Andy,
Thanks for the posting. LA Audubon uses Island Packers for bird trips--I didn't know they'd let you stay in the lot overnight. Next time I'll just make a weekend of it!
Thanks for the pictures--they brought back some memories of some great trips on those fast catamarans. The porpoises surfing along on the bow wave, thousands of birds swirling around a school of fish that other porpoises were herding, laughing as the boat rode waves at 25-30 knots (the original E-ticket ride), having the guides note that they know that particular killer whale...good memories. (However, I'm not going to show them to my husband--his memories are not quite so picturesque. Or pleasant.)
(LA Audubon Society runs bird trips several times a year. For non-birders, Island Packers runs whale trips and takes people to and from the Channel Islands daily, which means you can just spend the day and don't have to carry camping gear. I don't believe they go to Avalon, but the other islands are great for hiking. A professional, fun group with comfortable boats. They're on the web at
www.islandpackers.com.)
Thanks, again.
Marian
Orange County, CA