Page 161 - California Diving and Surfing

nacapa Island is a small volcanic island East Island), and the total land area was 2.947
km2 (1.138 sq mi). The highest peak is Summit
A located about 11 miles (18 km) off the
coast of Port Hueneme, California, in Ventura Peak 2 on West Island, 930 ft (283 m).

County. The Island is composed of a series of E ast Island’s most notable natural feature
narrow islets 6 mi (10 km) long, running in a is Arch Rock, a 40-foot (12 m)-high natural
mostly east-west orientation, 5 mi (8 km) east

of Santa Cruz Island. The island is composed bridge. Anacapa is the only one of the Channel

of three islets: East, Middle and West Anacapa, Islands to have a non-Spanish-derived name.

collectively known as the “Anacapas” by some Anacapa comes from the Chumash word enee-

authors. The islets have precipitous cliffs, drop- pah or ‘Anyapakh, meaning mirage island.

ping off steeply into the sea. East and Middle O n the night of December 2, 1853, the
Anacapa have fairly level areas at their tops, sidewheel steamer Winfield Scott running
but West Anacapa is wider and reaches an alti-

tude of 930 ft (283 m). Middle Island reaches an at full speed crashed into the rocks off Mid-

altitude of 325 ft (99 m) and East Island is 250 dle Anacapa and sank. All of the passengers

ft (76 m) at its highest point. All three islands survived and were rescued after a week. The

total 699 acres (283 ha), or about 1.1 square United States Coast Guard built a light beacon

miles (2.8 km2). Anacapa is part of the Chan- in 1912 and a light station in 1932 (Anacapa

nel Islands archipelago (island chain), and is Island Light). It was the last lighthouse built

part of the Channel Islands National Park. It is by the United States Lighthouse Service. The

the smallest of the northern islands. TThe of- lighthouse is located on the eastern part of the

ficial 2000 census population was 3 permanent island, at the entrance to the Santa Barbara

residents (Ranger Station in the eastern part of Channel.