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.

Thought that I would just give you all a little summary of one of the most incredible experiences I have had in all these many years. Took a trip with Sea Kayak Adventures, Inc.  

This was their 3 x 3 Combo to the Baja of Mexico which included 3 days of kayaking -- the SEA of CORTEZ, followed by 3 days of whale watching --- MAGDALENA BAY on the Pacific side. And they run a really good trip.

We were met by our amazing guides, Edgar and Axel in Loreto, distributed dry bags for our gear for the kayaking.  And I became "Cactus" Kay.  All bags contained labels of local vegetation/sea life/shells, etc. so we could easily tell what was ours.

Kayaks are state of the art doubles, top of the line gear.  We met our boats, all doubles, and ours became "Lemon Lightening".  This became a self fulfilling prophecy as Laurie and I always seemed to be out in front of the pack.  We had to blame it on the boat as I was the oldest in the group.  Twelve of us, a great, compatible bunch of people.  Youngest was 28, the oldest was ME!

Happy Valentine's Day from SKA!

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and we have a number of special offers available to celebrate including our "Countdown to 20 Years" special: book ANY Baja or BC tour by Valentine's Day to receive a box of handmade chocolates and a bottle of champagne on your tour! We also have Early Bird Incentives!

News from the field: Baja High Season

Our gray whale/Sea of Cortez combo season is in full swing in Loreto, Baja California Sur, with sunny skies and happy guests. Gray whales are calving and congregating in Magdalena Bay with record numbers migrating down the Pacific Coast from their Alaskan home seas. Due to some cancellations, we have a handful of spaces still available on Feb 26-Mar 4 and March 4-11, 2012 combo tours. This is THE best time and place to see gray whales.

The city of Loreto is being considered for "Magic Town" designation by the Mexican Federal Ministry of Tourism. This designation indicates a place of national and international significance due to the preservation of natural and cultural heritage. Loreto Bay is already a national park and the islands are preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage site - what a special place!  Join us for warm sea kayak getaways in March and April in the Sea of Cortez, or our classic Loreto area paddle to circumnavigate Isla Carmen.

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:

Sept-Dec, spring in the southern hemisphere, is the "right" time see the southern right whale. Pods travel up from Antarctic waters to give birth in the sheltered lagoons of Peninsula Valdes UNESCO World Heritage site in southern Argentina. This offers an excellent opportunity to be in close proximity to these ungainly looking but acrobatic whales. They were called "right" whales by the early whalers because they floated once harpooned, making them easier to harvest.

We still have room on our Dec 3-10, 2011 departure to kayak with these whales and their calves, and view them also from our campsites and by small boat.   We also tour penguin colonies and view rheas and guanacos (a llama-like creature) in this splendid World Heritage Site.

Curious about these unusual whales? The following video clip is a research documentary on Southern Right Whales primarily in Peninsula Valdes: Whale Trackers: Southern right whales of Argentina

Patagonia: What is the best time to travel and see whales?

Patagonia offers a unique experience for whale watching.  Southern right whales choose the shallow coastal areas to give birth and are often visible directly from the beaches surrounding these coves. However, these whales are migratory and have only a limited window during which they calve in the protected lagoons of the Peninsula Valdes UNESCO World Heritage Site. The rest of the year they are at their feeding grounds in Antarctica - where most of us will never venture to view them!

So what is the best time to see the whales? RIGHT NOW! These right whales begin to arrive in mid-September and return southward in mid-December.  These three months host incredible sightings of right whale acrobatics, adorable baby antics, and a variety of other other interesting creatures.

Even better, this time frame is spring in the southern hemisphere and the lagoon is a sheltered, protected body of water. Thus the weather and location make it perfect for sea kayakers of most ability levels. Imagine kayaking near a family of frolicking right whales! Are you ready to sign up yet?!

We provide all gear and guides on this camping/lodge kayaking/whale watching combo (airfare not included).  To any of our kayak tours can be added an extension to explore the Fitzroy mountains and Moreno Glacier.  Call now to reserve your spot for this fall!  We only have a few spaces left for 2011 on Oct 3-10 and Dec 3-10, 2011 tours.

Strait from the Strait: Final BC Trip Report

On our last trip, August 28-Sept 2, started out with some thick fog in the Johnstone Strait but it thinned out enough to find the A30′s (10) orcas foraging for salmon. We saw a bear swimming from one island to another.  And, we saw an adult humpback whale breach some 10 - 12 times in Blackfish sound.  What a show!  Learn more about why whales breach by clicking here.

The orcas were in the area again later in the week as well as Steller sea lions, harbour seals and lots of sea birds.  We ended our season with calm seas and sunny skies.

Straight from the Strait: Guides Report from the Field

Orca Base Camp August 22-25

It was a terrific four days on the water with lots of Orca and several Humpback whale sightings during the trip. Each day we watched the resident fish-eating orcas as they slowly traveled down Johnstone Strait.  The highlight was watching a juvenile orca come into our bay at Little Kaikash and pass within a few meters of where we were standing. The little guy provided some excellent photo opportunities and everyone at camp got lots of great pictures.  The trip also offered some incredible Humpback whale viewing.  Guests witnessed two of these huge whales cruising close to shore next to the rocks near our base camp.  

The glass calm water made for perfect paddling and watching for whales, porpoises, Stellar sea lions, seabirds and quite a few bald eagles.  Add a freshly caught Chinook salmon (courtesy of a local fisherman) barbequed over a campfire and we had a 10 Star week.

This week was amazing from start to finish, with orca encounters to take your breath away! Guests on our Johnstone Strait Base Camp tour Aug 15-18 on northern Vancouver Island were thrilled to view over 60 killer whales!  We observed pods: A30′s, I15′s, A23′s, A35′s & Springer, A36′s, A12, A34′s and the A24 matrilines of fish-eating "northern resident" killer whales feasting on the peak salmon runs. Quite often it seemed like everywhere you turned there were killer whales!

Orcas prevail this summer! Rarely have we witnessed a season so full of wonderful wildlife sightings.  The humpbacks seem to be ranging farther into the Johnstone Strait this summer, making them more visible to our sea kayak travelers as they navigate the many untouched island channels in these calm waters.

This weekend marked the end of two more successful trips in the Johnstone Strait.  A charter group of high school students followed orcas between Robson Bight and KaiKash on only their second day of paddling. A close sea lion encounter also enthralled the group, whose younger members initiated a drenching water fight with their parents and chaperones after a day exploring the Broughton Archipelago Marine Provincial Park.

The other kayak group hosted no water fights, but was thrilled nonetheless with a variety of wildlife experiences.  Seals, sea lions, and black bear were spotted as well as Humpback, Dall’s porpoises, harbour porpoises, birds, and of course, orcas.  The Orcas were present a number of times and enjoyed a good belly rub near the shore.  One pod chose to make a dramatic appearance by swimming right past the group at the end of an orca presentation by the Strait watch warden - talk about perfect timing! All were delighted by this display and the marvelous opportunity to view these animals up close in the wild. 

Both trips enjoyed beautiful paddling weather with little rain in this secluded, idyllic location, offering a cool respite from the blazing temperatures elsewhere in the continent.

Sound like fun? Don’t miss your opportunity to secure one of the last 4 spots on our August 14th or August 28th departures. This summer is truly a year of abundant orcas and magnificent marine mammals.  NOW is the time to book and take home memories to last a lifetime.  Visit our website at www.seakayakadventures.com for more information on all of our BC tours.

It was an amazing trip up in God's Pocket this week with a great group of people.  Highlights included a sea otter sighting and our host Bill playing with a giant pacific octopus (click here to see the octopus video)!  We saw some amazing wildlife including a humpback whale, porpoises, and seals.  During the trip we circumnavigated several islands, and visited an ancient First Nation's midden.  Mid-week we hiked to Harlequin Bay to view the old-growth cedar trees, and later paddled to the Scarlett Point Lighthouse for a tour led by the lighthouse keeper. Perfect paddling weather, just a bit of rain and no wind all week.  We capped off our trip with an amazing night paddle in the bio-luminescence.  Everybody enjoyed the incredible meals prepared by Shona, especially her baking!  It's back to the gym and cottage cheese.

What an fantastic week for wildlife sightings on our July 17-22 Johnstone Strait Orca Waters Expedition. We saw a humpback whale from our kayaks (we could hear its deep breaths), porpoises, bald eagles, seals, sea lions, and even a minke whale. We found several wolf tracks while hiking in the forest and we listened to their howls one night.  But the thrill-of-a-lifetime moment came when a pod of resident killer whales arrived in front of our campsite to rub on the beach gravels just a few meters from where we were standing! We quickly placed an underwater microphone (hydrophone) in the water and heard some amazing vocalizations from these fish-eating orcas.  And, to top it all off, we had flat calm seas which made the paddling quite enjoyable, we really are in paradise! 

To view a video of an orca passing close by a kayak, click here.  To see more photos from our Johnstone Strait tours, click here.  Call us at 1-800-616-1943 to book an orca tour in August.

BC Canada - The northern resident salmon-eating orcas are back in Johnstone Strait, as per 2 whale watching day cruise boats in Johnstone Strait: Stubbs Island and MacKay

Also exciting news reported by Stubbs and MacKay are that there are many more humpback whales than ever before in the area, and they are seeing minke whales, transient orcas, Dall's porpoise and Pacific white-sided dolphins.   

It's not too late to book a wildlife kayaking tour of 4 days or 6 days in length, suitable for novices, in Johnstone Strait this summer - we have room still on selected July and August 2011 tours.

BAJA - And a reminder of our special offers for Baja tours! Some folks calling us to book 2012 Easter and spring break trips recently reported that flights to Loreto are already filling fast for prime dates. There is only one carrier into Loreto, only one flight a day, and only 70 seats per flight - so don't miss out if you are planning to visit Loreto soon.