|
|
|
Our
Sea Kayaking Trips Sampler -
and Bird Watching
Tours!
|
|
"Superb.
Almost a dream like quality, it was so beautiful. I will highly recommend your
sea kayaking tours."
Melinda Pratt, Tigard, OR |
| |
Sea Kayaking
Vacations You'll Never Forget
The next four links are sea kayaking trips.
Bird Watching
Tours in Washington State with authors and biologists Mark
Lewis and Fred Sharpe.
Custom Trip Ideas -
We do
more than sea kayaking!
Our Color Brochure can be downloaded by clicking this link (1.3Mb
pdf file).
|
|
|
Imagine yourself in a sea kayak flowing down a
broad ribbon of blue water. Surrounding you are more islands than you can count, and in
the distance, you see snow-capped mountain peaks. Your flotilla of companions rounds a
headland crowned by an old light-house, and suddenly, they appear. A pod of twenty orca
whales
rises to the surface, their six-foot dorsal fins cutting straight for your group. Your
senses are filled by their awesome presence: explosive exhalations echo from the cliffs,
the smell of fishy breath drifts on the breeze, and a seven-ton bull harmlessly breaches
amid a thunderous splash. Glistening black-and-white hulks gently glide through your
flotilla without so much as rocking a single kayak. Gradually the family of whales rounds
the point and leaves your sight – but the memory stays with you forever.
Our paddling routes are carefully planned to
traverse the most important orca whale habitats. And our skilled
biologist guides are able to utilize
their years of experience to help bring about an encounter. Some other
key differences that separate us from other outfitters in the San Juan
Islands include the fact that we only use kayak campsites that can only
be reached by boat. Our private Orca Camp is exclusive for Sea Quest
guests, is located right on the main killer whale travel route, and
offers beaches on two sides and water views across 270°. This
spectacular campsite allows us to avoid the often over-crowded public
campgrounds. And most importantly, Sea Quest Expeditions requires
all field staff to pass an intensive sea kayak guide training class that
we designed. This specialized training is fully 2 to 5 times longer than
any of our various competitors and we feel it vastly increases the both
the level of safety on our sea kayaking adventures and the educational
quality. Our one to five-day tours in the protected waters of the San Juan
Islands are the perfect introduction to seakayaking. Longer itineraries,
including the Canadian Gulf Islands, can be arranged if you call in
advance. Detailed information and itineraries are available by following
this link to our sea kayaking vacations in the San
Juan Islands of Washington web page. Special
discounts are currently available for trips to this destination!
Why choose Sea Quest for your kayak tour in the San Juan Islands of
Washington?
-
Selected as a Top 10 Adventure Bargain in the world by USA
Today Travel!
-
Selected as a Top 100 Adventure by Men's Journal Magazine!
-
Best prices for tours in the San Juan Islands or anywhere on the west coast.
-
Best routes for orca whales - we give
you the best chance of an encounter.
-
Best campsite - private & exclusive -
located right on the main killer whale route.
-
Best trained biologist/naturalist guides and
a perfect 20 year safety record as we
provide our guides with the most
intensive guide training program in the region.
-
Best and newest kayaks & gear - sleek,
fast, state-of-the-art, our sea kayaks are
the highest rated design for safety, and less than one year
old!
|
|
|
A collision of two opposing realms: desert
wilderness and fertile sea. Perhaps this best describes the remote beaches of Baja
California.
Do you seek sunny skies, uninhabited islands, and dazzling desert starscapes? Would you
like to swim among colorful tropical fish, paddle with
playful dolphins, and have a close encounter with a colossal fin or blue whale? The spectacular coast
of Mexico's Baja Peninsula awaits you this winter season. Whether you are a kayaker, hiker, snorkeler,
fisher, beachcomber, or naturalist, our Baja sea kayaking trips have something for you. Join our
experienced biologists for the finest guided sea kayaking expeditions in Mexico.
We lead sea kayak tours on both sides of this narrow peninsula, kayaking in
regions that are amazingly different despite their nearness. On the Sea of Cortez side we
traverse the "Blue Triangle", perhaps the only location in the world where blue
whales and other huge species may be commonly encountered by sea kayak.
Many of the campsites we use here are part of an international biosphere
reserve and marine national park. Over on the Pacific side we explore the lagoons famed for vast
herds of breeding gray whales, some friendly enough to be petted!
Detailed information and itineraries are available by following this link
to our sea kayaking tours in Baja California of Mexico web page. |
| |
|
In 2007 we plan to join
forces with another company to provide sea kayaking tours with the orca
whales of Johnstone Strait in British Columbia. In combination with the
San Juan Islands of Washington, these two locations are the best in the
world for encountering killer whales from a sea kayak. The waters of
Johnstone Strait are rich with migrating salmon and baitfish, attracting
the orcas and a large variety of other marine mammals, including minke
whales, humpback whales, white-sided dolphins, harbor porpoises, Dall's
porpoises, harbor seals, and Steller's sea lions. Some of islands are in
the area are inhabited by black bears, mountain lions, and timber
wolves. What a wilderness!
Beautiful beach campsites, uninhabited islands, and intricate
glacially-carved waterways make this area a magnet for sea kayakers. Within the ancient forest gallery all sounds of the sea are
swallowed by the dense foliage and hanging mosses - its as if you've entered a towering
emerald cathedral. Here survives the largest temperate rainforest in the world
and relict villages of native people. Detailed
information and itinerary are available by following this link to our
sea kayaking trips in British Columbia of Canada
web page.
|
| |
|
For sea kayak adventurers, Alaska is one of the most inspiring destinations in the
world. It is remote, biologically rich, and awesomely beautiful. In answer to the eager
urging of our alumni, we are now offering two different sea kayaking expeditions to explore the
most remarkable of southeast Alaskan locations.
Our most popular Alaska sea kayaking trip is called "Glaciers & Whales",
actually a combination of two unique areas linked by a scenic seaplane flight. One
campsite overlooks an important humpback whale feeding ground, and the other is placed
near LeConte Glacier. The tranquility of these camps is often disturbed by explosive
"calving" of huge icebergs into the sea, and by cavorting whales! Our newest
route is in the Tebenkof Wilderness, a supremely isolated region of ancient rainforest and
fertile waters. Whales, sea lions, and sea otters abound in this spectacular setting.
Detailed information and itineraries are available by following this link
to our sea kayaking
tours in the Inside
Passage of southeast Alaska web page. |
| |
Custom
Kayaking Trips & Kayak Tours
Every year we get a greater number of individuals, families, groups, and
schools coming to us with requests for custom trips. We will gladly design both
custom kayaking trips and non-kayaking expeditions and tours. You can focus the
custom trip on your own unique interests in any combination:
natural history, birding, tidepooling, photography, scuba, snorkeling, and more. Groups of
ten or more are eligible for a 10% discount. Be sure to make your group plans early!
Don't forget, Sea Quest Expeditions can take you anywhere in the
world, and if you have a favorite guide on our staff they'll be glad to
take you there!
|
| |
Whale Research Expeditions
We apologize, but this program has been suspended
for 2008.
Have you ever wanted to see whales in their natural habitat and help
increase our knowledge of these endangered animals at the same time? Would you like to
experience the excitement of a feeding frenzy caused by a thousand seabirds and a pod of
hungry whales as they devour an entire school of fish? Here's your opportunity to
participate.
Over the past several years we have actively supported a variety of
researchers' scientific investigations and conservation projects. Included among these
have been programs to study humpback whales in southeast Alaska, blue whales in the Gulf
of California, and both orca whales and minke whales in the San Juan Islands. Most of these
species have been extensively hunted around the world, reducing their populations
severely. Even now, despite a profound lack of knowledge concerning the
minke whale's basic
natural history, several nations are still involved in their slaughter on the high seas.
Recently, the orca whale has faced pressure in the Pacific Northwest from drastic changes in its
prey population and persistent biomagnified toxins.
You can help learn more about these beleaguered creatures, and hopefully
increase their chances of survival, by assisting field researchers and conservationists in
their efforts. Depending on the study, the work may involve identification photography,
behavioral observations, sonar recordings, and numerous other investigative techniques.
One project, whose goal is orca whale conservation, focuses its efforts on public education and
helps to maintain buffers between boaters and orca whales.
These experiences can be extremely enriching. Besides the study species,
you will likely encounter many other fascinating forms of marine life, all while in the
company of experts. Contact us if you'd like to know which projects are still seeking
participants with a willingness to contribute both work and financial assistance. Detailed
information and itineraries are available for the humpback whale
and orca whale projects by clicking on the links here. Please
be aware these programs utilize motorized vessels for field work, and do not
use sea kayaks! |
| |
About Our Company | Trips We Offer | More Information
Log Book | Site Contents |
Home
Email us or call
(360) 378-5767 or (888) 589-4253
Join
a Kayak Quest for Whales!™
|
|
|
