Leg 7 (and 1/2)—San Diego to Morro Bay

We loved our time in the Channel Islands on our way down and were so excited to stop there on the way back, we made San Miguel Island the end of our 7th leg. 

But as we did a little pre-visit research, we found that the National Park Service has closed the island indefinitely due to some recently discovered unexploded ordnance from long ago when the island was used for bombing training runs. We were disappointed to miss out on another chance to spend time on that unique island, but made plans to take a hike on Santa Rosa Island instead. 

Bryan had spotted the 9-mile Lobo Canyon hike listed on the park brochure when we were in the area in October, but we didn't have time for him to hike it. After a smooth night Monday and a speedy Tuesday (we even managed to sail some of the way!), we pulled into the anchorage at Becher's Bay about 9:30 on Wednesday morning. 

Bryan convinced the girls and me to come along with the promise that we didn't need to hike all the way to the mouth of the canyon. 

We tied up to the pier, climbed the ladder to the deck level, and enjoyed the view before heading into shore. 

We walked the dusty Smith Highway in the heat from the Santa Ana winds, and rationed our water, hoping to refill our bottles in the canyon's “year-round stream.” 

Sunscreen time!

We found the canyon, and ate lunch in the shade of the trees at its head. 

But the southern California drought had impacted the Channel Islands too and the stream was just a dry creek-bed. Bryan and Meira wandered down the canyon a ways while Hannah and I caught our breath and cooled down.

I love the way Meira captured the scale of the rock formations in these 3 shots of her dad.

We hiked back, downhill (most of the way) this time. 

Our timing couldn't have been better. By 6:30 pm, we were back on the boat, pulling up our anchor. We rounded the notoriously nasty Point Conception in a lovely pre-dawn calm the next morning,

and made it into Morro Bay just before sunset Thursday night, still reeling from the easy run.