Island Packers is an American passenger
ferry service that operates scheduled trips between
Channel Islands National Park and mainland
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. The company began service in 1968.
In January 2024, Island Packers entered a new 10-year contract with the National Park Service.
Additionally, Island Packers offers a variety of tours, including whale watching cruises, wildlife cruises, and bird watching cruises.
Operations
The company provides transportation to all five islands within Channel Islands National Park: Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel and Santa Barbara Island.
Access to Santa Barbara is suspended during breeding season to protect the
California brown pelican
The brown pelican (''Pelecanus occidentalis'') is a bird of the pelican family, Pelecanidae, one of three species found in the Americas and one of two that feed by diving into water. It is found on the Atlantic Coast from New Jersey to the mouth ...
.
Ports
Island Packers operates two harbors on mainland California:
*
Ventura Harbor,
Ventura, California
Ventura, officially named San Buenaventura (Spanish for "Saint Bonaventure"), is a city in and the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States. It is a coastal city located northwest of Los Angeles. The population was 110,763 at the ...
, with service to Anacapa Island, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island and San Miguel Island.
*
Channel Islands Harbor,
Oxnard, California
Oxnard () is a city in Ventura County in the U.S. state of California, United States. On California's Central Coast (California), Central Coast, it is the most populous city in Ventura County and the List of largest California cities by populati ...
, with service to Anacapa Island
Fleet
Island Packers currently operate four vessels:
References
{{ferry-stub
Ferries of California
Channel Islands of California
Channel Islands National Park
Transportation in Ventura County, California