InReach uses the Iridium worldwide satellite network, and can be used to transmit emergency calls and receive responses. If you're going offshore, you might decide it has advantages over the traditional EPIRB and Spot Messenger. Speaking of Santa Cruz Island, the largest of the eight Channel Islands, as we did a few paragraphs ago, the next four months are prime time for that 22mile by between 2 and 6-mile wide local cruising favorite. Santa Cruz Island has 77 miles of rugged coastline, lots of sea caves, and 2,450-ft tall Devil's Peak. Although it only has two official residents, here's something you probably didn't know — it has three runways over 2,000 feet long. It is not, however, a hub for any of the major airlines. Once the largest privately owned island in the United States, it's now owned 74% by the Nature Conservancy and 24% by the National Park Service. You have to get a permit — it's not hard to do — to visit the Conservancy part, but you do not need a permit to visit the National Park part. In 1821, when Mexico still ran California, they sent 40 prisoners to Santa
R SEA CAT
CHANGES
After sending some messages on their DeLorme communicator, Mike and Deanna shocked locals by surfing tanden at Teahupo'o.
Barbara to help populate the area. Upon arrival, the prisoners were shipped out to Santa Cruz Island. You'll never guess the name of the place where they got off. No, it's not 'Freeman's Harbor'. Histori-
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ans remain mystified as to how popular Smuggler's Cove came by its name. Less crowded than Catalina but without stores or services, Santa Cruz Island is as little as 21 miles from Santa Barbara, 17 miles from Ventura Harbor, 17 miles from Oxnard Harbor, 54 miles from Marina del Rey; 85 miles from Newport Beach, 144 miles from San Diego — and 6,058 miles from Cape Horn. If there were cell and data service at Santa Cruz Island, we and a lot of others would spend a lot of time out there. Seventy-eight and still going strong! Most Latitude readers are familiar with the amazing story of Jack van Ommen of Gig Harbor, Washington. After going bankrupt in his sixties, about all Jack had of value was the Naja 29 Fleetwood he'd built from a kit and done the Singlehanded TransPac with many years before. Armed with the boat, about $15, and the promise of a modest monthly Social Security check, he took off around the world from Northern California. We've lost count, but in the subsequent nine years he cruised little Fleetwood at
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