Anacapa Island Boat Tour 🏝️

anacapa island feature

Anacapa Island Boat Tour

Visiting the Channel Islands has been on my wish list for years, and I finally went on an Anacapa Island Boat Tour.

Channel Islands National Park consists of 5 islands in Ventura County just off the California Coast. The isolated, rugged islands are unique, so you can see things that don’t exist elsewhere.

Anacapa Island is open to visitors year round, and there are different ways that you can experience the island. There are some areas open for hiking and primitive campsites can be reserved overnight or you can take a boat tour.

I did a half day boat tour with Island Packers, which ended up being a great choice. It was cold and overcast, so I’d rather hike another time when the weather is nicer.

The boat leaves from the Channel Islands Harbor and it takes about an hour and a half to get to Anacapa. Most of the people on the boat were getting off to spend the day on the island, so the captain pulled in to let them off.

Maneuvering the boat at the dock required skill and patience, since waves kept moving the boat away from the dock. Each time we’d get close enough, deck hands would help passengers quickly disembark. Then, they were on their own to climb up 150+ steps and explore.

We then continued our tour along the coastline and learned from the knowledgeable guides on board. It was fascinating to learn about marine life and the history of the area, as we made our way around the island. We saw sea lions, dolphins and a variety of birds, so it was a great day.

Photo Gallery 📸

Island Packers Vanguard Boat

oxnard vanguard kayaks

Boarding at Channel Islands Harbor

oxnard vanguard boarding

Sea lion synchronized swim in the harbor

oxnard sea lion dance

Arch Rock and Anacapa Island Lighthouse

anacapa island lighthouse

Anacapa Island Dock

anacapa dock stairs

Disembarking

anacapa dock disembark

Big steps from a moving boat

anacapa island dock disembark

Sea Caves

anacapa harbor kelp caves

Arch Rock

anacapa arch island

Frenchys Cove

anacapa island beach

Back in Oxnard

oxnard harbor kayaks sups

If you are prone to seasickness, you’ll want to plan ahead with any medication you require. Also, you’ll probably want to stay outside on the deck to minimize the effects of the boat’s motion. I stayed on the top deck for the ride out and the island tour, so I’d get the best views. Then I went inside for the ride back, since I needed to get warmed up.

The half day tour was great. I’ll plan on going back to Anacapa to hike, when the skies are clear and the weather is warmer.

Anacapa Island Boat Tour 🏝️