Happy Paddlers and View of Mt. Baker

“Outdoor Odysseys was a great choice! Our guide was a lot of fun (but didn’t skimp on safety). He knew the area and gave out good info on the local area and natural sights, and worked to make sure everyone’s expectations were met.” Trip Advisor

Half  Day San Juan Island Sea Kayaking Tour

(5 minutes from town – but a world apart!)

Harbor seals are commonly seen on our Griffin Bay tours.

This tour is perfect for beginners, families or anybody that doesn’t want to spend the whole day on the water! Our 3 hour kayaking tour offers terrific paddling opportunities in a scenic, yet protected bay on the south side of San Juan Island. It features terrific views of Lopez Island, Mount Baker and the Olympic Mountains. We’ll also enjoy opportunities for paddling around picturesque Dinner Island.

Wildlife encountered may include bald eagles, harbor seals, river otter and numerous birds ranging from loons, great blue herons and my personal favorite – Rhinoceros Auklets (so named because in breeding plumage they have a horn protruding from their bill.) Very Cool! You may also view vividly colored orange and purple sea stars.

Trip Bonus: Little, if any boat traffic! Compared to paddling in Friday Harbor, Roche or even the west side, Griffin Bay offers participants a safer, quieter, more tranquil experience due to the lack of boats on the water.

Nifty Trip Features:

• Beginners - This is a great tour for anybody new to the sport…
  

  Calm waters and intriguing eel grass beds...

• Protected Waters – Paddling in Griffin Bay offers more protection from large swells and current than most other island kayak locations.

• Family Fun!– We have four triple kayaks so we are able to accommodate kids, ages 6 and above, on our tours by putting the smallest in the middle cockpit.

• Less Boat Traffic – Compared to paddling in Friday, Roche Harbor or even the west side of the island, Griffin Bay offers participants a safer, more tranquil experience while paddling

• Limited Time? - Participants who don’t want to spend the entire day kayaking will enjoy the three shorter departures we offer throughout the day – as well as the five minute van ride from town!

Dates and Prices

Price: $75 plus tax

Daily AM, PM & Evening Tours from Mid-May to October

Morning: 10-1 – What a delightful way to start your San Juan day (better even than coffee, gasp!?) with a fun,   leisurely loop around Griffin Bay and scenic Dinner Island as we keep a sharp lookout for seals and bald eagles.

Afternoon: 2-5 – Come paddle with us during the lazy, idyllic part of the day when the sun is at it’s zenith and you’re able to experience exceptional views of glaciated Mt. Baker.

Evening: 6-9 – Bioluminescence, Full Moons and Sunsets

This is, hands-down, my favorite time to be on the water as the sinking sun sets over the
horizon and the colors become soft and muted…Magical!

You can check Bob out here: http://bobfriel.com/ and like him on facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorBobFriel. While you’re at it like us too: Outdoor Odysseys Facebook.

Outdoor Odysseys is offering a Nature Conservancy Trip (Click Here) for the summer of 2012. The June 25th through the 29th departure has had an overwhelming response and only 2 remaining spots are available which has led us to offer an additional trip September 10th through the 14th. The five day trip blends three nights at the States Inn (think soft beds and hot showers) (Click Here) with a single night camping on Jones Island, a scenic, wooded island owned and managed by Washington State Parks. One day will be spent hiking the natural beauty of the San Juans with the help of one of our Naturalist Guides as well as a representative from the Nature Conservancy. $150 of the trip price goes directly to the Nature Conservancy to support their land purchases and stewardship in the San Juan Islands and around the world.

Stay tuned for an update on our 3 Day Wine Tour (Click Here) featuring these unique, award winning, Washington wineries: Boudreaux Cellars, Gilbert Cellars, and Cor Cellars.

All of our San Juan Island sea kayak tours have space available but they are filling up fast. We look forward to seeing you on the water!

“I recently returned from an overnight kayak trip. It was everything I had dreamed of and more!…I spent hours researching which company to entrust with this experience. I finally chose Outdoor Odysseys…We saw bald eagles, seals, river otters, porpoise, mink, beautiful tidal pools, and on the last day, a pod of orcas! Our guide, Tom Murphy, was phenomenal!! I’ve been on several other guided trips and he is by far the best guide I’ve ever encountered. If you’re looking into a tour of the San Juan Islands, you can’t go wrong by choosing Outdoor Odysseys. Oh, and the food was amazing!!”  Trip Advisor 2010  Overnighter

Join our naturalist/guides for a fun, informative two day sea kayak tour on the west side of San Juan Island. We’ll use San Juan County Park as our base camp for kayaking and exploring.  Sea kayaking on Haro Strait (the body of water separating Vancouver and San Juan Island) puts us “in the heart of the best whale habitat on the west coast for seeing resident Orca whales.”

Orca Whale Notes

We’ll spend two glorious days sea kayaking on Haro Strait the body of water that separates San Juan Island from Vancouver Island. Outdoor Odysseys has been running guided sea kayaking tours off the west side of San Juan Island for the past quarter of a century – so we know the waters well. This area is considered one of the world’s best orca whale watching sites – providing superb opportunities for viewing over 85+ whales. Resident orca populations are organized into stable, highly social matrilineal family groups called “pods” and labeled alphabetically as the J, K, and L pod. Known collectively as the “Southern Residents” they return regularly to the west side of San Juan Island during the summer months to take advantage of  strong currents and optimal fishing for their favorite food source – Chinook salmon. 

In addition to viewing whales, opportunities also abound for viewing brightly colored orange and purple sea stars,  majestic bald eagles, harbor seals and dall porpoise. We’ll also paddle past the historic Lime Kiln quarry and Coast Guard lighthouse. Participants are also treated to expansive views of the Olympic Mountains and Vancouver Island.

After an invigorating day of paddling you’ll relax over a dinner of smoked salmon pesto fettuccine and organic salad greens washed down with bottled wines. For dessert? Hard to imagine which will knock your socks off more – our freshly baked Dutch oven Apple/pear crisp or the sun setting over Vancouver Island? Still haven’t had enough? Ask your guide to take you out for a magical evening “bioluminesence” paddle!

Nifty Trip Features…

• We’ve chosen specific dates in July and August to take advantage of “THE BEST” opportunity to view *whales via kayak.
• Our “Killer Cuisine” – Brie and cracker appetizers, bottled wines, smoked salmon pesto linguine, organic salad mix and a freshly made Dutch oven apple/pear crisp.
• Our guide/naturalists – Friendly, fun and experienced: Average is age over 30.
• The optional sunset/bioluminesence evening paddle) is, in a word, SUBLIME!

*Truth in advertising: These whales are wild animals and are capable of swimming up to a 100 miles a day so we cannot guarantee  whale sightings…

Why Choose Outdoor Odysseys for your 2 day San Juan Island Tour?

Award Winning Tours – In 2009 we were named one of the “200 Best Outfitters in the World” by National Geographic Adventure Magazine.

Naturalist / Guides – Our seasoned, professional guides, (average age 28+) willingly share their knowledge of the whales, bald eagles, harbor seals you may encounter.

Our Cuisine Rocks! – Brie and crackers, smoked salmon pesto fettucine, organic salad greens, bottled wines and seasonal fruits dipped in a chocolate ganache – CAUTION: You may not lose any weight on this tour!

San Juan County Park Launch –  This tour launches from SJCP putting our guests in the heart of the “Best Orca Whale Habitat on the West Coast”.

25 Year History – We are the oldest and most experienced kayak company to launch from SJCP.

Best Value – The small things: Dry bags and lunches included as standard (not all companies do), bottled wines & gourmet food = exceptional value.

Dates and Prices

Price: $369

July 10-11, 17-18, 21-22, 24-25, 28-29, 31-Aug. 1

August 4-5, 7-8, 11-12, 14-15, 18-19

Kaitlin (26) – 5th year Guide

“Thanks to Kaitlin for a great day on the water. She was so warm and friendly it helped the experience, immeasurably. She was very knowledgeable and we were lucky to have her as our guide. Kaitlin rocks!”

This is Kaitlin’s 5th season guiding for Outdoor Odysseys. Warm and personable, Kaitlin has a special knack for putting people at ease and making them feel comfortable. On overnight tours she has been known to make homemade chocolate chip cookies for her appreciative  guests!

Trip Logistics

Duration: 2 day | Length: 14 miles | Season: July – August

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, 4:00 – 5:00 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.

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 best; Footwear – Chacos, Tevas or Crocs  are good choices for paddling. Bring another pair of shoes for camp; sleeping bag & pad.*

Outdoor Odysseys Will Provide:
Kayaks & related gear, tent, large & small dry bags, tasteful cuisine, transportation between Friday Harbor and our launch location.

*Sleeping bag & pad available for rent.

The owner, Clark Casebolt, has made a personal decision to keep the company relatively small. “Our priority is on exceptional customer service. We also offer the widest variety of  sea kayak tours in the San Juan Islands.” What’s new for 2012?: 2 Day Whale Camp and our “Brew & Boat Tour.”

This narrow focus and personal involvement results in quality trips with a high degree of customer satisfaction. We were honored to be a recipient of the 2009 National Geographic Adventure Travel Magazine’s “200 Best Adventure Travel” Outfitter’s Award.

Bottomline: Outdoor Odysseys is one of the oldest companies operating guided sea kayak trips in the San Juan Islands. We are committed to providing our guests with fun, hand crafted kayak tours focusing on excellent cuisine, personalized service, professional guides, exquisite scenery and amazing whale and wildlife sightings.  Come sea kayak the San Juan Islands -  one of the “Crown Jewels” of the Pacific Northwest -  only 90 miles north of Seattle, Washington.