[CINC] Island Adventure-Scorpion Hike 4/12/11

[paul jr petrich]

Hello Mates,
 Today Captain Lee expertly took 50 of us out to Santa Cruz Island through some fun, bumpy stuff!  Working corps such as the Santa Monica Trail maintenance  group and an archeological study group lead by Prof Glassow from UCSB went on to Prisoners Harbor, while most the rest where passengers destined for Scorpion Anchorage. I took 15 of them on the Cavern Point hike while Lola Lynch shared her expertise at the Visitor's Center. It was not a good day for visibility, and there was a cool wind on the bluffs. Scorpion Anchorage was protected and warm, and some of our "oblivious to all" fox friends seemed to congregate there to soak up sun.
 One highlight of the trip was the presents of Dan Muhs, the geologist who is currently writing a guide book on the geology of the CINP. He will be the presenter at the Sea to Shore lecture at the Park HQ tomorrow night. He and his research aid Christy were exploring a site near Cavern Point for fossils, where the caliche deposits are. On the way back to Ventura he displayed his find to Jean, a crew member gives a lot of interesting commentary on the boat's mike, and myself. He spread out over a geological map of Santa Cruz Island, clam and mussel shells dating back two million years!!  He was also full of information about the diatomaceous earth on ESCI that re- crystalized into the chirt deposits that were so important to the development advancement of the Chumash culture on the island, and beyond. See you tomorrow night!    Paul