He also could not have known how the island geography — the channel of open water separating Santarosae from the mainland — would eventually become the central argument of the entire find.

The Island At The End Of The Ice Age

Before continuing the dating story, it is necessary to understand the place.

Santa Rosa Island today is an island.

It sits roughly 50 miles west of Santa Barbara, surrounded by the Santa Barbara Channel on one side and the open Pacific on the other.

The channel that separates it from the mainland is roughly 26 miles wide at its narrowest.

In the summer, the channel can be relatively calm; in winter, it can be difficult.