The Marine Detective - A Special Orca Waters Base Camp Kayak Tour
Below is a sample itinerary and exact routes will vary depending on possible wildlife sightings, currents, tides and weather.
Day 0: Plan to be in Port McNeil the night before the kayak
tour
departs, as there is an 8:00 pm pre-trip meeting with your guides at our
office, located at 1790A Campbell Way, across the street form the Haida
Way Inn and next to the Black Bear Resort. We’ll provide you with an
overview for your trip, distribute dry-bags to pack your gear in, and
answer any questions you may have.
Meals Included: None
Day 1: We meet at 8:30 AM to head down to the marina to load our water taxi. It’s just a short walk from the hotel, and all your equipment can be transported by our van. Vehicles and extra bags can often be left at your hotel while you’re on the kayak tour – just ask at the front desk. Otherwise, let us know as we have limited free parking at our office.
The 45-minute water taxi ride takes us to our campsite, where we’ll
settle in. The guides will provide a site orientation and kayak
briefing. We will head out for a paddle before lunch giving you time to
get used to the kayaks, the wilderness setting and each other.
Meals Included: Lunch - Dinner
Days 2 and 3: Each day brings a new journey; our base camp is ideally situated for exploring the area. Close to orca travel routes, routinely visited by Humpback whales, and close to numerous islets thick with sea birds and seals, there is plenty to see.
Orcas regularly pass by our camp, and we’ve enjoyed many dinner shows from the beach. If we encounter Orcas on the water, we can drop one of our hydrophones so you can listen to their beautiful vocalizations.
Your kayak guides will plan each day according to weather conditions, wildlife spotting, and guest interests. Lunches are usually spent on a secluded beach, each night returning to the comforts of our Base Camp.
Every day is different, but rest assured, our goals are the same as
yours – exploration, paddling, wildlife viewing, and relaxing.
Meals Included: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
Day 4: On the last day of our journey, we’ll enjoy a hearty breakfast and pack up our personal gear before our water taxi pickup at approximately 10:00 AM. This will take us to the village of Telegraph Cove, a historic logging and fishing community. Here, we will tour the ‘Bones Project” Whale Interpretive Centre, and have a quick lunch on the boardwalk before joining an afternoon whale watching cruse with Stubbs Island Whale Watching. Our van will transport us back to Port McNeil after the whale watching tour.
We should arrive back in Port McNeil around 6:00 pm. We suggest that our guests spend the
last night in Port McNeil, enjoy the hot showers, and slowly transition
out of vacation mode. Most guests choose this, and we often get together
for a no-host farewell dinner at tone of the local estaraunts.
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch
The Marine Detective - A Special Orca Waters Base Camp Kayak Tour
Departure Point:
Port McNeill, Vancouver Island
Dates:
Cost: $1250 CAD per person plus tax
View taxes and other currencies +/-
Please note: Most of our base camp kayak tours have a maximum of 8 guests. However, with the extra attention of our two guides plus Jackie as our guest naturalist, this tour may have a maximum of 10 guests.
Grizzly Bear Viewing Tours: Many of our guests add a grizzly bear viewing day trip before or after they join us kayaking. Let us know if you would like to add this activity and we will make all the arrangements.
The Orca Waters Base Camp: All the camping equipment at the base camp is bigger, roomier and more comfortable than what you will find on our expedition style kayak tours. We provide very roomy 4 person tents (usually one couple per tent but if kids want to sleep with their parents they will fit 2 adults and 2 children), thick comfortable sleeping pads, warm barrel style sleeping bags and full size pillows. The tents are permanently set up for the summer and are situated throughout the forest with views of the ocean and are raised off the ground on wooden platforms. A large covered kitchen and dining area made from locally milled cedar makes for a very comfortable camping experience.
The base camp is equipped with a permanently installed hydrophone so we can listen to orcas from camp (we also have a portable version to take with us kayaking), a re-charging station for guests cameras, an extensive library of natural history books (a few specifically for kids), a propane heated shower, rustic beach side sauna, and an outhouse with a fantastic view.
Includes: We provide you will all the necessary kayaking and camping equipment, including kayaks, paddling jacket, PFD (life jacket), group shelters, tents, sleeping pads, camp chairs and sleeping bags(you may bring your own). A comprehensive list of required personal items can be viewed here. All meals during the kayak trip are provided and prepared by your guides. We’re proud of our menu that includes abundant fresh fruits and vegetables, a wide variety of international dishes, and freshly baked treats. Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated given sufficient prior notification. Transportation is all-inclusive from Port McNeill by our network of vans and water taxis.
What is not included: We do not provide transport from your home to Port McNeill, nor do we provide airport transfers. Accommodation in Port McNeill is not included. Any meals outside the kayak portion of the tour are your responsibility. Travel insurance for accidents or emergency evacuation is not provided; we recommend you purchase a policy before leaving home. The trip price does not include guide gratuities; should you feel that the service was exemplary, it is always appreciated.
