Catalina Island, California, 5/1/2025, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
California Coast
Our final day of this wild escape was spent on Catalina Island, an amazing confluence of wild and urban. We disembark National Geographic Quest tomorrow with a new appreciation of wild places that are not so far off the beaten path, and it’s been an amazing experience!
Kim is a marine biologist, fine art photographer, and avid fisherman. Based in Juneau, Alaska, Lingít Aaní, she spends her time between the mountains and the ocean. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Cognitive Neuroscience from the Unive...
We had an incredible day out in Channel Islands National Park. We settled into the remote unworldliness of these volcanically formed islands as the fog lifted and our perfect day began. We set out in our Zodiacs and headed to famous Arch Rock, watching some playful sea lions and red-footed pigeon guillemots along the way. This afternoon we transited to Santa Cruz Island where we explored by both land and sea. Our Zodiac cruises saw harbor seals and a gray whale while our hikers saw the endemic island fox and endemic island scrub jay.
The sunrise reflected yellow off the steep cliffs of Santa Rosa Island, and we knew we had a great day in store. The entire group headed ashore on the second largest of the Channel Islands for hikes. We were greeted by an extravaganza of wildflowers. Giant coreopsis painted the hills yellow and towered over meadow hikers. Purple lupine, Indian paintbrush, and California poppies created a kaleidoscope of color along our paths. Some of our group headed for a longer hike to one of the two groves of Torrey Pines that exist on the planet. Some of us took part in casual walks around the historical Vail and Vickers cattle ranch and along the coastal bluffs. And all of us searched for the elusive and adorable endemic Santa Rosa Island fox… and some of us found them! After lunch we headed back to the island for specialized walks to focus on photography, search for foxes, and learn more about wildflowers.
