Do you need paddle experience for a kayak tour?
No, we offer guided kayak tours for all levels and with a certified sea kayak guide. Your guide will give you the essential kayak instruction and will keep you safe during the tour. She/he will give constructive feedback on paddle techniques if necessary and will adjust the tour distance according to the group's ability and stamina. How safe is a kayak tour?
The main goal for our guides is to keep you and your group safe. We provide seaworthy kayaks including safety equipment like: a bailer, throw rope, sprayskirt, and a PFD (Personal Floatation Device). The guide will keep an eye out on the weather and the waves; in extreme weather conditions we will cancel the tour. If you really can't paddle anymore the guide can even give you a tow. We consider our kayaks pretty stable, especially the tandem kayaks, and in the rare case of a capsize our guides are trained to get you back in your kayak fast. No swimming needed, your PFD will keep you afloat! Tandem kayak or single kayak?
We have both tandem kayaks and single kayaks in our fleet. We always recommend going in a tandem kayak unless you have experience in sea kayaking. Why? Our tandem kayaks are very stable and sleek and therefore very fast. They also have a centre hatch which prevents the paddlers from hitting each other with a blade; you do not have to synchronize your stroke and can paddle in any pace you like, no matter what your partner is doing. Bonus is there is double the power in one boat and one person can take pictures while the other one is controlling the boat. |
What do I wear and what do I need to bring myself?
Wear clothes that may get wet (no cotton), layer up and bring an extra layer for when the wind picks up including a rain coat (also excellent wind breaker). Wear shoes that can get wet; neoprene boots, sandals (with or without woolen socks), old runners. Flip-flops are not recommended because it is easy to get scrapes and cuts from the rocks. Bring an extra set of dry clothes. We will provide dry-bags for your clothes which will be stored in the kayak compartments. We will also bring small dry-bags for little stuff you want to bring like sunscreen, small camera, sun glasses. Bring a hat or cap as well and a liter of water per person minimum. Bottles can be stored under the bungees of the deck. Due to the pandemic we will not provide lunch or bring snacks so bring your own lunch and snacks for the day.
Wear clothes that may get wet (no cotton), layer up and bring an extra layer for when the wind picks up including a rain coat (also excellent wind breaker). Wear shoes that can get wet; neoprene boots, sandals (with or without woolen socks), old runners. Flip-flops are not recommended because it is easy to get scrapes and cuts from the rocks. Bring an extra set of dry clothes. We will provide dry-bags for your clothes which will be stored in the kayak compartments. We will also bring small dry-bags for little stuff you want to bring like sunscreen, small camera, sun glasses. Bring a hat or cap as well and a liter of water per person minimum. Bottles can be stored under the bungees of the deck. Due to the pandemic we will not provide lunch or bring snacks so bring your own lunch and snacks for the day.
What is included in a tour?
We provide the gear and equipment needed for kayaking: a seaworthy fiberglass and lightweight kayak, paddle, sprayskirt, PFD (Personal Floatation Device), dry bags, and off course the guide! We do NOT provide lunch, snacks or water. What kind of wildlife do you see?
Wildlife is 'wild' so we can never guarantee it but we mostly see seals, eagles, raccoons, several species of water birds, and at low tide many sea stars and anemones. In winter time we see sealions and in rare occasions we might spot an orca pod or humpback whale. What is the group size?
Most of our groups are 2 to 6 guests including one guide. We can accommodate larger groups up to 11 people including two guides. Do you need to be able to swim?
No swimming is required, your PFD (Personal Floatation Device) will keep you afloat. And your guide will help you back in the kayak in the rare occasion you might go for an unvoluntary swim. How old do you have to be?
As long as your little one can sit straight up and can sit still for a while we can bring your kid. We have a special seat for the centre hatch of a tandem kayak so you can paddle around with your little one. And you are never too old for kayaking, as long as you feel fit enough to do it, give it a try! |
Where do we meet?
That depends on the tour; most of our day tours leave from the Departure Bay area and the Pirate's Cove tour leaves south of Nanaimo. Our business is not located near the waterfront so we use a trailer to bring the kayaks to the boat ramp. After booking a tour you will receive an email with detailed information on what to bring and where to meet.
That depends on the tour; most of our day tours leave from the Departure Bay area and the Pirate's Cove tour leaves south of Nanaimo. Our business is not located near the waterfront so we use a trailer to bring the kayaks to the boat ramp. After booking a tour you will receive an email with detailed information on what to bring and where to meet.
Is kayaking hard?
Paddling is all about technique! Your guide will help you with your stroke technique if necessary. Kayaking is as hard as walking; it is a low-intensity activity and everybody with a reasonable fitness level should be able to complete a tour. Let us know if you have certain injuries or doubts about your abilities and we can try to accommodate or adjust the tour. Your guide will keep an eye on the group's progress and will change the tour distance accordingly if necessary. All our kayaks are equipped with a rudder which makes controlling the kayak very easy. Do you have a cancellation policy?
Yes, you may cancel the tour more than two days in advance without penalty; the down-payment (about 50% of the total amount) will be collected if cancellation takes place less than 48 hr before departure time and re-scheduling is not an option. We may also adjust or even cancel a tour on short notice due to adverse weather conditions. We will go out when it is raining but wind will keep us on shore; if the wind is blowing more than 10 knots/hr (appr. 20 km/hr) most people will have a hard time paddling against the wind and tours will get cancelled due to safety concerns. If we cancel due to weather and res-scheduling is not an option you will receive a full refund of the down-payment. Can you bring a dog on a tour?
We have had dogs on our tours! The dog needs to be small enough to fit in the centre hatch of a tandem kayak and comfortable in being on the water for a longer period of time. Unfortunately we do not have a life vest for our furry friends so bring your own. |
Do people get seasick?
In our experience it is very hard for people to get seasick in a kayak because you always have a view on the horizon and your body immediately understands in what position it's in. In the rare case you might get seasick we might adjust the tour to make it a more pleasant experience. And bring Ginger or make Ginger tea, that seems to help a lot.
In our experience it is very hard for people to get seasick in a kayak because you always have a view on the horizon and your body immediately understands in what position it's in. In the rare case you might get seasick we might adjust the tour to make it a more pleasant experience. And bring Ginger or make Ginger tea, that seems to help a lot.
Do you rent kayaks?
No, we only offer guided kayak tours.
No, we only offer guided kayak tours.
How do we book a tour?
You can book a tour by filling out the booking form indicating your preferred tour, date and time and the amount of people. We will send you an email back with detailed information on where to meet and what to bring. In Summer we also have an online booking platform. |