Island Packers
American passenger ferry service
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Island Packers is an American passenger ferry service that operates scheduled trips between Channel Islands National Park and mainland California. The company began service in 1968.[1]
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | 1968[1] |
| Headquarters | Ventura, California , United States |
Area served | Channel Islands National Park (Anacapa Island, Santa Barbara Island, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island, San Miguel Island) |
Key people | Bill M. Connally, founder |
| Services | Ferry transport |
| Website | islandpackers |
| Footnotes / references [2] | |
In January 2024, Island Packers entered a new 10-year contract with the National Park Service.[1] Additionally, Island Packers offers a variety of tours, including whale watching cruises, wildlife cruises, and bird watching cruises.[3]
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.[4]
Access to Santa Barbara is suspended during breeding season to protect the California brown pelican.[5]
Ports
Island Packers operates two harbors on mainland California:
- Ventura Harbor, Ventura, California, with service to Anacapa Island, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island and San Miguel Island.
- Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard, California, with service to Anacapa Island
Fleet
Island Packers currently operate four vessels:[6]
| Name | Type | Length (Feet) | Passenger Capacity | Top Speed | Built | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islander | Catamaran | 134 feet (41 m) | 149 | 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) | 2001 | First catamaran operated by Island Packers |
| Island Adventure | Catamaran | 65 feet (20 m) | 149 | 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) | 2004 | |
| Island Explorer | Catamaran | 65 feet (20 m) | 149 | 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) | 2013 | |
| Vanguard | Monohull | 65 feet (20 m) | 81 | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) | 1991 | |
