Santa Barbara Canal

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Santa Barbara Canal
View over Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Canal
Connects waters	Pacific Ocean
with water
Separates land mass	California
of land mass	Channel Islands
Data
Geographical location	34 ° 15 ′  N , 119 ° 53 ′  W Coordinates: 34 ° 15 ′  N , 119 ° 53 ′  W
length	130 km
Smallest width	20 km
Coastal towns	Ventura , Santa Barbara

The Santa Barbara Channel ( English Santa Barbara Channel ) is the part of the Pacific Ocean that separates the mainland of the US state from the northern Californian Channel Islands over a length of about 130 kilometers off the coast of California . It is about 40 kilometers wide on average; the greatest distance from the mainland to the island of Santa Rosa is 51 kilometers, while the island of Anacapa is no more than 20 kilometers from the mainland. The main cities on the canal are Ventura and Santa Barbara .

The Santa Barbara Canal runs in an east-west direction. On a clear day, the Channel Islands can be seen over it from the mainland, although in some places the view is obstructed by drilling rigs anchored in the channel . In 1969 there was public resistance to the massive environmental damage on the Santa Barbara Canal . At that time, a large oil spill covered the canal and sparked the first major environmental movements.

Excursion boats offer crossing the canal to watch whales or to cross the islands. The boats are often accompanied by dolphins . The canal is a major route for the huge cargo ships and tankers on their way to and from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach .