Catalina Island, 10/20/2018, National Geographic Sea Lion
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Lion
Channel Islands, California
In the predawn hours under the watch of the constellation Orion, National Geographic Sea Lion slipped into Little Harbor on Catalina Island. Morning stretch class took place at sunrise on a gently rolling Pacific Ocean. After breakfast, Laura Menudo, a ranger with the Catalina Island Conservancy gave an insightful presentation on the conservancy’s mission and work on the island. Our morning hikers were treated to views of blueschist outcrops, fresh bison patties, and wonderful coastal vistas, while the kayakers and paddle boarders explored neighboring Shark Harbor. After a tasty lunch, we cruised along the backside of the island to our afternoon’s destination, Avalon. A photography walk culminated with beautiful afternoon golden light encompassing the marina and the plethora of watercrafts. Guests got scooped at Scoops Ice Cream Shop, then worked it off while walking to the Wrigley Botanical Gardens. A lovely time was had by all taking in the colorful sights of this historical harbor community. We crossed the San Pedro Channel late in the evening, concluding our Channel Islands voyage.
An educator at heart, Dan finds great joy in helping others explore and connect with the world around them. He has taught marine sciences in the Florida Keys and on Catalina Island, science and math in international schools in Mexico, Costa Rica, and ...
Our final day of this wild escape was spent within the National Park. With a break in the weather, we were able to land on two different islands. This morning was spent at Anacapa Island, the only island in the Channel Islands that has kept its original Chumash name, meaning “mirage”. We spent the morning choosing between Zodiac cruising around the island to check out the landscape or hiking ashore to see the seabirds up close. Santa Cruz Island, the largest of the Channel Islands, was a great place to spend the afternoon. Once again, we had options to both hike and Zodiac cruise. We spotted foxes, the endemic jay, and had a great end to a great trip exploring California’s Channel Islands!
Last night, after much deliberation by the captain and expedition leader, our ship returned to the Port of Los Angeles to avoid high seas and winds. We made the most of our day in the city by taking advantage of well-crafted excursion. In the morning, many guests enjoyed the Aquarium of the Pacific, while others toured the USS Iowa, and others went for hikes and tidepool adventures near the bluffs of Palos Verde. The highlight of the tidepool adventure was finding an octopus under a rock! We all returned to National Geographic Quest for a very informative presentation by National Geographic Expert in Geology, Kirt Kempter. After lunch, we had another round of options, with a majority of guests visiting the beautiful Huntington Gardens, others learning about the last 45,000 years of fossils found in the La Brea Tar Pits, and plenty of others choosing to hike a challenging trail in Palos Verde. Spirits were high when we set sail towards the Northern Channel Islands after dinner, and all were looking forward to a presentation from Tim Hatler.
Today was the first full day of our expedition and it was a fruitful and enjoyable learning experience. In the morning, guests chose between a variety of hikes or kayaking, and in the afternoon, we explored the rugged coastline by way of Zodiac. We loved the abundant birdlife and majestic landscapes we encountered on the hike up to a large hill overlooking the narrow isthmus of Catalina Island near Two Harbors. The highlights were seeing acorn woodpeckers, black-headed grosbeaks, California quails, orange-crowned warblers and spotted towhees. When we neared the top of the hill, although we were mostly inside a cloud, we caught a glimpse of a nearby male lazuli bunting which was a stunning color. In the afternoon, a highlight was seeing a bald eagle perched near the shoreline and two harbor seals hauled out on a rock covered in kelp. The vibe on board is great, and we look forward to the subsequent days exploring aboard National Geographic Quest .
