[CINC] Island Adventure/6-15/12

[paul jr petrich]

Hello Ocean and Island People, 
  IPCO's Island Adventure under Captain Lee's command had a busy day, leaving Ventura with 111 passengers aboard, dropping 58 off at Scorpion, and taking the rest to SantaRosa. Thirty eight landing at Scorpion were day kayakers, and three were CINC volunteers: Marty ( VC); Don Mills ( weekend); and your's truly, Cavern Point guide. Kathy Van Slyke went on to SRI to lead the hike. The Island Adventure returned to Ventura Harbor at 6 p.m. after a very rewarding day for all! 
 As a start, under a heavy marine layer, all aboard were thrilled to see at least seven Bottle Nose dolphin escort us OUT OF THE HARBOR!  As we crossed the channel three separate 100 strong pods of Common dolphin played in our wakes. Once at Scorpion, the CI Fox was seen in numbers I have not witnessed on the island since the late1980s. During my hike we saw 5 in the VC-campground area and two more on the trail. Sightings were reported by Marty, on the hike he lead when another IPCO boat came in at 9 a.m., and by Don, when he went to Prisoner's Harbor to check out a problem related to the pier there with that boat. Another IPCO boat came in at noon, and Marty took some from it on a hike to Cavern Point as well. All my hikers followed me on to Potato Harbor after Cavern Point, and one did the Scorpion Canyon Loop with me.. 
 A very special fox treat for many who were waiting for the 5 p.m. departure, was the witnessing of a group of four fox pups playing around and about a "day-care" mom. We assume all were not her's, as broods should not be over 3, we think?  Anyway, later we saw only 2 playing at a time.
Kathy and her hikers from Santa Rosa also reported seeing fox there ( at least 2). 
 I must add all my sightings seem to be of very healthy foxes, totally oblivious to our presence. They were constantly on the move sniffing and searching, if they were the adults.  The first one we saw was definitely eating green grass. This day my group saw no indication of wrongful feedings.   I Sari Wa, Paul
 
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