Page 152 - California Diving and Surfing

tanton’s son and heir was not interested
S in a government purchase of his island.
He took steps to avoid such events by forg-
ing an agreement with The Nature Conserv-
ancy, and the property was transferred to
the organization upon his death. Although
Santa Cruz Island is included within the
boundaries of Channel Islands National
Park, The Nature Conservancy portion of
the island does not belong to the park. A
transfer of 8,500 acres (34 km2) from the
Nature Conservancy to the park was com-
pleted in 2000. Channel Islands National
Park owns and operates approximately 24%
of Santa Cruz Island. The remaining land
is managed by a combination of organiza-
tions which includes The Nature Conservan-
cy, the University of California Field Station, excellent halibut hunting to vast rocky reefs
and the Santa Cruz Island Foundation.
he United States military began to use
T Santa Cruz Island during World War II,
and has constructed and maintained strate-
gic installations on the island. Like all of the and caverns. Diablo Anchorage offers one
Channel Islands, Santa Cruz Island was used
as an early warning outpost for observing
enemy planes and ships during World War
II. During the Cold War a communications
station was installed as a part of the Pacific
Missile Range Facility. This station remains
in operation, although not at the levels of
use seen in the 1950s and 1960s.
S cuba diving at Santa Cruz Island offers
a bit milder diving conditions and with
its many dive sites it offers endless diving
opportunities. From sandy bays known for
covered with kelp to mini walls covered
with life, you can always find a fantastic
dive spot. Santa Cruz sits in the transition
zone of warm southerly and colder north-
erly currents, creating diverse underwater
life. Unknown too many, this island is home
to an extensive system of underwater Caves
such example at the Diablo Point Cave.
There is the wreck of the USS Peacock (now
identified as the Spirit of Amercia), a 100
foot long wood hulled WW-II minesweeper
which is in great shape resting upright on
a sheltered 60 foot sandy bottom. The are
good dive sites around Santa Cruz Island
are Yellowbanks, Potato Rock, Diablo, Val-
dez, Fraser Cove, Forney’s Cove, Gull Island,
The Guardian Plane wreck at Laguna Har-
bor, and so many more. Santa Cruz Island
also has its Marine Protected Areas (MPA)
where it is strictly look and don’t touch.