58 ALLAN HANCOCK PACIFIC EXPEDITIONS VOL. 1 



grasses, but there are no trees. There are more outlying rocks and reefs 

 off the coast here than there are in the vicinity of the other islands, but 

 there are some reasonably well-protected bays and harbors, although none 

 of them is safe in all weathers. Cuyler Harbor on the north coast is the 

 largest. 



Shore collecting has been done only at the west end of the island, 

 just north of Point Bennett. Dredging has been done in San Miguel 

 Passage and at several points along the south coast, mostly in shallow 

 water; but some deeper hauls have been made south of the west end of 

 the island. On the north side the only dredging has been in and north 

 of Cuyler Harbor. 



Southern Channel Islands 



Plates 22-25; Charts 27-31 



The whole Santa Barbara Islands region, at least in waters 50 

 fathoms or less, offers greater inducements to carry on intensive work 

 than does any other area of similar size that has been explored between 

 Point Conception and the Mexican boundary. There are many places in 

 which the fauna is rich and varied. In the deeper water farther out the 

 bottom is nearly always fine sand or mud with very little to show as 

 compared with the shallower water. 



The eastern terminus of Santa Barbara Channel is Point Dume, 28 

 miles directly east of Anacapa Island. It also serves as the western or 

 northwestern limit of Santa Monica Bay, which stretches 25 miles across 

 to Cape Vicente. The shore of the bay forms a regular curve, and there 

 is nowhere in it suitable protection in stormy weather. In general, the 

 depth increases gradually from shore, but near Redondo there is a sub- 

 marine valley with deep water almost to the shore, Redondo Canyon. At 

 both extremities of the bay the shore is rocky and somewhat rugged, 

 although in places the banks are clay ; but the intervening portion, in the 

 main, is a sandy beach, although it may be backed by rocky or clay cliffs. 



Shore collecting has been done on an old pier at Playa del Rey and 

 on the rocks at Bluff Cove, some distance south of Redondo Beach. Most 

 of the dredging and beam trawl stations have been grouped in or near the 

 Redondo submarine canyon, but there are two a short distance off Man- 

 hattan Beach. 



At Point Vicente the coast line turns abruptly to run a little south 

 of east for 7 miles to Point Fermin, the western limit of San Pedro Bay. 

 The shore here is abrupt and rocky. Around Point Fermin and at Portu- 



