Whale watching with Island Packers in Ventura

Disclosure: I received complementary tickets for this adventure, however all opinions expressed are my own.

It has been always on my bucket list. I wanted to go whale watching, and what a better place to go that the Channel Islands National Park waters, where sea creatures live all year long, and also come during their migration to the south. I chose to go with Island Packers, because they have a very knowledgeable crew.

We arrived 45 minutes before departure time and were given our tickets to board the boat. While we waited we enjoying the nice weather at Ventura Harbor. If you have never been at Ventura Harbor, you should make sure to visit soon. It is a great place to come for brunch or early dinner. It is small and cozy and has wonderful shops and restaurants.

While you wait for the boat you can see all the latest information of whale and dolphin sighting displayed on the wall of Island Packers. I thought it was a nice touch to create excitement of what we could see during our little excursion.

When it was time to board the boat, we decided to be up-stairs to get a better view and enjoy the great weather. The boat also has a cabin on the first floor where you can find a small snack station (cash only), and if you get cold is a good place to get a break from the chilly wind.

As we were leaving the harbor, the Channel Island Park volunteers gave us a small presentation about whales and sea life and they also had a couple of models for little ones to play with and make the trip not only fun but also educational. 

The crew at Island Packers is friendly and fun. They actually know the whales and dolphins behavior and they were right on about the spot we needed to be at to be able to see the whales. Pretty much when everyone was almost to the point of getting disappointed, the crew pointed at the first sprout of water, and that could only mean that there was a whale there. The boat got closer, and then we were able to see, not only one, but 6 different whales. We were lucky that 2 of them were showing us all their behaviors and they even jump in front of us (pretty hard to capture with the camera).

As we were following the whales, we also go to see a pod of dolphins and sea lions. It was breathtaking. The dolphins like to race the boat and they jump across the ocean and they move further from the boat.

If you are taking a whale watching trip here is some advice for a better trip

1. Dress in layers. Take a jacket, it gets chilly
2. Pack water, lunch and snacks. (the boat has some available as well, cash only)
3. Do not forget your camera
4. If you get sea sick, do not forget your medication and plastic bags just in case
5. Go to the bow of the boat (front part) so you can get a better view
6. Be prepared to get a little wet
7. Follow the crew instructions. Remember the water get choppy and accidents could happen

For more information visit the Island Packers Website. You can also stay connected on their Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages.