The islands provide some of the best diving and snorkeling on the Pacific Coast. It is not uncommon to observe a large variety of sea lions, seals, urchins, lobster, abalone, pelagic red crab, squid, and multitude of fish. Inflate your dinghy or launch your kayak and explore the gorgeous shorelines or dinghy ashore and hike around these wonderful islands. Plunge into the magnificent kelp forests that provide camouflage, food and homes for a diverse group of fish and invertebrates, and explore the remains of over 100 historic shipwrecks that line the ocean floor. The tidepools have a large variety of abalone, sea urchins, sea anemones, and limpets to observe.
Many coves have canyons to explore or access to the deeper interior of the island.
Some canyons have running streams, pools, and waterfalls while others are completely covered with Oak trees. Once you obtain permission or a landing permit from the Nature Conservancy, you may explore these beautiful, uninhabited islands. Here you may see the California brown pelican, Western sea gulls, cormorants, and other birds. There are also a wide variety of blooming plant life on the islands. One could spend weeks exploring these islands.