San Miguel Island is the westernmost of California's Channel Islands, located across the Santa Barbara Channel in the Pacific Ocean, within Santa Barbara County, California. San Miguel is the sixth-largest of the eight Channel Islands at 9,325 acres (3,774 ha), including offshore islands and rocks. Prince Island, 700 m (2,300 ft) off the northeastern coast, measures 35 acres (14 ha) in area. The island, at its farthest extent, is 8 miles (13 km) long and 3.7 miles (6.0 km) wide.
Satellite picture
Aerial view of San Miguel
San Miguel Island Ranger Station
USS Tortuga (LSD-26) in 1987 near Cardwell Point. Foul weather and submerged rock and shoals has caused shipwrecks around San Miguel Island. The ship was towed out to sea and sunk.
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.