After rounding University Point and paddling past Isla Vista where some of the student residences had to be closed because they were about to fall off the cliffs, they looked back and waited for me to catch up. This was about 40 minutes later. Mike Bode was the other paddler. I had not RSVP-ed and they decided to leave a little earlier than planned.

The area has several natural oil wells that pollute the water and produce a nasty smell, but none of this today. Some of the oil is siphoned off by oil companies. We passed several floating barrels used by sea lions as a resting place and wondered what their purpose was besides that. Further up, first an abandoned oil derrick close to shore, then the Bacara resort, then a pier with probably an oil pipeline (we didn't get quite close enough but I believe it has one). Finally we saw Naples in the distance and got there about 40 minutes later.

We landed on the beach, I went first in my SOT so I could help the others. While Mike started his usual peanut butter sandwich lunch I started climbing up through a canyon to see the ghost town that was supposedly there according to Mike. I asked if they wanted to join but the climb seemed a little too daunting I suppose. Up on the cliffs was a large meadow with trees behind it, Mike later told me that this might be the place targeted for a golf course. Sadly, no ghost town in sight. Walking to the edge of the cliffs I saw M&M below at the beach. I walked around a little more then started making my way back. At the other side of the canyon I saw some cows, one of which was pretty big. Thinking it might be not be a cow but a bull I kept a low profile and made my way back into the canyon from behind the trees back to the beach.

As we launched, Mike B snapped some pictures of us. The sky had become completely overcast with rain clouds in the distance. M&M took their time. Mike P likes a leisurely pace as he states clearly in his announcments. Since I was counting on nice weather and was wearing only my usual shorts and a T shirt, after waiting for them to catch up after the launch I told him I wanted to keep paddling to stay warm and took off after that.

I paddled without a break and arrived at the beach by 1:15 PM. Just in time, as I cought some kids playing with my kayak cart in the surf which they mistook for a "piece of lumber". Their mother was watching, she later told me I should perhaps not leave it at the beach. Great advice, just what I was waiting to hear. After I put my kayak on the roof ready to head back home I saw M&M approaching through my binoculars. I decided not to wait for them and headed home.

Thanks for organizing the trip Mike, sorry about paddling solo to keep warm on my SOT but once my other piece of sit-in lumber wants to start floating perhaps I won't need to do that anymore.

Henk Aling

Directions:
From the south take 101 through Santa Barbara and get of on 217 to Goleta Beach Or get off on the airport exit (Fairview Ave) and follow signs to Goleta Beach. I believe the parking is free here.

Map & Directions
View picture of Goleta Beach
View picture of Naples Point

Thanks Henk for putting out a great trip report. I appreciate you explaining why you were left behind. In the future I will always wait until at least the advertised arrival time before leaving early. I'm still learning to be a good paddling host.

Mike Bode and I pretty much paddled alone during this trip because Henk couldn't stand our pace. Henk can really make that SOT of his move. Even with our frequent stops we traveled the 8 miles to Naples Point in less than 2 hrs. 4 miles an hour isn't too bad of a pace.

On the way to Naples we stopped outside Campus Point (UCSB). Mike B. saw some good places to try out his new interest (rock gardening) in the future. There was a great place south of the point to do some surfing too. We'll be back.

Our next stop was the half dozen mooring buoys past Coal Oil Point. It's amazing how the sea lions and harbor seals can climb up 8 ft diameter by 10 ft long drums bobbing up and down in the swells. I got close enough to a sea lion to take a few pictures.

The coast along this trip has kelp growing off shore all the way from Coal Oil Point to Naples Point. There is an incredible amount wildlife here. Cormorants, white egrets, pelicans, harbor seals, dolphins and of coarse sea gulls abound. Looking down among the kelp you could see the schools of bait fish that make this all happen. To avoid paddling in kelp during this paddle you can either paddle way off shore or close in to just about the surf zone. We went there outside and came back on the inside. Both really interesting paddles.

We landed at a beach just south of Naples that looked pretty much sandy. Everyone landed just fine in 2-3 ft waves. After landing we looked back out and started noticing all the boulders scattered though out the landing zone. This could have been disastrous if anyone would have breeched. I felt bad that Henk couldn't find the ghost town on his climb above the point. Not everyone has the psychic ability to see ghosts I guess. I did enjoy a wonderful gourmet peanut butter sandwich here though (natural peanut butter on whole wheat). Yum. Naples Point is a beautiful place, but I have described it in a past trip report (El Capitan to Naples Point Trip).

We got out through the boulders OK and headed back south. Like Henk said in his report, he was getting a little cold so he decided to take off at a faster pace. We kept a watch out for him for at least an hour. The Henk dot on the horizon. You could almost see the wake behind him.

Mike B. and I stopped at a abandoned oil platform close to shore and explored around the pilings while a flock of cormorants kept an eye on us above. When the swells dropped down the pilings revealed hundreds of sea stars among thousands of mussels. These sea stars almost looked mutant. I've never seen them that large. Some were at least 18 inches in diameter with immense center bodies.

The rest of the trip was pretty much uneventful. We never did get to paddle in the rain as we hoped, we got sprinkled on a few times. We had ominous black clouds on either side of us, up in the mountains and out at the islands. The wind did pick up to about 10 to 15 kts which made the paddle back a workout. All in all it was a fine paddle with an enjoyable group of paddlers.

Click on picture to see larger image

Campus Point at UCSB	Coal Oil Point (hydrocarbons not present)	Amazing flying sea lion	Naples Point with Mike Bode and Henk (ghosts not presently visible)

You may have already tried this, but if you like peanut butter, consider trying almond butter. If you have never tasted almond butter, you may find it a real treat. I personally enjoy crunchy, salted, almond butter, on fresh thick-sliced whole-wheat bread, with a nice layer of strawberry jam (I found a particularly tasty brand of jam that comes from England - sold at Gelfson's - but I don't remember the brand name at the moment). If you want to take the sandwich to its ultimate (and purest, IMHO) expression, try adding a layer of chunks of fresh butter between the almond butter and the strawberry jam (works best if the butter is very cold or frozen when making the sandwich).