 Aerial view of San Miguel San Miguel Island is the westernmost of California's Channel Islands and the sixth-largest of the eight at 9,325 acres (37.74 km²). The island, at its furthest extent, is 8 miles (13 km) long and 3.7 miles (6 km) wide. San Miguel Island, together with numerous small islets around it, is defined by the United States Census Bureau as Block 3010, Block Group 3, Census Tract 29.10 of Santa Barbara County, California. The island is uninhabited. [1] Image File history File links San-miguel-island. ...
Image File history File links San-miguel-island. ...
The eight Channel Islands of California, off the west coast of the United States. ...
The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ...
A census tract, census area, or census district is a particular community defined for the purpose of taking a census. ...
Santa Barbara County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, just west of Ventura County. ...
An uninhabited island is an island that has yet to be (or is not currently) populated by humans. ...
San Miguel is part of Channel Islands National Park and lies within Santa Barbara County. This westernmost island receives northwesterly winds and severe weather from the open ocean. The cold and nutrient-rich water surrounding the island is home to a diverse array of sea life that is not found on the southern islands. The Channel Islands National Park is a national park that consists of five of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of the U.S. state of California, in the Pacific Ocean. ...
Santa Barbara County is a county located on the Pacific coast of Southern California, in the state of California, just west of Ventura County. ...
Submerged rocks make the nearly 28-mile (45-km) coastline a mariner's nightmare.
History
Rough seas and risky landings did not daunt the Chumash who lived there, nor did they deter the first European explorer, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, in 1542--it is also rumored be his burialplace (there is a monument there in his honor). Ranchers raised sheep from 1850 to 1948. Later, the Navy used the island for a bombing range. Rafael, a Chumash in the 1800s Pre-contact distribution of the Chumash The Chumash Indians, a Native American tribe, mainly inhabited the southern coastal regions of California, in the vicinity of what is now Santa Barbara and Ventura, extending as far south as Malibu. ...
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, in Portuguese João Rodrigues Cabrilho, (ca 1499–January 3, 1543) was an explorer noted for his exploration of the west coast of North America while sailing for Spain. ...
Events War resumes between Francis I of France and Emperor Charles V. This time Henry VIII of England is allied to the Emperor, while James V of Scotland and Sultan Suleiman I are allied to the French. ...
1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...
To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
The multinational Combined Task Force One Five Zero (CTF-150) The British Grand Fleet, the supreme naval force of World War I A rare occurrence of a 5-country multinational fleet, during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Oman Sea. ...
Park Service Operations
 San Miguel Island Ranger Station The National Park Service maintains two airstrips, a ranger station and a research station on the island. The Island is normally staffed by a ranger that enforces park laws, while also providing interpretive services for public visitors. The island also hosts scientists that study pinnipeds and manage the Island Fox captive breeding program that is conducted on the island. Volunteer interpretive rangers often fill in for regularly paid rangers due to budget deficits within the park. Park employees and researchers are flown to the island by Channel Islands Aviation. Public visitors are not permitted to fly in. Image File history File links Ranger-station. ...
Image File history File links Ranger-station. ...
Families Odobenidae Otariidae Phocidae Pinnipeds (fin-feet, lit. ...
Binomial name Urocyon littoralis (Baird, 1857) The Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis) is a small fox that is native to six of the eight Channel Islands of California. ...
Camping Facilities
 San Miguel Island Campground. San Miguel Island includes a campground with 10 sites. Each campsite includes a picnic table, wind break, and animal proof box. The campground includes one pit toilet. Fires are prohibited due to the high winds and the inability to extinguish them. Sturdy tents are recommended as the wind can exceed 50 mph, even during the summer. It is recommended that campers tie their tents to the wind break to keep them from blowing away when not being slept in. Image File history File links San-miguel-campsite. ...
Image File history File links San-miguel-campsite. ...
Hiking With the exception of the trail leading to the campground and ranger station, hiking is restricted to ranger led outings. Many visitors participate in the 14 mile round trip hike to Point Bennett to view the thousands of seals and sea lions that reside at the west end of the island during spring and summer. Another popular hike is to the Island's caliche forest. Image File history File links San-miguel-island-caliche. ...
Image File history File links San-miguel-island-caliche. ...
Caliche is a hardened deposit of calcium carbonate. ...
Water Activities Visitors to the island are restricted to ocean access at Cuyler Harbor. This landing is well protected from the strong ocean swell that is driven from the northwest. Cuyler has a sandy beach and visitors will often find themselves sharing the beach with elephant seals. The water is generally below 60F, making it cold without a wet suit. During low tides the harbor offers a tide pool area at the east end of the beach. Sea kayaking is not recommended for the novice as high winds can develop without notice.
Weather San Miguel Island does not receive protection from the open ocean as the other channel islands. Most of the time a strong northwest wind blows across the island. These winds often exceed 25 mph and can surpass 50 mph. When strong high pressure is over the mainland, the winds often cease.
Heavy fog is common on the island. On warmer days the fog will burn off only to have the strong northwest wind blow in additional fog from the open ocean. On foggy days the temperature will rarely exceed 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Evening fog obscures Londons Tower Bridge from passers by. ...
Landing
 Landing on San Miguel Island There is no pier on San Miguel island so all public visitors arrive on the island by skiff at Cuyler Harbor. Landing on the island can be an exciting experience as the surf can swamp the landing boat. During ideal weather visitors are put ashore directly in front of the trail that leads into the interior of the island. When the swell is high, visitors might be placed on the beach to the east or west depending upon conditions. Image File history File links San-miguel-cuyler-boat. ...
Image File history File links San-miguel-cuyler-boat. ...
The term skiff is applied to various river craft, but a skiff is typically a small flat-bottomed open boat with a pointed bow and square stern. ...
The hike to the campsite is steep and campers normally make multiple trips to transport belongings and water.
Visitation
 Hiking down to Cuyler Harbor from the campground Normally fewer than 200 public visitors set foot on San Miguel during a given year. Image File history File links San-miguel-cuyler-hike. ...
Image File history File links San-miguel-cuyler-hike. ...
Visitors are transported by boat to the Island by the Park concessionaire, Island Packers. Eight foot seas are not uncommon in the Pacific between Santa Rosa Island and San Miguel Island.
Rough seas often result in cancellation of excursions. In 2006, the first public voyage did not take place until July 15, as two prior attempts were canceled due to 50 mph winds and high seas. No more than 30 visitors are permitted on the island at any given time and sometimes fewer than ten campers make the voyage. The National Park Service advises campers to carry an extra day's food and water in the event the pickup needs to be delayed due to bad weather.
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1271x827, 197 KB) en:San Miguel Island, Southern California Photo: Glenn Allen. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1271x827, 197 KB) en:San Miguel Island, Southern California Photo: Glenn Allen. ...
References - ^ Block 3010, Block Group 3, Census Tract 29.10, Santa Barbara County United States Census Bureau
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