Anacapa Island

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Anacapa Island is the closest of the northern Channel Islands to the mainland — day-boat charter from Ventura/Oxnard via Island Packers. Its three islets (East, Middle, West) are within Channel Islands National Park, and the waters off the north side of the island are protected as the Anacapa Island State Marine Reserve (one of California's network of MPAs). Dense kelp forest, walls covered in strawberry anemones, big lingcod and sheephead, and large schools of blacksmith. Late summer and fall (Aug–Oct) bring the warmest water, calmest seas, and best viz before winter swells return. Surge can be significant on the exposed sides.