Sea Kayaking in the San Juan Islands

5-Day Trips

Sea Kayaking in the San Juans for a single day is an amazing experience. For three days is sublime. But kayaking in the San Juan Islands for five or more days can change a person's perspective on things!

As kayak guides, these longer multiday kayaking trips are always the most interesting for us. Not only do we get to take our time while we explore the San Juans, we also get to witness a subtle transformation as we leave behind the stresses of daily life back home. Everybody changes a little on these longer trips, it's inevitable.

The days stretch out, and soon we become part of the scenery.

Our destination for the first night will vary according to prevailing weather conditions, the range of tidal movement, and our group needs. We may end up on Cypress Island, Orcas Island, or James Island (a small, boat-in-only State Park). If your group wants to put in a big day of kayaking and cover even more ground then you may end up somewhere deeper into the San Juan Islands on the first night. If you are up to the challenge then our guides are too. Where we are going feels less important than how we are getting there. From the first morning until the last day, your guide will take you on a journey of discovery through the San Juan Islands.

Multi day Sea Kayaking in the San Juan Islands

Sample Destinations

These are just examples of what a trip might look like. We cannot guarantee any particular itinerary because the trip destinations change according to the conditions that Nature gives us on any particular day. We also prefer to let each of these longer trips develop in their own individual way. This self determination is our way to ensure that your experience is unique and appropriate for you. Please refer to the following destinations as simply "sketches" of plausible places to go. Your knowledgeable guide will create a fantastic experience for you.

Sea Kayaking to the Wasp Island group:

The San Juan Islands are a special place. Exploring them means being surrounded by beauty at all times. There are a few places out here that stand out just a bit more than others though. The Wasp Islands are one of those quintessentially "San Juan" kind of places. Tiny tree covered islands and seal covered rocks are scattered liberally throughout this area just southwest of Orcas Island. Some of the best sunsets that we have ever seen were from the shores of Cliff and Jones Island and nearby Yellow Island is renowned for it's spring wildflower displays. It seems that the Wasp Islands were carved from the underlying bedrock with sea kayakers in mind. On these trips we sometimes head up for a night on Cypress or Strawberry Island (both part of a Marine Protected Area). After this we'll cross Rosario Strait and head right in to the heart of the San Juans. Most trips spend at least one night out on Jones Island State Park.

Kayaking around Lopez Island:

Sea Kayaking around Lopez Island gives paddlers a wonderful overview of the landscape and geology of the San Juan Islands. Tall bluffs of glacial till fortify the protected east and west shores of Lopez. Rugged bedrock cliffs mark the southern shoreline. The south end of Lopez Island is the most wild and rugged shoreline in the San Juan Islands. Exposed to the battering of winter storms that roll in from the Strait of Juan de Fuca, South Lopez can be one of the most inhospitable places in the Puget Sound region when the wind blows hard. Even large boats avoid it under these conditions. However there are many summer days when this is one of the calmest places in the San Juan Islands. On these days, we like to get our guests down there to experience some fantastic sea kayaking. A circumnavigation is our goal, but nature ultimately decides how far we get.

Sea Kayaking to Sucia Island:

If your group is strong, and you feel that you can put 10-12 miles, or more, for a couple of the days, then this is the place that we may try to go. We make no bones about it, we'll need to push just a little bit to make sure that we can spend some quality time out there. Sucia Island continues to be a kind of Shangri-La for sea kayakers here in the San Juan Islands. Actually a small group of islands and rocks, the Sucia Island group consists of fantastically eroded sandstone, honeycombed rock walls, and hidden coves. The photographic opportunities are outstanding, the sea kayaking is sublime. We have a few places available on a few special trips departing directly from Orcas Island, and spending the entire time up in the "Great Rectangle" of Sucia, Matia, and Patos islands. This is the best opportunity to really get the Sucia experience.

Departure dates: July 7th-11th, August 25-29

The longer multi-day sea kayaking expeditions are best suited for folks in reasonably good shape. Occasionally there is a need to make a long push to get to the next campsite and we would not want to wear anyone out on a long crossing. We actually design these trips to be a little more physically involved. 5 day trips might average 8-10 miles per day paddling.

Because we run the smallest group sizes in the industry these trips fill quickly! Book now to ensure a place on the sea kayaking trip that you choose!

Book Online, or call (800) 992-1801

Anacortes Kayak Tours reserves the right to change, or cancel available departure dates and prices.

Once you book a kayak tour with us we will run it, as long as weather conditions permit us to conduct a safe sea kayaking excursion.

On multi day sea kayaking trips we do have a minimum of two people to run the trip, this is a matter of safety- not economics. Be wary of any outfitter making unreasonable claims of "no minimums", they may be taking a risk with your well being.

updated May 13, 2008