Rincon Island, California
Rincon Island is an artificial island located off Rincon Beach in Ventura County, California on public land leased from the California State Lands Commission (CSLC). The island is situated approximately 3,000 feet (910 m) offshore in 55 feet (17 m) of water. The island was constructed in 1958 for the specific purpose of well drilling and oil and gas production. It is near the seaside communities of Mussel Shoals and La Conchita. The island is connected to the mainland by the Richfield Pier.
The Rincon basin properties cover approximately 1,700 mineral acres (6.9 km2), including a 1-acre (4,000 m2) island connected to land by a 2,700-foot (820 m) causeway containing the gas and oil pipelines and facilitating vehicular access. Greka Energy, the petroleum company currently operating at the site, has faced numerous safety and permit violations.
Rincon means "corner" in Spanish. The area was said to be a battleground of the Chumash and the site of a 1838 battle between Alvarado and Pio Pico, described in poem by Bayard Taylor, "The Fight of the Paso del Mar."
The Chumash Indians were once the largest cultural group in California. They were native inhabitants of what is today Ventura County, which was formed by splitting Santa Barbara County in 1873.
In 1913, the Rincon Sea Level Road opened between Santa Barbara and Ventura. Portions of the road through this area were causeways constructed on wood planks and pilings, as the area was only passable before at low tide.
The first oil production in the Rincon Beach area took place in 1928. This portion of the coast has good surf spots, including Rincon Point, just north at the county line.
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