All of our staff are passionate about protecting and preserving the beautiful Santa Barbara Coastline. We hope that you will help us minimize your impact during your trip. We suggest reading through the tips below to help you plan ahead.
1. Plan Ahead
Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you’ll visit: If you are taking one of our tours, we will brief you on the local regulations when you meet us for your tour. If you are visiting on your own, it’s a good idea to research the surrounding areas.
2. Pack Food in Reusable Containers
Ditch the single-use plastic bags! Be mindful of how you pack your food and snacks. Plastic bags and food trash can be extremely harmful to wildlife.
3. Bring a Reusable Water Bottle
Use a reusable water bottle. By not buying plastic water bottles, you save resources and reduce the amount of trash produced.
4. Use Reef Safe Sunscreens
Many sunscreens contain chemicals such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, which have been reported to have harmful effects on coral, kelp and the development of marine organisms. Please help us protect the marine ecosystem by using a natural mineral-based sunscreen.
5. Stay on Trail
When hiking, concentrate on existing trails. Always stay on the trail, especially along the scenic cliffs – the rocks are unstable and many of the cliffs are undercut. If you are exploring a tidepool, be mindful that tidepools are full of organisms, big and small, so be mindful of where you step.
6. Pack It In, Pack It Out.
Be mindful of creating micro trash and dropping food scraps while enjoying your tour in Santa Barbara. Find marine trash on your tour? Hand the trash to your guide or point it out for your guide to pick it up.
7. Don’t Feed the Wildlife
Protect wildlife by throwing away your food scraps and snacks in the trash. Wildlife can mistake orange peels, nut shells, and food wrappers as food and can cause them to become ill.
8. Leave What You Find
There are many interesting things to look at while exploring the Santa Barbara coastline, and it can be tempting to pick them up and take a souvenir. Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them: Everything within the park is protected! Leave it for the next person to enjoy.
9. Don’t Disturb the Wildlife
When you come into contact with wildlife, always follow your guide’s instructions – they are trained to avoid disturbing wildlife (e.g. nesting sea birds and hauled out pinnipeds) and sensitive marine areas.
Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them: During our kayak tours we are very cautious of disturbing wildlife. The quieter and calmer we are, the more likely we are to have the wildlife stick around. If you get too close, the adult birds will leave their nest which allows less shy birds like seagulls and ravens to come in and eat the eggs.
10. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience: Most of us come to Santa Barbara to explore and relax in the beautiful wilderness, so let’s keep it enjoyable for everyone.
