The boat can't dock at the island, so it idles closely by while you climb up a ladder to reach solid ground. Then you take a 150-step iron staircase up to the entry of the island.

A park service volunteer, a "naturalist" (and she fit the bill in many ways), rode over to the island with us and led a guided hike around the island.

Anacapa is "for the birds" they say and that's the first thing you notice about the island. You definitely have Hitchcockian flashbacks as the island comes into view. You are greeted by thousands of seagulls and hundreds of pelicans nesting and flying around the island. The seagulls were nesting at this time and they were set up in nests as far as the eye could see.