Whales, pinnipeds, and wildflowers: Island-hopping in Channel Islands National Park

Thursday - Sunday, May 4 - 7;
Friday - Monday, July 21 - 24: four islands - San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa ($750);
Friday - Tuesday, August 25 - 29;
Thursday - Monday, September 14 - 18: all five islands ($875)

All cruises depart from Santa Barbara aboard the 68' twin-diesel Truth. Participants are invited to board the night before to ensure an early morning departure. Prices include assigned bunks, sumptuous meals and snacks, and the services of a ranger/naturalist who will travel with us to lead hikes and help identify whales, dolphins, seals and sea lions, and numerous species of birds and plants, and also artifacts left by the Chumash, who inhabited these islands for thousands of years.

Each island offers its own special charm:

• San Miguel's white, sandy beaches host huge congregation of elephant seals;
• Santa Rosa has a rare Torrey-pine forest;
• Santa Cruz holds high mountains, deep valleys, and the famous Painted Cave;
• Anacapa is home for the West Coast brown-pelican rookery, with steep cliffs, a picturesque lighthouse, and excellent snorkeling waters;
• tiny but pristine Santa Barbara's rocky shores house a colony of friendly sea lions, and its rolling grassy landscape shelters a plethora of sea and land birds.

All islands have rugged shorelines, dotted with sea caves and inhabited by an abundance of wildlife. Activities include hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, beachcombing, or just relaxing at sea. Warmer summer waters entice snorkelers and swimmers.

Net proceeds will benefit Sierra Club political programs in California. To make a reservation, send a check for $100, payable to "Sierra Club", to leader Joan Jones Holtz at:

11826 The Wye St.
El Monte, CA 91732.

For more information, contact her at (626)443-0706 or email jholtzhln -at- aol.com