Unique Experiences

Item Description

Enjoy a personalized whale watching tour for 2 onboard an Island Packer whale watching boat in the Santa Barbara Channel, from Ventura, one of the best places in the world to see an abundance of whales and dolphins. As her schedule permits, Holly Lohuis, will accompany you and share her considerable knowledge about marine biology.

Holly Lohuis is a marine biologist and educator with Ocean Futures Society, and has been diving the world’s oceans with Jean-Michel Cousteau and his team since 1996. She has appeared in many of Jean-Michel Cousteau’s documentaries, including co-star of a new IMAX film, Secret Ocean 3D, launched in 2015. She is also featured as a diver and on camera biologist in the eleven hours of the PBS series, Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures.

With a degree in aquatic biology from UC Santa Barbara and experience in the ocean realm around the world, she is an eloquent and popular speaker on the beauty and crises facing our water planet. Holly is also a PADI Dive Master and Open Water SCUBA Instructor.

As a member of Cousteau’s expedition team for over 20 years, Holly acts as a liaison between the team and scientists and is responsible for confirming the factual accuracy of Ocean Futures Society’s documentaries and publications. She has worked full-time with Jean-Michel Cousteau’s marine conservation organization, Ocean Futures Society, since 2002.

Holly has also been a marine educator for over 25 years. For nearly a decade she worked as diver/naturalist with Island Packers, the Channel Islands National Park boat concessionaire and was the education coordinator for their floating classroom programs. She then moved on to a more global arena, working with Passage Productions-Live Dive organization on cruise ships in the Caribbean, Pacific and Mediterranean. She was the on-site marine biologist at the eco-resort, Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort, for eighteen months where she shared her wealth of knowledge and passion about the importance of protecting our water planet for future generations with guests and the local villagers.

She has taught thousands of children and adults about the wonders and fragility of the marine environment and the importance of protecting our water planet for future generations.

For her educational outreach efforts, Holly was honored in 2009 with the Hall of Fame award from the San Juan School district in her hometown Sacramento, California.

About Island Packers:

Cruising the California Channel Islands for education, recreation, and research since 1968. Let your island adventure begin with the experienced crew from Island Packers. Providing first rate transportation services for island hiking, camping, kayaking, whale watching, school field trips, sightseeing and harbor cruises.

About Half Day Channel Island Cruise (non-landing):

The Island Wildlife Cruise is the perfect way to discover the natural environment of the Channel Islands National Park without going ashore!

This three-hour tour includes a narrated cruise along the rugged north shore of Anacapa or Santa Cruz Island. Highlights are sightings of sea lions, seals, and island birds. A variety of marine animals and birds may also be encountered during the channel crossing

You will have plenty of time to capture it all on film, so don't forget your camera! Relaxing, enjoyable, and educational, this cruise is a great way to spend quality time with family and friends.

About Gray Whale Watching Trip (December 26 thru early April):

Island Packers Gray Whale Watching departs from both the Channel Island and Ventura Harbors. This 3-3.5 hour cruise takes you to the Southern California waters of the Santa Barbara Channel. These waters are known for their marine mammal diversity and you may get to see other species of marine mammals along with the migrating Gray Whales. Seals, Sea Lions and several species of Dolphins along with occasional Orca Whale pods may also be seen on your trip.

The captains have many years of experience sighting whales on the waters of the Santa Barbara Channel and will narrate and inform you about all the varieties or marine mammals seen on your cruise.

Gray Whale watching is a winter event and you are encouraged to dress in layers of warm clothing, and wear comfortable flat shoes on your trip. Bring along your camera and binoculars for added viewing options.

Your trip is courtesy of Island Packers and Holly Lohuis.

Item Special Note

We expect all winning bidders and their guests to conduct themselves appropriately when attending an experience won during Ocean Futures Society's holiday auction. Polite manners and respect for the generous donor and adherence to any rules or parameters are a must.

• Trip must take place on a Monday-Friday
• To be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon date, based on the donor's availability.
• Additional blackout dates may apply
• Expiration Date is November 30, 2018
• We can not guarantee whale or dolphin sightings
• This is a topside tour only - no SCUBA
• You will be joining other whale watchers, however Holly will be your personal guide.
• There are NO refunds on this experience