES FORM?
Sea caves are mainly formed by forceful waves and high tides hitting against a cliff’s surface. As time passes, sea caves form along cracks in cliffs where the rock is softer. Because the abrasive action of waves is concentrated at the base of the cliff, an overhang forms.
The most popular Channel Island National Park tour with Santa Barbara Adventure Co is Adventure Sea Caves Kayak tour; however, they do offer tons of other ocean adventures!
Snorkel tours: Go searching for marine life via snorkeling. They have the perfect beginner’s snorkel tour that will help you spot tons of marine life.
Surf Lessons: Visiting Santa Barbara and want to surf!? Take a family surf lesson! We did and we loved it (especially our kids watching mom & dad totally wipe out!). You can also take Paddleboard lessons!
Want to do your own thing, but don’t have the gear? Rent kayaks, surfboards, stand up paddle boards, and snorkel gear from Santa Barbara Adventure Co.
On the Adventure Sea Cave Kayak tour, you’ll spend 2.5-3 hours exploring the unparalleled natural wonders of this unique area. With more sea cave kayaking opportunities than any other part of the park, Scorpion Anchorage is the ultimate destination for nature lovers, adventurers, and kayaking enthusiasts.
Our tour guide was amazing! Brian was very knowledgeable on marine ecology and the natural history of the islands, and even got us to have a tasting of kelp. We kayaked through kelp forests and the most pristine coastlines along Scorpion Anchorage. During our tour we saw a beautiful pair of dolphins leisurely swimming among us, 2 harbor sea lions bobbing their heads, an elephant seal, and back on land we saw Island foxes, which only live on six of the eight Channel Islands and not found anywhere else on Earth, and the scrub blue jay, a striking blue bird which lives exclusively on California's Santa Cruz Island. We were a group of eight, and Brian did an excellent job teaching us basic kayaking, keeping all of us together and making sure we were exploring the sea caves safely. Our guide understood that ocean conditions can be a tricky task- challenging to predict and impossible to control; making some of the sea caves that we entered more of a challenge to paddle than others; however Brian handled it like a pro and took each Kayak one at a time to explore some of the tight fitting sea caves so each of us could get an up-close views of these beautiful caves.
Channel Islands has the most sea caves per mile than any other location in the world, but to see these awesome caves up close or look down on a giant kelp forest, viewing native wildlife and exploring underwater rock formations and caves, I highly recommend going with Santa Barbara Adventure Company.
Tip:
For more predictable cave access, we recommend you book during the calm summer months. Perfect time to book is now as the tour usually DOES sell out for the spring and summer months. The check in and orientation process was easy and you will need to purchase a ferry ticket to get to Scorpion Anchorage to start your Kayak tour.
Link for more information:
Santa Barbara Adventure Company | Tours & Activities (sbadventureco.com)
