Sea Kayaking Specials

Although we love our regularly scheduled kayaking trips, sometimes it's fun to do something a little different. The ability to explore new areas is what makes sea kayaking so appealing to so many people. Our great location here in Anacortes allows us to run an amazing variety of fun kayak trips that are appealing to people of all ages, abilities, and experience levels.

Here's some of the sea kayaking that we have planned for 2008:

1)Snow Goose Cruise (see below)

2) Skagit Delta Kayaking

3-Day San Juan Islands Exploration

aboard the small cruise ship Snow Goose!

(Sea Kayaking, Spring Wildflowers, Great Food, Great Boat)

For years the m/v Snow Goose has been a leader in small cruise ship explorations in South East Alaska. Here in the San Juan Islands she has become a well known institution, taking thousands of students out every Spring and Fall, functioning as a marine laboratory on educational cruises.

For a select few weeks in April and early May the wildflower bloom here in the San Juan Islands explodes, transforming the San Juan shorelines into a kaleidoscope of colors. 

It is in this magical time that you have an opportunity to to join the fantastic crew of the Snow Goose, and the naturalist guides from Anacortes Kayak Tours, on a three-day cruise of the San Juan Islands. With only twelve guests per departure, these trips will offer an exclusive opportunity to experience the San Juans in a truly intimate way.

During the day you will be able to kayak along shorelines blazing with wildflowers, explore hidden coves with amazing rock formations, quietly observe the wildlife, and at the end of the day.....enjoy a glass of wine and a great meal in the warmth and comfort of the main salon of the Snow Goose.

Itinerary

Your cruise itinerary will take you to some of the most desirable locations in the San Juan Islands:

Day One:

The Snow goose will depart at 10:00 a.m. from Bellingham for a 3-4 hour cruise into the heart of the San Juan Island Archipelago. After enjoying a tastefully prepared lunch on the Snow Goose the crew will assist you and your guide into your kayaks. The area to explore on this first day is known as the Wasp Island Group. The quintessentially "San Juan" landscape here has a particularly outstanding destination known as Yellow Island. Managed by the Nature Conservancy, this 11 acre island has perhaps the best wildflower display in the entire Puget Lowland. The small preserve's springtime display of floral profusion and diversity is greater than that of any other similar-sized area in the 170-island San Juan archipelago.  Yellow Island is long and thin, with gravel spits at each end, a belt of evergreens across the middle and grassy meadows that overlook the two spits. Contained on this tiny piece of land are representatives of nearly all of the important floral groups of the San Juans.

What to See: Plants
More than 50 species of wildflowers, including broad leafed shooting star, hairy Indian paintbrush and brittle prickly pear cactus (the only cactus species native to Western Washington), can be found here. Many of these plants occur throughout the San Juans, but only Yellow Island, with its open fescue meadows and the absence of resident grazing animals, hosts such dense and diverse populations.

What to See: Animals
Bald eagles frequently perch in the island's tallest trees. Harbor seals haul out on the rocks off the island's west spit while using the east spit to give birth and nurse their young. Highly patterned harlequin ducks forage near shore, taking advantage of the prolific life in the inter tidal zone. The black oystercatcher's chisel-shaped bill is well suited for prying limpet, chiton and other shellfish from the rocks at low tide.

Farther from the island's wave-swept, weather-beaten coast, killer whales travel in large family groups called pods. Other marine mammals -- minke whales, harbor porpoise and California and Steller's sea lions -- swim in the nutrient-laden currents that bathe Yellow Island. Mink and river otters are the only mammals commonly seen on the island.

After enjoying this special place, and perhaps kayaking around several other small islands in the Wasp Group, you and your guide will rejoin the Snow Goose to clean up and prepare for a wonderful dinner inside the warm salon. That night the Snow Goose will anchor in a protected cove nearby which will allow you to enjoy a glass of wine in the silence of a San Juan evening, wrapped in a warm blanket on the deck of the boat.

Day Two:

On the second morning your crew will lift the anchor and navigate towards the "Crown Jewel" of the San Juan Islands, Sucia Island. No other part of the San Juans is quite like Sucia. By the luck of plate tectonics an area of golden sandstone was uplifted, exposing the soft sedimentary rock to the vagaries of glaciation and weather. The result was a fantastic group of rocks, reefs, and islands, all eroded into whimsical shapes and honeycombed surfaces. It is a paradise within paradise, and particularly well suited for sea kayaking. "Sucia", translated from Spanish, means "dirty, or foul" which refers to it's many submerged reefs that were hazardous to the early Spanish explorers. By kayak you are able to go where other boats would not dare, allowing you to get a close-up and intimate experience.

Your guide will find a quiet beach to land the kayaks so that you can enjoy a leisurely lunch and perhaps take a short walk on the island. After lunch, you will continue on in your exploration, eventually meeting up again with the Snow Goose for another warm and peaceful evening onboard.

What to See: Plants

Sucia Island also enjoys an incredible display of wildflowers. On grassy headlands are large clusters of Camas. These showy blue flowers are a delight to the eyes today, but in earlier times they were a vital part of the diet of native groups. Their bulbs are highly edible and were one of the more important sources of starch in the area. Groves of Pacific Madrone are common on Sucia island as well, their slender red trunks twisting gracefully into the canopy provide a startling contrast against the darker backdrop of thick coniferous trees. During the Spring they come alive with a gorgeous creamy white flower. Small Aspen groves appear near damp freshwater bogs above the beach, these colonizing plants are among the oldest living things in the San Juan Islands. Some have been apparently been around for nearly 1000 years!

What to See: Animals

Due to it's location at the southern end of the massive Strait of Georgia, Sucia island boasts an incredible amount of marine wildlife. In the Spring a large group of Stellar sea lions can be seen foraging offshore, or resting on the rocks. The seal population is robust as well, perhaps more seals can be seen here than any other place in the San Juans. Orca whales, Minke whales, and porpoise are also commonly observed transiting the area, and the ubiquitous Bald eagle seems ever present overhead. In addition to these larger animals are an array of sea birds and a cornucopia of inter tidal creatures that come out when the tide is low.

What to See: Geology

Sucia Island is perhaps most famous for it's rock formations. Quite unlike anything else in the islands, the blonde sandstone seems almost out of place here. Highly eroded into hoodoos, honeycombs, small arches, and caves, the Sucia Island shoreline is a feast for the eyes.

Day Three

On your last morning the Snow Goose will set out for the scenic cruise back to Bellingham. Along the way your captain may stop on neighboring Matia Island to walk along the 1 mile loop trail that takes you through a gorgeous grove of old-growth trees, and along hidden coves which offer wonderful views across the water towards Orcas Island. Alternatively, there may be an opportunity to anchor up at Cypress Island and kayak along the exceptional shorelines of this Marine Protected Area.

Later in the afternoon the Snow Goose will deliver you back to Bellingham with plenty of time to get to your next destination, or to enjoy a meal at one of the fine restaurants in town.

Early Season Special: regularly priced at $1049, now just $799pp

Cruise Dates:

April 11-13 (Friday-Sunday)- Space Available

April 18-20 (Friday-Sunday)- Space Available

April 24-26 (Thursday-Saturday)- Space Available

May  3-5 (Saturday-Monday)- Space Available

Included in your trip:

-All kayaking equipment

-Great meals on board the Snow Goose, and while kayaking

- Wonderful accommodations aboard a great vessel

- Naturalist guides, friendly crew, fantastic chef

To book this trip please contact the Snow Goose Office at 360-393-6657

or visit their website at www.snowgoosealaska.com

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Skagit River Delta Kayaking

Saturday, April 19th, 3:00 p.m, 3 hours, $65  (Burrows Island Kayaking is also available)

Mid-April is the heart of the Tulip Festival, thousands of people come here from all over the world to witness the extraordinary spectacle of millions of Tulips blooming simultaneously across huge fields.

Unknown to most of these visitors is a quieter place that is of equal, if more subdued, beauty. The Skagit River, which flows mostly unseen behind earthen dikes throughout the Skagit Valley, empties into the Puget Sound just a few minutes away from the Tulip fields. As the river enters the delta, the landscape changes dramatically. Narrow side-channels braid themselves into a matrix of cattail-filled marsh lands, open mud-flats, and brushy lowlands. You wouldn't want to walk too far in this environment, but with a sea kayak the possibilities for exploration are endless. Paddling quietly through the maze of waterways brings back nostalgic memories of childhood adventure. We spent a lot of time in the Delta this winter and every trip brought a new discovery. Wildlife abounds in these nutrient rich waters. The birding takes the words "world-class" to a new level, and the delta's importance as a nursery for all of our species of Salmon has recently brought the area to national attention.

This trip is perfect for people of any age, and absolutely no experience is necessary! In fact, if you've ever been curious about sea kayaking, but never had the guts to climb into a kayak, then this might be the chance you've been looking for. The water is often quite shallow, which is perfect for novice kayaks.

(The standard joke is; "In the event of a capsize the first thing to do is....stand up.)

We'll depart from Freshwater Slough, and head down the channel toward the saltwater. From there we'll duck into side channels and work our way through the delta, eventually returning to where we started. This is a

We advise that you bring boots along for this trip. We may stop somewhere along the way for a stretch break and it is likely that you'll need to step in a few inches of water. If you do not have boots then let us know, we have a limited supply of neoprene booties that we can bring.

Space is limited on this trip, early reservations are highly recommended!

BOOK ONLINE

Or call (800) 992-1801

Sucia Island All Day Kayaking Event, 8-9 Hours of Fun!

This may be the most coveted sea kayaking destination on the entire west coast of the United States. Actually a cluster of small islands, the Sucia Islands are famed for their crazy sandstone formations. This blonde stone erodes into fantastic honeycombs, and surreal hoodoos creating a fantasy land for intrepid paddlers to explore. Wildlife abounds up here on the edge of the vast Strait of Georgia.

Last season we added three hours to our regular Outer Islands kayak trip so that we could get out there and fully experience and enjoy one of the most amazing places in Washington State. Adding this time was the key to making this one of the best sea kayaking day trips anywhere. There is no need to rush, and at Sucia Island you really should slow down and take a look around.  It is an absolutely amazing place, quite unlike anywhere else in the San Juan Islands.

Bring a lunch along because we'll be out all day! We've set this program up to be a relaxing experience for folks of any fitness levels. You'll start off with a couple of hours of easy paddling, exploring the nooks and crannies of the convoluted shoreline. Along the way you will stop for an extended lunch break. Feel free to relax on the beach, or go for a short walk with our guides. Afterwards you will launch your kayaks for some more exploration, if weather and tides permit we'll even try to paddle around the island. While waiting for the boat to come for us we will have some more beach time to really take in the peacefulness of our surroundings.

The great part is that even after the kayaking is over you still get to enjoy an unbelievably beautiful boat ride through the most scenic area in the San Juan Islands.

We will only run this kayak tour a handful of times this summer. Last year every departure booked up early so you'll definitely want to reserve your space early!

This is truly a remarkable experience that will only be experienced by a few people this summer.

Call now! (800) 992-1801