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

April 13 - 16
May 4 - 7
July 20 - 23
4-day, 4-island cruises visiting San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz & Anacapa Islands. $775

August 25 - 29
September 15 - 19
5-day, 5-island cruises visiting all five islands included in Channel Islands National Park: San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, & tiny Santa Barbara Island! $925

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 congregations 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. In spring the islands are ablaze with wildflowers. Warmer summer waters entice snorkelers and swimmers.

These cruises are fundraisers to benefit Sierra Club programs. 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 or visit www.truthaquatics.com/hiking.htm