The smallest of the Channel Islands is deceptive. From a distance, this one-square-mile island looks barren, uninteresting, and forlorn. Upon closer examination, the island offers more than one would expect—an island of resting elephant seals, blooming yellow flowers, tumbling Xantus’s murrelet chicks, and rich cultural history. Santa Barbara Island is the center of a chain of jewels, a crossroads for people and animals. br br Santa Barbara Island is 38 miles from San Pedro, California.