Island Packers Gets New Boat

For 45 years, the Ventura Harbor–based boat company Island Packers has been taking visitors to the Channel Islands, even before the archipelago became a national park. On Tuesday, the park’s leading transportation provider — which last year boasted 70,000 customers and has served one million since 1995 — added to its dominance by christening its third boat, this one a brand new, 64-foot catamaran called the Island Explorer built by All American Marine in Bellingham, Washington. The new vessel will allow Island Packers to expand its schedule of visits to all five islands of the park, where outdoor and adventure lovers can hike, kayak, dive, whale watch, camp, and more.