2018 Pelagic Trips with Island Packers
Save the dates: July 15th and Oct 6th 2018
Cook's Petrel Seen July 2017
Island Packers has set the dates for two of our Summer/Fall Pelagic Birding trips.
The first trip will take place on July 15th a Sunday.
We depart Ventura Harbor at 7 am and return approximately 7 pm for a 12 hour day.
Ticket prices are $195.
The October 6th trip, a Saturday, will be 11 hours, departing Ventura Harbor at 7 am and returning approximately 6 pm. Ticket price for the October trip is $170.
Each trip can be booked by calling Island Packers at (805) 642-1393 or online at www.IslandPackers.com by clicking on the Reserve Trips tab, then Special Trips Tab, select the desired date and departure time.
Both trips will be aboard one of Island Packers high speed catamarans. The boat has an upper and lower deck for observations, two restrooms, a galley, ample indoor seating and covered outdoor seating on the upper deck. The catamarans are 64 feet long and can reach high speeds allowing us access to deep waters south of the Channel Islands. These birding trips are booked at half capacity to ensure a comfortable and spacious ride so we recommend advanced reservations to ensure availability. A full contingent of experienced Pelagic Leaders will be on board to help find birds and assist with identification.
Each trip will strive to see a variety of seasonal pelagic species. Perhaps one of the most sought after birds on the July trip will be the recently named species Townsend’s Storm-Petrel. July is a great time to head south of the Channel Islands to search the deep waters and warm currents for this range restricted Storm-Petrel.
Other sought after birds will include the tubenoses: Black-footed Albatross, Cook's Petrel (rare), Northern Fulmar, Pink-footed Shearwater, Flesh-footed Shearwater (rare), Sooty Shearwater, Buller’s Shearwater, Leach’s Storm-Petrel, Black Storm-Petrel, Ashy Storm-Petrel, and Least Storm-Petrel (rare). In warm water years we have also had luck with finding Red-billed Tropicbirds, Brown Booby, Blue-footed Booby (rare), and Craveri’s Murrelet.
We may also see Guadalupe Murrelet (rare), Scripps’s Murrelet, Red Phalarope, Red-necked Phalarope, Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Rhinoceros Auklet, Cassin’s Auklet, Sabine’s Gull, Arctic Tern, Common Tern, South Polar Skua, Pomarine Jaeger, Parasitic Jaeger, and Long-tailed Jaeger.
The October trip has a fair chance of encountering this same set of birds but some will become less likely while others will potentially be more likely. At this time of year we may have better odds with some species such as Guadalupe Murrelet and there is always the possibility of encountering a MEGA out there too.
Cassin's Auklet
Join in the fun of discovery. We regularly see whales and dolphins on these trips, occasionally sharks and turtles and other strange stuff. The ocean is a wild place, and we can take you there.
Book Now at www.IslandPackers.com or by calling (805) 642-1393