Category Archives: Recreation and Outdoors

Exploring the Channel Islands by kayak

Local freelance writer and photographer Chuck Graham will describe his favorite kayaking trips and wildlife encounters around the Channel Islands, during the June From Shore to Sea lecture.

The isolation of the Channel Islands and conditions in the Santa Barbara Channel can make access challenging – areas where it is hard to sail or kayak, due to high winds, rough seas, or big swells, abound, often making it difficult for visitors to reach places they would most like to explore.

For Graham, kayaking provides an opportunity to seek out these little-known and out-of-the-way areas, and his talk will describe some of his most challenging and most rewarding kayaking trips circumnavigating the unique eddies and coves of the islands.

Graham, an accomplished waterman, has been paddling at the Channel Islands for 20 years and has been guiding other visitors on kayak excursions for 14 years for Channel Islands Outfitters.

The talk will be held on Thursday, June 9. The From Shore to Sea lecture series is sponsored by Channel Islands National Park to further the understanding of current research on the Channel Islands and surrounding marine waters. The lecture will take place at 7:00 p.m.  at the Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center, 1901 Spinnaker Drive in Ventura Harbor.

This lecture can also be viewed live online at Shore to Sea lecture series.

 

Ventura Hillsides Conservancy to host “Bike and Hike,” Saturday, May 21

On Sat., May 21, from 1-3 p.m., the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy (VHC) will host “Bike and Hike” – a free community bike ride along the Ojai-Ventura Bike path. VHC staff will lead riders on a 12-mile round-trip excursion to their Big Rock Preserve. Upon arrival, VHC will conduct a hike on their nature preserve before returning to Ventura.

VHC will be joined on the ride by representatives from VCCool, a Ventura-based grass roots climate change action organization, who will help with any bike repairs needed along the route. Those who need to tune up their bike before the ride are encouraged to visit, Ventura Bike HUB, VCCool’s do-it- yourself community bicycle shop located at 1150 N. Ventura Ave., Ventura. For store hours, visit: www.vccool.org.

This event is appropriate for bike riders of all ages who are comfortable riding on a slight incline for a stretch of 45 – 60 minutes each way. Children must be accompanied by a parent. Riders should meet VHC staff at the Ventura River kiosk near Ventura’s Main Street Bridge at 1 p.m. and bring their own bicycles, helmets and water bottles.

To RSVP, go to www.venturahillsides.org and click on the Events tab. For more information, call VHC at: (805) 643-8044.

Surfrider Foundation Ventura County Chapter Meeting Tues. Feb. 2nd

Guest Speakers on Pervasive Plastics in our Sandy Beach Ecosystem

Surfrider welcomes the public to join us at our first general chapter meeting for 2016 on Tuesday February 2nd from 6:30 to 8:30 at Patagonia / Great Pacific Iron Works.

The chapter meeting will cover local program and campaign updates and feature a guest presentation by a research team from the California State University at Channel Islands. Dr. Clare Steele,  and seniors Michaela Miller, and Dorothy Horn will be on hand to present their capstone project research on pervasive plastics in our sandy beach ecosystem.  These are plastics you can’t see or pick up, but are being found throughout our environment.

Michaela is studying the composition and seasonal fluctuation of plastic particle contamination off of our coasts to give us a better understanding of where it comes from and how to manage it. Recent recipient of a WRPI-USDA research grant, Dorothy Horn has found both micro fibers and plastic particles in sand crabs off our coast and is studying the effects of this human caused pollution on these organisms and the effects on the adjacent sandy beach ecosystems.

As California votes in November 2016 for a statewide plastic checkout bag ban (vote YES!), news about plastic pollution popping up in odd places such as sand crabs is alraming. Join Surfrider’s Rise Above Plastics program to help fight the waves of plastic pollution.

Another focus for Surfrider in Ventura this year is raising awareness of the need to bring down Matilija Dam as a major step toward the natural rehabilitation of Surfrer’s Point. Come out to the chapter meeting to learn more about all of our local programs and campaigns.

WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE TO HELP?

The list is endless, but you can pitch in at the Surfrider beach cleanup at Ormond Beach from 9am-11am on Saturday February 27th. Visit www.facebook.com/venturasurfrider for updates on all of these events and more.

The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of oceans, waves and beaches through a powerful activist network. ventura.surfrider.org                              

Ventura Hillside Conservancy looking for volunteers for tree planting Sat., Dec. 19, 9am-12pm

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS!

We know it’s a very busy time of year but Ventura Hillside Conservancy hopes that you can put your holiday shopping on hold for a couple of hours this Saturday, Dec.19, and help us plant trees from 9 a.m. – noon at our Big Rock Preserve.

Volunteers both young and old are encouraged to join us as we dig holes in the soil and plant young trees along the Ventura River Parkway. If you joined us last month at our first Tree Planting Party, you know how much fun it is to dig in the dirt with 100 new friends. If you missed out, here’s your chance to pitch in and help us start approximately 75 young trees off on the right foot.

Thanks to the ongoing generosity of our friends at REI, we will be giving away free REI t-shirts to the first 25 people to arrive!

To get to Big Rock Preserve, take Highway 33 toward Ojai and exit at Casitas Vista Rd. Turn right, park underneath the highway overpass and walk to the bike path. Take a left at the bike path entrance and we will be set up a short way ahead – near the mural. Please wear pants, sturdy closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and bring a shovel and a friend!

If you have questions, give us a call 643-8044. Hope to see you on Saturday!

Scorpion Pier on Santa Cruz Island Closed Temporarily Due to Damage from High Surf

The Scorpion Pier on Santa Cruz Island is closed temporarily until
damages caused by the high surf last Friday are fully assessed and
repaired. The island will remain open to visitation. Landings at
Scorpion Anchorage will be beach landings via skiff until the pier
reopens.

Storm surge and high waves inundated Scorpion Anchorage last Friday,
causing flooding in the valley, road damage to the pier access road,
and damage to the pier decking, concrete abutment, and metal frame.

The Scorpion Pier is a flatbed railcar that was installed as a
temporary pier in 2000 and has been deteriorating due to wave action
and saltwater. The park plans to replace the existing pier in
approximately three years.

Scorpion Anchorage is the most visited destination in the park, with
over 55,000 people coming ashore each year to enjoy recreational
activities such as hiking, picnicking, camping, kayaking, and
swimming.

The high surf also caused minor damage to both the Prisoners Pier on
Santa Cruz Island and the Santa Barbara Island landing dock. Repairs
at each of these landings are underway. Public access was restored at
Prisoners Harbor on Sunday and Santa Barbara Island landing is
expected to be open by the end of the week.

Olivas Links receives award from CGCOA

stuff olivas links
General Manager Carl Van Vallier and Anna Atwell, Director of Sales & Marketing accepting the award on behalf of the golf course.

Olivas Links has been awarded the 2015 Community Environmental Award at the annual meeting of the CGCOA (California Golf Course Owner’s Association).

The highlights for Olivas Links receiving the award included:

●  The renovation of the 12.5 acre driving range with the use of artificial turn and decomposed granite which greatly reduced water usage and need for fertilizers and pesticides
●  Use of reclaimed water for irrigation
●  Expansive native areas
●  Paspalum turf which is very salt tolerant thus requiring less water that would normally be needed to flush out naturally occurring salts in the soil
●  Recycling all consumer beverage containers as well as golf course green waste and maintenance equipment oil
●  On site natural habitat home to many species of birds, mammals, reptiles and recognized by the Audubon Society

In addition to the award, Olivas Links was also recently named by golfadvisor.com to a list of the most water-conscious golf courses.  A link to that article can be found at http://www.golfadvisor.com/articles/golf-course-water-conservation-15533.htm

Registration for Corporate Games can start now

by Eric Burton, Ventura Corporate Games Director

Registration officially opens on January 11 for the 2016 Ventura Corporate Games, but you can reserve your spot now! The registration and event selection form — easy to fill, save and send — plus all the essential information for 2016 are now online at www.venturacorporategames.org.

I look forward to welcoming back our family of agencies, businesses and companies that return to “The Games” year after year. These organizations already know the value of Corporate Games to their employees.

But if your organization has never taken part, this is my personal “pitch” and invitation to you to consider joining us for the 2016 Corporate Games to be held from March 19 to May 7.

There are so many reasons why you should make this investment, but here are my top three: participation in Corporate Games will increase employee (1) productivity, (2) teamwork and (3) fitness within your organization.

Over the past 26 years of its existence, I’ve seen 80 to 90 companies come to include participation in Corporate Games as an essential part of their wellness culture each year. And I’ve seen this culture grow from the simple “let’s go out and have fun” to a more profound “let’s get healthy and break down barriers that prevent us from reaching our full potential.”

But, make no mistake, Corporate Games remains the fun way to build your team and provide your employees with the benefits of improved health, efficiency and unity. What better “bottom line” investment can you make in the single most important resource in your company?

I invite you to call me at 658.4738 or contact me at [email protected] to make your commitment early or discuss your possible participation in Corporate Games next year. I look forward to hearing from you.