Anacapa Island is composed of three separate islets, East, Middle, and West Anacapa Islands. A section of the middle island can be seen below.

Middle Anacapa is not much more than a sliver of rock, usually less than 1/8 of an mile wide. It is about 3 miles long. It and its two sister islets were formed from lava which erupted under the sea 16 million years ago. Anacapa and the other 3 northern Channel Islands are basically an extension of the Santa Monica mountain range. The ridge form of Anacapa can be easily seen in this picture from Inspiration Point on the west end of East Anacapa Island.

Middle Anacapa is not much more than a sliver of rock, usually less than 1/8 of an mile wide. Its highest elevation reaches about 325 feet.

Middle Anacapa is rocky and not very level. However, a man named H. Bay Webster raised sheep and lived at Sheep Camp on Middle Anacapa Island from 1907-1917.

West Anacapa Island is, of course, the westernmost islet of Anacapa.

West Anacapa features the highest peak on Anacapa Island, Summit Peak, at 936 feet. It is less flat than the other two islets of Anacapa, and is dominated by a steep ridge running down the center of the island. The peak and the topography of the island can be clearly seen in this photograph from the channel.

West Anacapa Island is the only place in the United States where the brown pelicans have been found to breed with regularity. These birds nest on this island in May and June.

On the north coast of West Anacapa Island, at the east end, there is a small sandy beach known as Frenchy's Cove, seen below. The cove is known for a longtime resident, Raymond "French" La Dreau. Frenchy lived on the islands from 1928, and on West Anacapa from 1932, to 1956. He made his living in part by selling fish he caught to passing boats. He was also known to make money during prohibition by providing assistance to rumrunners who frequented the islands. Frenchy was not alone; he lived with an assortment of cats in his cabin on the cove, a cabin which had been built by promoters of an unsuccessful fishing camp on the island.

During the 19th century, seasonal fisherman used the island as a base for their activities. Frenchy's Cove is the best landing spot on the island, sporting a 200 foot cobblestone beach. It is currently the only place on West Anacapa Island which is open to visitors.

The far eastern section of West Anacapa Island is shown below, where a small channel separates it from Middle Anacapa Island. When the tide is extremely low all three islands are connected above the sea.

Unlike other islands in the national park, the three Anacapa Islands have never been in private ownership.

Visitation to West Anacapa Island is severely limited to protect the brown pelican nesting areas which are found there. The nesting areas are on the north facing cliffs of the island, which can be seen below.

West Anacapa gets more rain than the other two islands--13 inches versus 8 inches--because the height of the island creates a rain shadow which affects Middle and East Anacapa Islands.