SKA Blog

Kayaking with whales sounds like an adrenalin-high adventure, akin to cliff diving or whitewater rapids sought by robust 20 year old thrill-seekers. Consequently, many of our guests are surprised to find our tours are suitable for novices of any age or even those with no kayak experience at all. Sea kayaking is a versatile sport that allows for wonderful wilderness adventures at any level. Experienced paddlers may choose open-ocean or rapids, but Sea Kayak Adventures specializes in bringing nature-lovers closer to wildlife, seeking calm waters. Co-owners Terry and Nancy dedicated their lives to finding the best places to whale watch that also host calm, sheltered paddling conditions. Many of our guests have little or no kayak experience, but seek the opportunity to see whales up close.

Sea kayaks allow for complete immersion in nature. There is no glass between you and the outdoors, and no motors to scare away animals. The gentle paddling of a kayak is largely non-invasive to wildlife. Flocks of birds that would take wing at a human on foot or a motorboat do not flee the sight of a kayak, allowing closer encounters. Pinnipeds like sea lions and seals find the kayaks a curiosity, and will even approach for a closer look. And while we proudly adhere to all Be Whale Wise regulations, a raft of kayaks tucked respectfully into the kelp bed may have extraordinary views of a passing pod of orcas as they make their way along the coastline. In Baja, dolphins often pass near or through our kayaks, and great blue and fin whale spouts may alert their presence.  In Patagonia, we float in our kayaks near gently breathing mom and baby southern right whales on a warm hiatus away from the cold of Antarctica.  Whale watching has never been so intimate!

Shallow-bottomed kayaks, which can float in just a foot of water, allow exploration of inlets and channels that host tidal life wonders and beaches inaccessible from boat. Akin to backpacking on the ocean, kayaks allow for expedition style tours – without leaving behind all of the creature comforts. The hatches of the kayaks allow for carrying a full set of camping equipment, cooking tools, and fresh food. Because of this space, your wilderness adventure won’t be sustained by jerky or trail mix. Instead, enjoy freshly prepared meals like lasagna or a salmon-bake, along with fresh salads daily!  We even bake cakes in dutch ovens on our tours!  And because these are guided tours, you can enjoy your wildlife vacation while letting our fantastic guides show off their culinary skills and do all of the cooking.

Join us to kayak with whales and experience in person – and at eye level – these ocean wonders in their natural environment. 

Kayaking with orcas and humpback whales often takes center stage on our sea kayak tours off of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. However, this picturesque wilderness also hosts a wide variety of other interesting marine mammals to delight kayak guests. Here are some of our favorite marine animals in British Columbia:

Harbor Seals: These social, curious pinnipeds are frequently seen on our kayak tours, and will even occasionally approach our sea kayaks for a closer look. These seals typically lounge on outcrops or shoreline in groups but are excellent swimmers and fishers. They are common both in Johnstone Strait and God’s Pocket.

Pacific White-Sided Dolphins: These chipper cetaceans roam Vancouver Island’s Inside Passage in pods searching for summer fish. They are very active and prone to great displays of acrobatics. Curious about ships, these dolphins enjoy bowriding and make entertaining escorts on whale watching tours. We see them frequently on our kayak tours both at God’s Pocket Resort and in Johnstone Strait.

Dall’s Porpoises: Every now and then, reports of entire pods full of “baby orcas” turn up in Telegraph Cove.  It’s easy to see why visitors might mistake a young killer whale for this small cetacean: Dall’s porpoises have black bodies with white sides and bellies – not dissimilar from the markings of their larger cousins. Despite a rather stocky appears, these porpoises are very fast swimmers and rather playful, even interacting with dolphins and boats.

Harbour Porpoises: This shy, gray porpoise is one of the smallest marine mammals. They travel in small groups, foraging for crustaceans, squid and fish, but rarely take part in aerial displays or acrobatics. They are sometimes called “puffers” because the sound of their breathing resembles that of a snorting pig.

Steller Sea Lions: This species of sea lion ranges down the Pacific coast from the Bering Sea, but in recent years the declining population was added to the Endangered Species list. Stellers are the largest sea lion species, with males weighing over a ton – three times larger than the females! We often kayak past sunbathing sea lions on our BC tours.

Kayak vacations increase in popularity as adventure travel becomes more accessible and affordable, even for families. Here are some great reasons to consider spending your next vacation on a kayak tour:

Closer to nature: Our kayak tours operate in National Marine Parks and UNESCO World Heritage Sites – basically, some of the most beautiful and pristine wilderness areas on the planet.  The very best way to experience these natural wonders is without the interference of the industrial world (which is after all why you’re choosing to visit).  Kayaks are quiet, unobtrusive to wildlife, and will allow you to access beaches and inlets where even boats can’t reach.  Even better, the carrying capacity of a kayak allows us to bring some of our creature comforts – like gourmet meals with fresh produce – on our wilderness adventure. Rather than roughing it with beef jerky and freeze dried foods, as might be necessary for a backpacking or hiking trip, kayak vacations allow for a “camping plus” experience.

Guides: Have an adventure vacation – and all the thrills – with someone who can help you make the most out of the experience. Our guides know the weather, wind, and water conditions to plan for optimum paddling, camping, and hiking. They know where to find the best wildlife viewing sites, which beaches to camp at, and how far to pull the kayaks up at night.  They are wonderful teachers, naturalists, entertainers and cooks to boot!  Adventure doesn’t have to mean miserable or foolhardy!

Exercise: Many people spend a great deal of their lives bound to a chair and desk.  Though sometimes we may feel so exhausted from work that we just want to lie on the beach (and there is plenty of time and opportunity to do so on our Baja tours!), exercise can regenerate our bodies even more thoroughly than a period of idleness. A kayak vacation does just that! Moreover, for those who feel stuck in a monotonous gym routine, a week of kayaking, hiking, and snorkeling in fresh air will make use of those hard-earned muscles (or give you the impetus to get to the gym beforehand!).

Price: Our trips start at $895 for a 5-day itinerary, including hotel. Even with the addition of airfare above the trip cost, many folks would be hard-pressed to find a week’s worth of travel, lodging, meals and guided activities for this price.  Hotel and food alone would nearly equal the cost, and even with a meager budget for activities, most vacations far surpass our prices.  So why not leave the planning, packing, and supplies up to SKA? Just bring your clothes. It’s that easy.

Eco-friendly: We are often at our most wasteful during vacation, where we don’t have the ease and familiarity be eco-conscious. The steps we take at home, like recycling, re-using grocery bags, and watching our energy consumption, are nearly impossible from a hotel room. This year, keep your vacation in line with your eco-responsibility and travel eco-friendly.  Kayak vacation tours make the perfect vehicle for environmentally-conscious tourism due to their lack of emissions and low-impact. Additionally, SKA offsets 100% of the energy used on our tours and is a certified carbon-neutral company.

Orcas and the San Juan Islands became synonymous for many North Americans due to the widely publicized killer whales that live in these waters. ­ However, many people don’t realize that a much larger population of salmon-eating orcas congregate just a couple hundred miles north of the San Juan Islands, in Vancouver Island’s northern Inside Passage in British Columbia, Canada. These “Northern Resident Orcas” number over 200 strong – more than twice the size of the population found in the San Juan Islands – and with a territory much more feasible to kayaking with orcas. From mid-July through mid-September, most pods congregate within a 40 mile channel following salmon runs in the world’s best-kept-secret orca-viewing site: Johnstone Strait.  The strait is only 3 miles wide at its largest point, making it a perfect venue to camp and kayak with killer whales.  (This is far easier than trying to find orcas among a group of scattered islands).

Kayaking with whales is a “Bucket List” item for many outdoors enthusiasts. Floating on tranquil tide at eye level with a spy-hopping whale is an unforgettable experience. There is something special about meeting this intelligent, wild creature in its home habitat. Kayaks allow for a more intimate setting than commercial whale watching cruises, as you can observe the whales’ behavior without the sound of a motor or flocks of other guests jostling to a boat railing for a look. Additionally, the eco-minded will enjoy the low impact of carbon-neutral kayaks on the ocean habitat of these gentle giants. Best of all, Sea Kayak Adventures offers a number of tours to kayak with whales in a variety of the world’s most beautiful wilderness areas. Where would you like to go?

Kayaking with orcas and meeting the majestic killer whale in its own environment inspires dreams among many admirers, and often a bit of awe for others.  Orcas hold both the reputation of a ferocious predator as well as a glamorized, friendly “Seaworld” performer and everything in between. As many companies advertise orca kayaking tours with stunning photographs of close encounters, many people acquire the impression that they will spend hours each day kayaking with killer whales. Such expectations do not take into account the laws which protect the orcas, the behavior of these animals, and the geographic location of the kayak tour.

Since 1996, Sea Kayak Adventures has operated tours off of northern Vancouver Island in Johnstone Strait, the best orca location on Earth to observe a unique congregation of specifically fish-eating killer whales found only here. Every summer we guide hundreds of guests to kayak orca waters and return to Telegraph Cove with glowing faces, happy customers, and stories of whale magic. Here are some helpful tips and clarifications to assist in a better understanding of your experience:

Sea Kayak Adventures office staff member and first time kayaker Amber Crane recently returned from a tour in Baja (Oct 30-Nov 4, 2011).  She will chronicle her adventures in a new blog series:

Voyage of a Novice Kayaker

Part 4: Baja Bliss

The first few minutes of kayaking started, as with all new ventures, with adjustments.  It took time to figure out where to brace my knees, make the most of every stroke, and keep paddling while taking in the sights. However, even as we acclimated to kayaking, fortune smiled upon our group.  Within a few minutes and just a few hundred feet of our launch site, I spotted a sea turtle bobbing at the surface of the water, surveying us.  She lingered for a short time as we gasped, pointed, and fumbled for cameras, before deciding we were of little interest to turtles and diving out of sight.  “This group has good karma,” Alex remarked.

Just 15 minutes later, I stuttered and pointed again, trying to expel words faster than my brain could provide them.  A huge splash announced the leap of a flying mobula ray.  I was downright giddy with excitement at this point, as these strange creatures were at the top of my wildlife bucket list.  These rays often travel in large groups during the spring which are more easily spotted than single jumpers, so I feel quite privileged to have seen one leap in front of my eyes.

Sea Kayak Adventures office staff member and first time kayaker Amber Crane recently returned from a tour in Baja (Oct 30-Nov 4, 2011).  She will chronicle her adventures in a new blog series:

Voyage of a Novice Kayaker

Part 3: Isn't it time you talked about the actual trip?

My Baja kayak trip began with a 2:00am alarm to catch a 5:00am flight that would deposit me at LAX in time for the only flight to Loreto on Sunday, October 30, 2011.  Upon Sea Kayak Adventures’ recommendation, I took only a carry-on bag with my clothing and thus whisked through my connections without the concern of relinquishing my carefully-packed duffel to the vortex of lost airport luggage.

Red-eyed but energized, I plopped into my window seat for the LAX to LTO flight and watched, awestruck, as the scenery below blurred from chaotic Los Angeles to vivacious Tijuana to coarse desert.  Scrub and brush melted into flowing sand from which mountain peaks crawled to the sky, hues of red and tan bursting against the azure sea.  The deep turquoise of the ocean was interrupted where cream-colored sand flowed down from the mountain peaks to form a beach. In these picturesque places, the ocean appeared as a bright, shocking aqua, as if someone had poured a pool of blue highlighter fluid over the water. I could only marvel over nature’s surreal palette.

Sea Kayak Adventures office staff member and first time kayaker Amber Crane just returned from a tour in Baja (Oct 30-Nov 4, 2011).  She will chronicle her adventures in a new blog series:

Voyage of a Novice Kayaker

Part 2: Do as I say, not as I did – Trip Preparation

I didn’t do everything wrong on my Baja trip.  After all, I had the time of my life!  I just don’t recommend pinning the success of your tour on my misadventures. Consequently, I bestow this blog to fellow nervous-novices that you might glean from it the fruits of my foibles.

As mentioned in my last blog, took a proactive approach to my upcoming trip that worked quite well, initially. I familiarized myself with a sea kayak prior to my departure and increased my upper body strength.  I talked through my concerns and asked questions about anything of which I was unsure. (I must confess, I didn’t even know what a ‘dry bag’ was when I started working for Sea Kayak Adventures!)  I joined a trip that had motorboat-support, which was a luxurious addition and support to make up for my minimal camping and paddling experience.  I read through the pre-trip e-mail and thoroughly combed through every page of the trip guide with devotion and studious measure.

…Okay, okay, I actually just browsed through the first through pages, tore out the pack list, and then flipped through to look at all of the animal pictures.

Sea Kayak Adventures office staff member and first time kayaker Amber Crane just returned from a tour in Baja (Oct 30-Nov 4, 2011).  She will chronicle her adventures in a new blog series:

Voyage of a Novice Kayaker

Part 1: Wait, what do you mean by ‘sea kayak?’

Kayak? On the ocean?  Like, where the big fish live?

I confess, when I first joined the office staff at Sea Kayak Adventures this past August and received the generous opportunity to join a trip this fall to Baja, my first thoughts were not of starlit sand or diving dolphins. 26 years of media influence and land-locked living ensured I possessed a healthy caution of open waters and the untamed inhabitants therein.  Consequently, the thought of strapping myself into a sliver of fiberglass and hovering like a delectable hors d'oeuvre above hundreds of feet of water containing what I could only assume would be a swirling mass of “things-that-might-eat-me” seemed, quite simply, impractical.

That SKA owners Terry Prichard and Nancy Mertz have led kayak expeditions in the Sea of Cortez for over 25 years (and operated their business there with thousands of guests since 1993) without anyone swallowed by a whale (most of which, I later learned, are of the peaceful baleen variety) didn’t soothe the stirrings of my survival instinct. As much as I aimed for intellectual suppression of my irrational fears, I remained committed the administrative end of the Baja sunshine: from the safety of my computer screen with my feet firmly on solid ground.

And then I saw the pictures.