We enjoyed such a wonderful day on this whale watching excursion out of Ventura Harbor in Ventura, CA! Island Packers offers a number of excursions to and around the Channel Islands, and this time we chose the summer whale watching and wildlife excursion in July 2023.
Captain Paige and her all-female crew did a wonderful job making us all feel welcome and safe while on the water. They led us to an unbelievable experience with a humpback whale that entertained us over and over again by breeching, waving its fins, and even swimming under our boat at one point ! 😬
We also saw lots of dolphins (including baby dolphins, who I learned stay with their mothers for a full year after birth). We saw sea lions, birds, beautiful blue skies, and enjoyed welcome relief from the sweltering temperatures inland.
We highly, highly recommend Island Packers for their professional and well-trained crew. They know so much and always make us feel welcome. $75 per person for this 6-hour excursion was completely worth it (and honestly a bargain considering the fun we had).
Pro tips:
* Take Dramamine before you go! We did and had no issues with sea sickness. However, there were several people on the boat who weren’t feeling well.
*Wear and reapply sunscreen! I washed my hands and forgot to reapply and ended up with sunburned hands 😞
*Dress in layers because it can be chilly out in the water, even in the summer. A lightweight, hooded windbreaker was perfect for me.
*Wear a tightly fitted hat or a hooded jacket/hoodie to keep your hair in place (it’s super windy!) and help avoid sunburn on your face.
*Bring sandwiches or another portable meal in a small cooler to eat, and plenty of water. They do have snacks and drinks (even wine and draft beer) for sale on board, but we were glad to have something more substantial to eat while on the 6-hour trip.
Hope you enjoy! 🐋🦭🐬
