Get pumped for this all day trip to Santa Cruz Island! We will take an early ferry out to this isolated island to see all sorts of Pacific Rim plants and Wildlife. Expect beautiful ocean views and a full day away from the fast-paced SoCal life! The trip will include ferry crossings each way with potential marine mammal sightings.
DISCLAIMER: The Channel Islands are remote and beautiful but also prone to potential bad weather at any time of year. The ferry crossing from Ventura to the Santa Cruz takes about 90 minutes, and we will likely experience swell (in addition to whale sightings!) for most of the trip. If you get seasick easily, please consider bringing along motion sickness meds like Dramamine or going on another trip.
Additionally, if the weather ends up looking bad 3ish days before the trip, we will get a refund on the ferry tickets and divert to a hike around Ojai or Santa Barbara mountains :)
PACKING LIST:
LUNCH
SUNCREEN
WATER BOTTLE
HAT
HIKING SHOES/TENNIS SHOES
DAY PACK
SNACKS
WAIVERS
SWIMSUIT???
PROFESSOR: Ian Culbertson
DEPARTMENT: Physical Education
RATE MY PROFESSOR: “Best lecturer & class I have taken at USC. Culbertson has a really strong passion for surfing & it's pretty infectious”
Coach Culbertson has spent time all over coastal California, eventually finding his way to the USC physical education department! He is an expert surfer and avid backpacker. If it’s outside, he’s probably done it! Expect to hear everything from learning about long shore drift to stories of some of thee gnarliest waves in Cali!
PEAK: Santa Cruz Island
DIFFICULTY: 5/5
SCENERY: tide pools, beaches, marine life, rolling hills, deep canyons, sea lions?, sharks?
FUN FACT: During the last ice age, Santa Cruz was linked with 3 other channel islands to form one superisland
Due to all of the recent rain, the island is uncharacteristically green! This is one of the further and larger islands, but the journey to get there is well worth it!
TRIP LEAD: Jack Elliott
Contact Jack: jpelliot@usc.edu
Read Jack’s bio here.
Santa Cruz Island, California