Guided Kayaking, Guided Tasting

Overview:

Spend three days paddling the beautiful San Juan Islands and two nights enjoying award winning craft beers from Boundary Bay Brewing Company as our expertly guided sea kayaking tour by day becomes a “waterfront” tasting room by night. We will be pairing locally crafted Boundary Bay Brewing Company beers with our delicious camp cuisine – guaranteed to please the most discriminating palate while you relax and enjoy the view!

What could be more relaxing after a day of paddling and viewing fantastic wildlife such as bald eagles and harbor seals than relaxing with a tasty, refreshing brew? On our 2013 departures we’ll base camp off of scenic Jones Island, which is entirely state park, while pairing beers with our great tasting gourmet cuisine. Sample dinner menu: Baked brie with pecans, sun dried tomato chicken sausage with wild rice and freshly baked Dutch oven gingerbread topped with whipped cream and blueberries.

‘Nifty’ Trip Features

• We take great pleasure in producing gourmet quality camp cuisine. In the evening, while you and your fellow guests settle into camp our guides fire up our trusty Dutch ovens and Partner Stoves to create a variety of delicious meals selected specifically to pair with Boundary Bay beers – brewed in Bellingham, Washington.
• We camp at Jones Island State Park -  a perfect kayak destination with numerous outstanding waterfront campsites.
• Day 2 (Layover Day) – Wake up to the sounds (and smell!) of freshly brewed coffee and your guide preparing a Dutch oven frittata, go exploring via kayak for the day,  hike around Jones, eat an early dinner, go out for an evening bioluminescence paddle, then relax around a toasty campfire. Is this bliss or what!!
• Our camping trips are all-inclusive. Not all outfitters include gourmet lunches, use real maple syrup or butter, organic produce (we grow some of our own!) and complimentary dry bags.
• Due to our reputation and years of experience we are able to attract naturalist guides that are NW natives, older (average age is 30) and are capable of holding their own in spirited talks around the campfire – to say nothing about the fact they are damn good cooks!

You'll be smiling, too, after a weekend of tasty Boundary Bay beer and gourmet food!

Dates and Prices

Price: $649

Brew and Boat Dates: June 7 – 9, August 23 – 25

Kayak Trip Itinerary

Day 1 – Outdoor Odyssey’s guide(s) will meet you in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Our van will take the group, which generally averages from 6-8 participants, (maximum of 12), to our put-in site on the south side of San Juan Island.

After stowing all camping and personal gear, we’ll have a thorough orientation covering the fitting of the kayak, paddling technique, safety and boat handling. We won’t get on the water until everybody feels comfortable about kayaking. On our first day we’ll work our way northward kayaking along the picturesque east side of San Juan Island. We’ll keep a sharp eye out for wildlife  including eagles, harbor seals and dall porpoise. As we look to the east, you’ll have spectacular views of Mt. Baker. Our destination for the night is Jones Island, a Washington State Park only accessible by boat. After camp is set up, your guide will prepare dinner while you get to relax with a glass of beer appetizers. We’ll be pairing our premium micro brews with delicious gourmet cuisine.

Nothing like a tasty micro-brew after a day of kayaking!

Day 2 – The next morning your guide will be up early – making sure our great tasting, ‘Orca blend’ coffee (or tea) is ready in addition to whipping up a freshly made Dutch oven frittata accompanied with fresh seasonal fruits. We have some great paddling options that your guide(s) will share. We can paddle through the “Wasps”, a delightful collection of small islands tucked in between Shaw and Orcas Island – or paddle up President’s channel along the cliffy, wild side of Orcas for the day. Back at camp for the evening, your guide will cook another delicious meal. After dinner participants may hike around Jones, go for a bio-luminescence paddle or just kick back and relax around camp.

Day 3 – After breakfast we break camp, load the boats and start paddling south back to our put-in site. Our final lunch will be on Turn Island, a small pristine island with a resident eagle’s nest. We should arrive at our take-out on San Juan Island between 1 and 4 PM depending on winds, currents and the strength of the group. Our van will pick us up and take our group back to Friday Harbor in time for the late evening ferry.

Our van will pick us up and take our group back to Friday Harbor. You’ll have an hour or more to poke around town before boarding the ferry to Anacortes. Or, if you are spending the night, head back to your hotel or B & B for a well deserved shower and dinner on the town. Friday Harbor has a number of nice restaurants on the island that serve everything from classic Northwest fare to Thai food.

Trip Logistics

Travel:
Coming from Seattle? Most guests drive from Seattle to Anacortes & then take the ferry to San Juan Island. You’ll want to plan on staying on San Juan Island the night before.  See our travel information page for details.

Meeting Place & Time
Meet at 8:30 AM in downtown Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, at the Friday Harbor ferry terminal.

Return Place & Time
Friday Harbor ferry terminal, 2:00 – 4:00 PM

Lodging:
There are three B&B’s within a short walking distance of the ferry terminal. Check out our lodging page for suggested accommodations info.

Luggage:
We’ll store any luggage/gear you don’t want to take with you on your trip.

Gear You Will Need:

Water bottle, sunglasses and/or hat, sunscreen, appropriate kayak and camp clothing (preferably not cotton or denim) – Quick-dry, synthetic and/or wool layers work; Chacos, Tevas or Crocs  are good choices for paddling, and extra tennis shoes for camp), sleeping bag & pad*.

Outdoor Odysseys Will Provide:
Kayaks & all related gear, tent, large & small drybags, delicious gourmet  cuisine, transportation between Friday Harbor and our launch location; *sleeping bag & pad available for rent.

Cancellations:
Please refer to our Terms & Conditions for further information.