FOR THE KIDS : Kelp Channel : Visitors to Anacapa Island can experience what it’s like among the starfish, octopus and abalone--and without getting wet.

A boat trip to Anacapa Island is an awesome way to spend the day any time of year, but during the summer there’s an added perk for families.

The National Park Service has come up with a way for island visitors to experience what it’s like in the towering kelp forest among the starfish, octopus and abalone--without getting wet.

Rangers in scuba gear holding an underwater camera dive near the landing at the island and photograph the marine life around them. Meanwhile, visitors can view the live underwater drama on television monitors set up at the landing.

“It’s like watching a show from the Discovery Channel,” said Dana Smith, a ranger in charge of the underwater video program. “Seals sometimes swim right up to the camera.”

The Park Service offers the 30-minute show to island visitors on Tuesday and Thursday throughout the summer until Labor Day. The show takes place at 2 p.m.

It’s free, but the all-day trip to Anacapa Island isn’t.

Island Packers, out of Ventura Harbor, provides the only transportation to the island and it isn’t cheap. The fee for adults is $37 and for children under 12 it’s $20.

But if you’re looking for a special family excursion to top off summer vacation, it’s worth the hefty price. About 150 to 200 people a week visit the island to see the show.

Island Packers shuttles passengers to Anacapa on boats that carry about 50 people.

They pack life jackets for adults; let them know ahead if you are bringing children weighing less than 90 pounds so they can provide a smaller version. (For babies, bring your own.)

The boat leaves at 9 a.m. from its landing next to the Channel Islands National Park building. The trip takes about 90 minutes.

Once at the island, passengers are transported to the landing cove in skiffs. From there, they must climb 153 steps to the island’s plateau.

Before the underwater show, you can stroll the 1.5 miles of trails on the island and eat lunch. (Bring your own and a drink.)

The landing has three living room-size color television screens for watching the show and a few benches for sitting.

A ranger narrates what is on the screens, and since he can talk with the divers, he can relay questions from the audience.

“It’s real exciting,” Smith said. “We never know what we’re going to get. We have to be prepared for anything.”

A moray eel might slither by.

Mostly, it’s starfish, spiky sea urchins, iridescent abalone, and the soft, slow-moving sea cucumber.

It’s a glimpse into a seldom seen slice of marine life, according to the rangers. The forests of seaweed sustain the marine life around the island. They grow at an incredible rate: as much as two feet per day.

“The main thrust of the program is the importance of the kelp forest,” Smith said. “It’s like the forests on the mainland.”

Not only does the kelp feed the marine life, it’s also necessary for humans. Kelp is an ingredient in everything from toothpaste to beer.

The rangers dive in about 25 feet of water, about 10 feet from the landing, which is next to a blow hole that spurts water.

Visitors see the rangers suit up for the dive.

“They ask a lot of questions about diving,” Smith said. “They’ll ask, ‘what’s it like down there?’ ”

* FYI

For information about trips to Anacapa Island for the underwater video show, contact Island Packers at the Ventura Harbor 642-1393. Reservations are required.