Cruising out to the Channel Islands National Park under the June Gloom. Five Islands – Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel and Santa Barbara. Barely 15 Nautical miles from 10 million people, you float into a wildlife sanctuary teeming with wildlife. Climbing up the ladders from the rocking boat – suddenly we are surrounded by polka dotted sea gull chicks, while their parents scream “mine, mine, mine”. Beaches covered with life, brown pelicans to the giant elephant seals and their pups. Dolphins especially Risso, a different shaped bulbous nosed fellow, ply the waters. You can kayak into a sea cave or climb a mountain. It was here that the Portuguese explorer João Rodrigues Cabrilho born over 500 years ago discovered California.

But amidst all of this, despite the fragments of civilization left behind, there is the sense of being on the last islands before one would get lost in the Pacific. An ocean that brings its relentless energy up on to the steep rock cliffs. Miniature sand dunes caused by aeolian forces. Isolating the traveler to be alone to observe nature, to notice the water fall of pine cones, the windblown pines and the scrub brush.