San Juan Islands Sea Kayaking from Anacortes

Well, it's that wonderful time of the year again. Migration. Huge skeins of Snow geese can be seen flying north over the eastern San Juan Islands and towards their Arctic nesting grounds. Robins are moving through as well. It's fun to imagine them in Central American rainforests, they are such a Pacific Northwest bird to me, yet they call the hot and humid jungles home as well.
Another creature is also in a seasonal transition. Our kayak guides have been returning from their winter habitat high on mountain slopes, or in university libraries. Over the last two weeks we have been out on the water nearly every day going through the skills training that every trip leader needs to have. Over the last few days there has been a large exchange of water through the San Juan Islands. These tides, called spring tides, create large currents that course through some of the narrow waterways. We've been able to take advantage of the swift moving water to practice rescues, rolls, and the kayaking skills that make our guides some of the best trained kayak tour leaders in the San Juan islands. Tomorrow we'll begin the first day of formal training with Body Boat Blade International. This is the first of two 2-day kayaking courses that help to take our guide training program to a whole new level. Under the expert tutelage of the world-class instructors at Body Boat Blade Intl, we are able to fine tune the kayaking skills that will ensure that our guests enjoy a safe and memorable trip. The course is always a highlight of the season for everyone. This year we will be holding the class in the waters of the Deception Pass Narrows, widely recognized as one of the best training grounds for advanced sea-kayaking.

Speaking of Deception Pass, we had a wonderful trip on Wednesday with the students from Tulatin Valley Junior Academy. Our longtime guide, Andrew Rice, set the trip up through his company Academic Adventures. He moonlights as a kayak guide, but his real job is educating children about the natural worls through exciting outdoor adventures. This week the students helped him conduct his annual Sea Star Survey of Bowman Bay. Thanks Andrew for another great trip!

The great thing about Deception Pass is that there is something for everyone. The Narrows offer exciting and rough conditions, and the areas outside of the Pass are calm and beautiful places to experience a day on the water.