Why Choose Anacortes Kayak Tours?
If you are looking at other kayak outfitter’s web sites, you’re probably wondering how to tell us apart. With everyone claiming to be the best, how can you know? We think that we do a darned good job, but we also feel that “the best” is a fairly subjective value, so here’s a few reasons why we feel that you would enjoy kayaking with us:
Location, Location, Location!
If you live here in western Washington, or are staying in the Seattle area, you can kayak in the San Juan Islands, and still be home in time for dinner, something that is impossible to do if you take a ferry to Friday Harbor. For out-of-state visitors, you can experience the beauty of the islands without sacrificing the rest of your valuable vacation time. Anacortes is located on Fidalgo Island, the easternmost island in the San Juans and the Home Port to the San Juan Islands. Getting here is easy, we are just a 90 minute drive (and no ferry ride) from Seattle and Vancouver B.C. With our proximity to the beautiful and pastoral Skagit Valley, Deception Pass, and the San Juans, it is worth driving to Anacortes to spend a day or two exploring the area.
The irony of the San Juan Islands is that the farther out you travel into them, the more developed and busy the shorelines and waterways become. Without ferry service, the destinations in the eastern San Juan Islands are among the least developed, least traveled, and most beautiful of all of the San Juans. Our sea kayak tours are designed to make the most of this geographical advantage.
Customer Service
It’s all about you. We have no misconceptions about this, and that’s why people like us. Our kayak company operates under the idea that “If you work hard, and be nice to others, then good things will come your way.” It’s true, and it works.
We are committed to making sure that you get what you are looking for, and that your needs are met. That’s why you won’t hear us making wild claims about kayaking with Orca whales, or any other gimmick to get you to join a trip.
Our goal is to help people create a rewarding experience, and our large number of repeat guests reaffirm that we are doing our job well. Going the extra mile to help you find the appropriate lodging, or helping you plan your itinerary may take some effort, but it is just as important to us that you enjoy your stay in Washington and have a great time as it is that you book a trip with us. We understand that if you have fun, you’ll be back…and so will your friends. Our staff are bright, happy, and fun loving folks who will focus on your individual needs.
No Ferry Hassles! — A worry free experience.
Do you really feel like obsessing over whether you’ll make your ferry?
Here’s the truth that the Friday Harbor Chamber of Commerce, out on San Juan Island, would rather sweep under the rug. Visitors needing to take the San Juan Islands Ferry in the summer time routinely endure ridiculously long lines. Wait times in excess of 3 hours are commonplace, and the ferries often run behind schedule much of the day. As former residents of Friday Harbor we became acutely aware of the fact that visitors need to budget one full day just for traveling on and off San Juan Island. A one-way trip to Friday Harbor that would take just over one hour in the winter could easily take 5-6 hours in July or August.
San Juan Islands Ferry prices are also continually rising. As of 2010 the tickets to drive onto the ferry are nearly $50! And you will need your car if you really want to see the hidden beauty that the island has to offer. Additional passenger rates are about $13 and parking fees are about $20/day, if you can find parking at the San Juan Ferry Terminal.
In a town that offers great kayaking destinations, fantastic whale watching, and miles of gorgeous shorelines, many savvy visitors are discovering the benefits of choosing to stay in Anacortes in order to make the most of their time in the San Juan Islands.
Our Guides
We are extremely fortunate to have been able to attract, and retain, some truly outstanding individuals to lead our trips. Anyone who has been on any sort of guided trip understands the necessity of having a quality leader. Our staff are chosen for their leadership skills and judgment, and for their ability to provide you with knowledge of the area in a fun and meaningful way.
Our Trip Destinations
If you would rather have a unique sea kayaking experience that doesn’t feel crowded, then Anacortes Kayak Tours is your natural choice. We are the exclusive sea kayak tour company in Deception Pass State Park, and the most widely operating kayak company in the eastern San Juan Islands. Whether you are joining us for a short trip in Deception Pass State Park, kayaking around Burrows Island, or taking on a five-day kayak expedition throughout the San Juan Islands, you are sure to see the best that this remarkable region has to offer.
Safety/Risk Management
Our first priority is that everybody comes home safe and sound. Proper training to prevent accidents is more important to us than any other part of the business.
Our kayak guides go through a comprehensive training regiment before leading tours on their own. We bring in a team of world-class kayak coaches (Body Boat Blade International) to lead a series of multi-day kayaking seminars that hone our skills to a fine edge prior to the summer season. It’s exciting to see that finally other San Juan Island kayaking companies have followed our lead and recognized the importance of professional instruction for professional guides.
We also have several weeks of in-house training where we work on more skills, rescues, and risk management procedures. To back-up our risk management training, we have invested in the top safety equipment in the industry.
Even on our day-trips our guides carry a minimum of: VHF Marine radio, cell phones, Northwater towing systems, hand-held flares, aerial flares, smoke signals, a comprehensive repair kit, first-aid kits, extra clothes, charts, compasses, and rescue knives.
We also have great relationships with the local water-taxis, fishermen, whale watch companies, and tour boats in case there should ever be a need for a boat to come and pick us up.
Locally Owned and Operated
Owners Megan and Erik Schorr were born and raised here in western Washington. They have been on the waters of the Puget Sound their whole lives, and have guided and kayaked along every nook and cranny in the San Juans for over 15 years. Living here in Anacortes provides them with the opportunity to raise their two sons with the same experiences that they have had. For them Anacortes Kayak Tours is more than just a business, it’s the natural continuance of a way of life. Nothing pleases them more than to be able to share the experience with others.
