Adventure 16: Outdoor and Travel Outfitters - Since 1963

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God's Pocket Resort Lodge-Based Sea Kayaking

Kayaking in Canada with Sea Kayaking Adventures, Inc.

Highlights

  • Exclusive use of the only lodge in God's Pocket Provincial Park off Port Hardy, northern Vancouver Island
  • Jacques Cousteau helped this become a park as he declared it one of THE best cold water SCUBA sites in North America
  • The diversity of underwater life is famous among SCUBA divers and it brings in the larger marine mammals, including seals, sea lions, dolphins, whales, sea otters, bald eagles, orcas 50% of the time (as opposed to Johnstone Strait being just about 100% sure to see orcas)
  • Suitable for novices in good health ages 14 and up; sheltered kayaking; some departures have yoga component by demand

 

Full Description

Our popular lodge-based kayak tours in God’s Pocket Provincial Park in Queen Charlotte Strait are designed for those who wish to experience sea kayaking without having to camp. Enjoy comfortable rooms with hot showers and great food created by a chef. Paddle the same waters in British Columbia we visit on our Wilderness Islands tours.

Your kayaking and whale watching adventure starts with a stunning boat cruise from Port Hardy BC Canada on northern Vancouver Island past rugged mountains, forested islands, and the wildlife rich waters of Queen Charlotte Strait, before arriving at God's Pocket Resort.

The moment you step onto the dock you'll appreciate the charm of this rustic island resort, located in the heart of God's Pocket Provincial Park - one of Canada's newest parks. Its seven rooms provide comfort, private baths, all the amenities of home and ocean views that take your breath away.

Our guides instruct you in sea kayaking basics, and then we spend days paddling the sheltered waterways surrounding the many islands that make up the park while watching for humpback whales, orca, porpoises, seals, sea lions, sea otters and bald eagles, attracted by the prolific underwater sea life.  We cruise by the famous Browning Wall observing the spectacular invertebrate sea life from the warmth and comfort of our sea kayaks.  You can take a day off from kayaking anytime, or follow one of the hiking trails into the island's lush rain forest. Don't forget to greet the resort's resident octopus and river otters in the cove out front.

At the end of the day, you'll return to the resort to enjoy a hot shower in your room and fabulous dinner featuring locally caught seafood (try the smoked salmon), fresh baked goods and regional wines in the resort's main lodge - all prepared by the lodge's resident chef. Watch the sunset and relax by a campfire on a waterside deck. Then sleep blissfully in a comfortable bed.

Other enjoyable activities include natural history talks, a short night paddle, games and natural history videos in the game room/library. If you wish to experience wilderness kayak touring in Canada's Inside Passage without having to camp, you'll find our lodge-based trip at God's Pocket appealing.

Includes:

  • Lodging at 7-room lodge (the only one in God's Pocket Provincial Park; we have exclusive use)
  • 2-3 BC licensed sea kayak guides
  • All kayak gear and instruction
  • Wetsuit booties
  • All meals on the tour and wine served with dinner
  • Library, game room and campfire circle
  • Sun deck
  • Local hiking trails, can take a day off from the kayaking

Excludes:

  • Airfare to Port Hardy, northern Vancouver Island
  • Meals and transport in Port Hardy before and after lodge tour
  • Tips
  • 12% HST Canadian tax

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 0

Overnight on your own in Port Hardy, on northern tip of Vancouver Island BC Canada.

Day 1

We'll have an early morning orientation meeting at the dock near Seagate Hotel in Port Hardy where you'll meet your guides. Then, we'll take a boat for the shuttle to God's Pocket Resort. Upon arrival, there is a brief lodge orientation, settle into your room and quick hike if there's time. On the dock after lunch, the guides will give an orientation on kayaking and safety before leading a short paddling excursion that afternoon. Enjoy happy hour on the sun deck and a scrumptious dinner. Enjoy deep sleep.

Days 2-5

Each day, after a scrumptious breakfast in the dining room, we will depart on daily paddling excursions to explore the adjacent islands and passages of Queen Charlotte Strait and God's Pocket Provincial Park, where marine mammals abound. Typically we will paddle for 2 hours in the morning, take an hour or two to enjoy the gourmet lunch packed by our chef on a scenic island beach, and spend another 2 hours in the kayaks before returning to the comforts of the resort. If you need a break from kayaking, you have the option to spend the day exploring island trails on foot or beach combing deserted beaches. Each afternoon we often have time for a short hike on the island and happy hour on the sun deck before dinner. Each evening we offer campfires, nature talks and other activities. For rainy evenings we have a common room with board games, library and nature videos and DVD's.

Day 6

After breakfast, we will check out of our rooms and board the boat for the return to Port Hardy, with one last look for marine mammals.

About The Operator:

Sea Kayaking Adventures, Inc.

Headquarters:

Coeur d'Alene, ID

Since the beginning, Sea Kayak Adventures has created simply outstanding sea kayaking trips and incredible wildlife encounters for outdoor-minded travelers by offering not only fun and excitement, but also inspiring adventures designed to rejuvenate your body and spirit. We're all about getting away from everything, learning new things, observing wildlife, meeting great people and introducing you to a new way of travel. So that you can experience the dream vacation you deserve, we emphasize unparalleled customer service, superb sea kayaking and whale watching destinations, and unbeatable support and camaraderie from each of our SKA guides. We serve gourmet meals and provide all the equipment needed.

Sea Kayak Adventures is actually three companies- we are fully licensed and permitted by the Mexican and Canadian governments to operate in their waters, including national parks in Mexico and provincial parks in BC Canada. We maintain offices in these countries, pay all the required fees and taxes and we are committed to the hiring, training and development of local personnel. Our office in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, USA handles your reservations and takes care of you before and after your trip.

In 1993 Terry Prichard and Nancy Mertz Prichard, after working as sea kayak guides for many years in Baja and the Pacific Northwest, created Sea Kayak Adventures. We wanted to share our love of nature and exciting work with others in our own way. Meeting great people, kayaking close to whales, sleeping under the stars. Being intimate with nature. It's an incredible experience.

We operate at all times with environmental ethics in mind. We hire local highly trained guides exclusively in Canada and 90% local in Mexico (some of our Canadian guides lead our tours in Mexico) well on track to our goal of grooming fully certified marine biologist guides and Mexican trip leaders for all tours in Mexico. We put as much money as we can into the local economy of our destinations. We were the first company to design and implement porta potties for double kayaks, which is now standard in the industry in Loreto, Baja and first to go carbon neutral. We run mostly self-supported tours (ie no motorboat support) thus rely on the greater carrying capacity of double kayaks. Some of our Baja tours are motorboat-supported - i.e. a motorboat goes along, usually going ahead to camp each day with the camp gear, which can carry more amenities than a self-supported trip, so you do have your choice there. We have 1-2 single kayaks on each trip for guests to rotate into (we do not guarantee exclusive use of single kayaks). Our guides are eager to help you learn and develop your paddling skills.