Channel Islands (California)
The Channel Islands are an eight-island archipelago located within the Southern California Bight in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California. They define the Santa Barbara Channel, which sits between the islands and the California mainland. The four Northern Channel Islands are part of the Transverse Ranges geologic province, and the four Southern Channel Islands are part of the Peninsular Ranges province. Five of the islands are within the Channel Islands National Park, and the waters surrounding these islands make up Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. The Nature Conservancy was instrumental in establishing the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.
Channel Islands (California)
Beach of Santa Cruz Island
Beach at San Miguel
Tomols or te'aats are Chumash and Tongva boats used to travel throughout the islands and to the mainland.
Southern California Bight
The Southern California Bight is a 692-kilometer-long stretch of curved coastline that runs along the west coast of the United States and Mexico, from Point Conception in California to Punta Colonet in Baja California, plus the area of the Pacific Ocean defined by that curve. This includes the Channel Islands of California and the Coronado Islands and Islas de Todo Santos of Baja California.
ISS view of the Southern California Bight, which stretches from Point Conception (top left) to Punta Colonet (bottom left)
Satellite view of the Southern California Bight in California, including the Channel Islands
Mountainous stretch of coastline between Tijuana and Ensenada, Baja California
Coastal fog blankets the city of Ensenada on an April evening. The fog typically evaporates by midday.