- Half day, all day, 2 hour & evening guided sea kayaking trips from Telegraph Cove.
- Eagles, porpoises and great inter-tidal critters on virtually every trip. Real opportunities to see Killer Whales, dolphins and even black bears.
- Suitable for all ages 5 & up. No experience necessary.
- Spectacular scenery; explore small coves and islands.
- Focus on family fun and non-intrusive wildlife observation.
- The more time you spend, the more we can show you.
- Safe and stable tandem, enclosed sea kayaks.
Start Here
A kayak day trip is probably the best way to really get an introduction to our Northern Vancouver Island wilderness. You glide silently and almost effortlessly along the surface of the water. Some ripples behind, the only trace of your passing. You sit so close to the water that one can see down into the depths, through the crystal clear water to the colorful ecosystems below. A kayak floats in mere inches of water, so we can be close to the shore to see land based animals or out in the deep to see the whales and other marine mammals. Come share a couple of hours or all day with our guides and let them show you a world full of wonder.
2 Hour
2 Hour Family Fun Guided Sea Kayaking Tour
- Adults – $60, Under 18 – $45, Under 12 – $35
- Every day at 10am and 2pm during July & August
- Fun for the whole family ages 5 & up. Bring Grandma!
- No experience necessary – All equipment Included.
Paddle in and around the small islands and coves near Telegraph Cove. Let our guides show you some of the secrets of the incredible marine habitat of Northern Vancouver Island. There are always Bald Eagles, fascinating kelps, tiny jumping fish, sea stars and other intertidal life. Imagine floating in a giant tide pool and being able to look down at all the fascinating creatures living within it. We can always find something you have likely never seen before.
While this trip is about having fun and being out on the ocean, the big question we always get asked is will I see whales on a 2 hour trip? While the chances of a whale encounter are minimal, they do happen on a few trips a week, especially during late July through the third week of August. More frequently, but again not on every trip, we will see the Dall’s porpoise, seals, deer, mink and river otters. We will sometimes even see a black bear searching the shoreline for a free meal. Our guides are in constant communication with each other using their marine VHF radios. If there is any reports of the Orcas, bears or other large mammals in your immediate area, we will always do our very best to ensure no opportunity is missed to see them.
The 2 Hour Family Fun Guided Sea Kayak Tour is ideal for those who are new to kayaking, only have a short period of time to spare or those who just want to get out on the water. No previous experience is required as we use very stable two and three seat, enclosed sea kayaks, provide all paddling equipment, utilize qualified sea kayak guides and conduct a pre-departure training and safety briefing.
With a 2 Hour Family Fun Kayak Tour scheduled to depart every day during July and August at 10am and 2pm, there is sure to be one that meets your schedule. As we run these tours with small group sizes, it is advisable to call ahead or come visit with us at the store in Telegraph Cove in order to reserve your place and avoid disappointment.
Half Day
Johnstone Strait Half Day Guided Sea Kayaking Trip
- Adults – $100, Under 18 – $80, Under 12 – $60
- Every day at 8am and 1pm June 15 to Sept. 15
- Fun for the whole family ages 8 & up. Bring Grandpa!
- No experience necessary – All equipment Included.
Explore islands, remote beaches and the rugged coastal shallows of Northern Vancouver Island by our non-intrusive sea kayaks. See colorful underwater habitats with weird and wonderful creatures. Venture to deeper water and see the Eagles fishing, the seals sunbathing or the porpoises playing. With an emphasis on wildlife encounters, scenery and nature interpretation our professional guides will always be able to find something you have never seen before.
You spend almost four hours kayaking and enjoying the unparalleled scenery and wildlife of the area around Telegraph Cove; long enough for there to be real opportunities for encounters with all sorts of wildlife, especially during mid-July through early September.
The tour route provides our guides with the opportunity to share with you, their knowledge of the area, intertidal creatures, plants and depending on how your luck is running, Orcas or Killer Whales & other whales, Pacific Harbor Seals, sea lions, dolphins & porpoises, deer, mink, river otters, Bald Eagles and Black Bears; All in their natural environment.
We realize that it’s hard not to have high expectations of seeing the Killer Whales or Orcas up close however, it’s important to keep in mind that we can only provide the opportunity. An encounter with these magnificent creatures while in a kayak is a very unique, unforgettable experience. With this in mind our tour will keep you in the areas known to be frequented by these spectacular mammals for as long as we can. Our guides all carry marine VHF radios and monitor the local chatter to ensure that we never miss an opportunity. They also carry hydrophones, an underwater microphone with an external amplifier. Should there be whales nearby, these enable us to hear them as well as see them!
The Johnstone Strait Half Day Guided Sea Kayaking Trip is suitable for you, whether you are new to kayaking or have kayaked before. It is great for both adults and children over 8. It can be a fun and rewarding introduction to the wilderness and the creatures who call it home. No previous experience is required as we use very stable two and three seat, enclosed sea kayaks, provide all paddling equipment, utilize qualified sea kayak guides and conduct a pre-departure training and safety briefing.
With two Johnstone Strait Half Day Guided Sea Kayaking Trips scheduled to depart every day, there is sure to be one that meets your schedule. The morning tour starts at 8am and returns at approximately noon, while the 1pm tour starts at 1pm and returns at approximately 5pm. This allows those interested in taking a trip on the Stubbs Island Whale watching boat that departs from just down the boardwalk, to be on either their morning or afternoon departure and kayak in the same day. As we run these tours with small group sizes it is important that you pre-book in order to avoid disappointment.
Full Day
Johnstone Strait Orca Opportunity Guided Sea Kayaking Day Trip
- Adults – $150, Under 18 – $130, Under 12 – $110
- Spring Sale – Adults – $120, Under 18 – $100 – All departures between June 7 & July 10;
- Every day at 10am, June 7 to September 21.
- Fun for the whole family ages 10 & up.
- No experience necessary – All equipment Included.
Take a day and spend it getting back to nature. The Johnstone Strait Orca Opportunity Guided Sea Kayaking Day Trip is a journey into the wilderness. Here top marine predators share the ocean with cute furry critters and slimy underwater creatures from the deep. You will paddle the rugged shoreline of Vancouver Island, poking into the shallows, under eagles nests in trees draped with rain forest vegetation and explore the shores of tiny islands surrounded by deep water, where whales sing and dolphins play.
The Johnstone Strait Orca Opportunity Guided Sea Kayaking Day Trip departs from our store adjacent to the boat ramp in picturesque Telegraph Cove on northern Vancouver Island. You will need to arrive here by 9-45 am on the day of your tour as we plan to be on the water by 10 to 10-15am. The tour starts with introductions to your fellow adventurers and a brief safety and paddling technique discussion to ensure your comfort on the water. After being fitted to your kayak you will be ready for launch into the natural harbor of Telegraph Cove. Here you will have some time to get used to being afloat before we head through the narrow opening to Johnstone Strait and the seemingly unending wilderness beyond.
The day’s route will take you North Easterly with the spectacular, rugged coast of Vancouver Island on your right, the distant mountains of mainland BC on your left and the realm of the Orca in between. Our tours focus on the journey; we try to ensure that all stress is left behind in the parking lot. The tour route provides our guides with the opportunity to share with you, their knowledge of the area, intertidal creatures, plants and depending on how your luck is running, Orcas or Killer Whales & other whales, Pacific Harbor Seals, sea lions, dolphins & porpoises, deer, mink, river otters, Bald Eagles and Black Bears; All in their natural environment. It follows a meandering route that will explore the islands and coves that dot this part of the coast. Emphasis is on wildlife, scenery and nature interpretation; however our guides will be more than happy to provide ongoing instruction to improve your paddling technique.
The chance of seeing the Killer Whales or Orcas while kayaking are about 50% from mid-July through September and slightly higher in August. Much better than the chance of winning the lottery! Before mid-July, it is unlikely to see the Orcas on a day trip as there is not enough salmon, in the area the day trip paddles, at that time of year.
Our guides all carry marine VHF radios and monitor the local chatter to ensure that we never miss an opportunity to see whales, bears or other wildlife. They also carry hydrophones, an underwater microphone with an external amplifier. Should there be whales nearby, these enable us to hear them as well as see them!
Bring your lunch and something to drink as we will stop for a while at lunchtime, on a remote beach overlooking Johnstone Strait. Marine wildlife frequents this area so keep your eyes peeled; we have had some incredible marine mammal sighting from the beach during lunch.
After our lunch stop we begin the paddle back to Telegraph Cove, again we will stop to explore areas that abound with the intertidal & invertebrate life that thrives in our cold, nutrient rich waters. We regularly see Sea Urchins of various colors, Purple Stars, Bat Stars, Sunflower Stars with many legs, Brittle Stars, all sorts of crabs and other shellfish and the ever present Bull Kelp. Naturally, if opportunity to observe the lager mammals occurs, we will take it. We plan to arrive back in Telegraph Cove at between 4 and 4-30pm.
This tour is suitable for the whole family but due to its duration we do recommend that your children be over 10 years of age to participate. Should you wish to bring children younger than this, please contact us to discuss a private day trip. No previous experience is required as we use very stable two and three seat, enclosed sea kayaks, provide all paddling equipment, utilize qualified sea kayak guides and conduct a pre-departure training and safety briefing.
Pre-booking is strongly advised.
Evening
2 Hour Guided Sea Kayaking Evening Trip
- Adults – $60, Under 18 – $45, Under 12 – $35
- Every day at 5-30pm during July & August.
- Fun for the whole family ages 5 & up.
- No experience necessary – All equipment Included.
What better way to spend a couple of hours in the early evening. Paddle out into Johnstone Strait and along the shoreline of Northern Vancouver Island. There are always Bald Eagles, fascinating kelp, tiny jumping fish, sea stars and other intertidal life to see. Admire the distant mountain scenes of the British Columbia mainland and explore the very edges of our rain forest wilderness. We can always find something you have likely never seen before.
While this trip is about having fun and being out on the ocean, the big question we always get asked is will I see whales on an evening trip? While the chances of a whale encounter are minimal, they do happen on a few trips a week, especially during late July through the third week of August. More frequently, but again not on every trip, we will see the Dall’s porpoise, seals, deer, mink and river otters. We will sometimes even see a black bear searching the shoreline for a free meal. Our guides are in constant communication with each other using their marine VHF radios. If there is any reports of the Orcas, bears or other large mammals in your immediate area, we will always do our very best to ensure no opportunity is missed to see them.
This trip is an ideal way to be out on the water on those warm summer evenings and is a non-strenuous means to visit the wilderness. It is suitable for everyone. No previous experience is required as we use very stable two and three seat, enclosed sea kayaks, provide all paddling equipment, utilize qualified sea kayak guides and conduct a pre-departure training and safety briefing.
As we run these tours with small group sizes, it is advisable to call ahead or come visit with us at the store in Telegraph Cove in order to reserve your place and avoid disappointment.
Day Trip FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions – Day Trips
We know you have questions. Please take a look through these as they respond to those we are most frequently asked. Should your question not be addressed, please contact us so we may address it.
I have never sea kayaked before, how safe is it?
How many people are usually on the trips?
What should I wear?
What kind of physical condition do I need to be in?
Does anyone ever tip over?
Will the whales bother the kayaks?
What about children?
What will my kayak be like?
Can I bring my own kayak?
Should I tip the guides?
How do you choose your guides
Who will be on the trip with me?
Has North Island Kayak been providing these trips for many years?
Do you have insurance and all appropriate permits?
Will I see Killer Whales on a Day Trip?
As Killer whales, sea lions and bears are the top predators in their environment, the chances of seeing them are mostly a factor of how long you spend in their world and when you choose to come to Telegraph Cove.
The best time to see killer whales on a day trip is August, but we see them mid-July through mid-September. Bears and Sea Lions are usually seen more often in June, early July and mid to late September .
Fortunately, while maybe not as exhilarating as the big mammals, there are many other critters and spectacular sights that we can find on every trip.
