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Welcome to the Farallon Islands
Just 30 miles from San Francisco lies a cluster of jagged rocks that make Alcatraz look like Disneyland. Good thing humans are banned from stepping a foot on it, and here’s why.
They’re Literally Called ‘Islands of the Dead’
Native Americans straight-up called them the “Islands of the Dead.” Old-school sailors went with “the devil’s teeth” because these jagged rocks have chewed up countless ships. The Spanish eventually landed on “farallón,” meaning a rocky cliff jutting from the ocean. Boo.
They Smell Like Satan’s Gym Bag
These islands REEK so hard you can smell them from a half-mile away on boats. We’re talking epic, legendary stench from mountains of poop from birds and marine mammals that’s been baking in the sun since forever. It’s been described to smell like “furry, sweaty, salty horses.”
It’s Basically ‘Shark Week’ Live 24/7
From September through December, these waters turn into Shark-palooza. Great whites circle the islands hunting for their favorite snack: plump, blubbery baby elephant seals. Back in the ’90s and early 2000s, researchers were counting roughly one shark attack PER DAY.
The Bird Situation Is Completely Bananas
The Farallones host the largest seabird nesting colony in the entire mainland USA and the world’s largest colony of western gulls. Half of ALL Ashy storm-petrels ON THE PLANET crash here. Scientists have counted more than 400 different bird species.
The Waters Can Literally Kill You
These aren’t your chill SoCal waves. The ocean around these islands are literally deadly. Case in point: In April 2012, a 38-foot yacht called the Low Speed Chase (ironic name award) was smashed onto rocks and capsized during the annual Full Crew Farallones Race. Five of the eight people onboard died.
The Birds Get Loud as Heck
During peak bird breeding season (May through July), these islands crank the volume to a solid 11. Thousands of birds screech 24/7 with zero consideration for noise ordinances. Scientists literally pack earplugs because visitors report “you need earplugs, it’s so loud.”
Hardcore Lighthouse Keepers Actually LIVED Here
The West Coast’s second-ever lighthouse was built on Southeast Farallon in 1855. Four keepers plus their families somehow survived living on these hellish rocks while running the lighthouse 24/7. Two of the three-bedroom homes built by the U.S. Lighthouse Service are still there.
Getting There Is Like Trying to Break Into Area 51
Even if you suddenly decided “hey, I want to visit that stinky death rock,” good luck with that. Researchers can only reach Southeast Farallon by taking a big boat to a smaller boat that gets CRANE-LIFTED onto the island. We’re talking steep rocky terrain, surrounded by killer currents, with bonus sharks circling below. And that’s just the main island. There’s a smaller island to the west that’s so absurdly inaccessible you need to ride a ZIP LINE across a channel to reach it plus special permission slips.
The Mouse Situation Is Straight Out of a Horror Movie
House mice snuck onto the Farallon Islands as tiny stowaways on fur trader and egg collector ships. Fast forward to now, and there are so FREAKING MANY MICE that biologists say “you can see the grass moving” from their bodies running everywhere. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is desperately trying to solve this rodent apocalypse. And the poor things already had to deal with invasive hares and cats back in the 1970s.
One of Them Was Not Part of SF Until 1969
President Theodore Roosevelt designated three island groups — North Farallones, Middle Farallon, and Noonday Rock — as a national wildlife refuge way back in 1909. Weirdly, Southeast Farallon Island (the big boy at 70 acres) didn’t make the cut initially, despite having the most birds and sea lions. Why? The U.S. Navy and U.S. Lighthouse Service were using it as their personal playground. It finally joined the others in 1969. Today, the Farallon National Wildlife Refuge is officially part of San Francisco County.
See This Madness From Your Couch
Want all the Farallon thrills without the smell, danger, or need to update your life insurance? California Academy of Sciences runs a live webcam from the lighthouse on Southeast Farallon Island. Hit the orange “Join the Queue” button, wait for your turn to play with the camera controls, then pick your view from the drop-down menu.
The post The “Islands of the Dead” in San Francisco is a Ship-Crusher Where Great White Sharks Like To Hang Out appeared first on When In Your State.