Guiding a Kayaking Trip in BC – what exactly is involved?

I have always been struck with the use of the word “guide” to describe what we do. It’s limiting, in the sense that it leaves the perception that our role is getting from point A to point B.

The word “facilitator” seems more appropriate. Although not as adventurous, it more accurately defines the spectrum of knowledge and duties that our leaders must possess.

Not only are we focused on skills such as technique, safety, knowledge of weather, currents, tides, navigation, route finding but must be aware of group dynamics, individual goals, be empathetic, patient. Couple all this with being a good chef, offering a natural, cultural, historical database and you get an idea of the complexity of our role.

And why do we accept this demanding role? That’s the topic of our next posting. (And no, we haven't forgotten about our adopted whale. We'll soon get back to that important topic.)

If you were an orca, where would you go for winter?

Our adopted killer whale -- name yet to be revealed! -- hangs out in the waters off northern Vancouver Island, plus the mainland coast as far north as southeast Alaska. You may well spot our adoptee on one of our kayak trips to Johnstone Strait, where the pod (family of orcas) hangs out.

But noone knows where they go in the winter.


Well, of course the orcas know. But they're not telling...

Like any proud parent, we need to show a photo

So here you see a photo of our adopted whale. A beauty, no? And this photo is just the beginning... we're ready to s-l-o-w-l-y reveal facts until, voila, you'll then learn our new member's name.

As we announced yesterday, we've adopted a wild orca thanks to www.killerwhale.org. By adopting, we're helping fund research into these wonderful animals. Once you've seen these orcas frolicking in the ocean -- possible on a kayak trip in Johnstone Strait -- you'll want to do everything you can to ensure they don't ever go away.

kayak trips -- with our very own orca adoptee!

OK, we admit it's hard for us humans to tell one whale from another. But our adopted orca is out there for sure -- we know because the experts from Wild Killer Whale Adaption Program tell us.

You too can adopt a killer whale and support research. Just go to www.killerwhale.org for info.

We'll be posting info on our adoption, being proud parents and all, so stay tuned...

BC kayaking trips & our kayaks

See that photo? Besides wondering what our kayaking guide Georgia is looking at, you'll notice the kayaks nicely lined up. These are the kayaks we use on our BC sea kayaking trips .

We do have single kayaks for the experienced paddlers, but many people who join us on a trip are inexperienced and looking to enjoy a new activity -- most importantly they want to escape to the wonderful outdoors. You'll notice the double kayaks all in a row, and that tells me that we were introducing the world of kayaking to some people.

So, it's important to have stable and roomy kayaks (with enough room to pack tasty food). If you're looking for such a beast, take a look at the Seaward kayak we use on our sea kayaking trips. It's called the Southwind kayak. Seaward is a Vancouver Island company, and it's a great local company offering a range of kayaks and kayaking gear. You can check them out on their website.

Better to watch than to hunt, says David Suzuki

"Well, I'd rather see people watching whales than hunting them," says David Suzuki.

This quote is from an article in the Vancouver Sun on leaving a small environmental footprint when traveling. For those who don't know, Suzuki is a leading environmentalist here in Canada. His foundation has a website with lots of info at www.davidsuzuki.org . Who could argue with Suzuki on this one?

We at Sea to Sky, as a responsible company, adhere to no trace camping principles on our sea kayaking trips. These principles include camping on durable places, disposing of garbage and human waste properly, not removing any historical or cultural or natural things, minimizing campfire impact, respecting wildlife and using those guidelines established by conservationists.

kayaking trip bc

With the weather getting warmer, my thoughts turn to the upcoming summer and the whales of Johnstone Strait

The signs of Spring are here on the coast of BC in Canada, so my eyes turn to maps and schedules as I look forward to the upcoming summer hiking, canoeing and kayaking season. Not being a big winter enthusiast, I really look forward to summer.

Take a look at the map here. It's one of the special areas out here on the coast of BC. Why? Think whales. Orca whales. That area called Johnstone Strait (in yellow on the map) is home to many orcas.

Kayaking with orcas in Johnstone Strait is one of those great sea kayaking trips in BC. There is a large population of these whales in Johnstone Strait, and they live there because of the living feast -- salmon that return to spawn.

One of the reasons we don't have a base camp on our kayaking trips is that the orcas, like all travelers, love to wander. We can go where they are hanging out.

We out here in this area are very lucky to be able to observe these beautiful animals. I remember a guide telling me about the effect of these water mammals on a 6 foot tall, 250 lb man. They were listening to the hydrophone, which broadcasts the orcas' underwater calls when submerged underwater, and heard a distinctive orca voice. They were looking around, trying to see the large beast which was nowhere in sight yet clearly announcing its approach. The man paused, took in the orcas' call and surveyed the scenery, and said "I think I"m going to cry."