Compare 5-Day Sea Kayak Expedition by Anacortes Kayak Tours

Day 1:

Launch from Cabana Beach at Skyline Marina. Passing between Burrows Island and the grassy slopes of Washington Park you will be treated to views of Rosario Strait and the islands that the trip will be passing through. After crossing the Strait your first landfall will likely be James Island, one of our favorite Marine Park camp areas. Some groups fall in love with the place and choose to stay, while more ambitious paddlers may choose to press on to Lopez Island. [Pro Tip: If given the chance, stay on James Island. It’s amazing!] After choosing your home for the night your guide will assist you in setting up your tents and the rest of the camp. The rest of the afternoon can be spent exploring the area, or simply relaxing on the beach. If there is time and you would like to participate in a short afternoon paddle then just let your guide know.

Later in the day your guide will be busy preparing a delicious dinner for you to enjoy. If you are going to be out exploring the island then check in with them so that you can be sure to get the meal while it is hot and fresh. As the light changes in the evening you’ll want to seek out a special place to watch the sunset. Don’t forget to bring your beer or wine, it’s been a great day of kayaking and you deserve it!

Day  2:

The second day of this trip is often where you and your guides will be deciding on how you wish the experience to unfold. For some people the goal is to cover as much territory as possible, putting in long days and lots of miles between camp areas. Other groups may prefer a more leisurely pace, often choosing spend multiple nights in the same places and making day trips with empty kayaks which require a little less effort to paddle. Maybe you want to split the difference, camping in new places each night but choosing islands that are relatively close to each other. Any choice is going to be rewarding, and your guide will help you decide on what will work well for everyone. Lunch is usually going to be prepared in the field during a stop along the way, and there are plenty of snacks available in between.

After arriving at your next camp it is time for more relaxation! Go for another walk, skip stones, or simply sit at the water’s edge and contemplate the beauty around you, while your guide is busy preparing your next delicious dinner. (As you can tell, these guides work hard for their tips!)

Day 3:

After a preparing you a hearty breakfast your guide will talk with you again about the day’s paddling, so feel free to talk about what you are hoping to see and do. The exact time of your departure on this day is often determined by the timing of the tidal currents and how far the group wishes to travel this day.

If you are an ambitious group that is putting in a lot of miles of kayaking then you might spend this evening out in the Wasp Islands, or perhaps you already pushed that far and are now looping around to a campsite closer to home. Either way you can be confident that you’ll find the day to be filled with satisfying views and fun conversation. The third day of this trip is when you will likely feel a transformation inside of your soul. The worries and stress of home give way to a sense of peacefulness. Everything is in place and you are carrying all that you need. It is this transformation that makes the longer kayak trips so special.

Day 4:

Another delicious breakfast will refuel your body and satisfy your soul. On the fourth day you may find that repacking the boats has become a much simpler task than it felt on the first morning. Your transformation is complete, this is what you hoped for.

Picking where you are going to spend your last night in the San Juan Islands is always a bittersweet choice. It will be good to get back, but you are not quite ready to leave. Early in the afternoon you approach your final campsite, in this story it is the Cypress Island Reserve. It’s been a fantastic day on the water and you are excited to explore another island. As your guide prepares the camp you are free to wander out on the trails on your own. If you are on Cypress Island then you won’t want to miss the exceptional views on Eagle Cliff. On a clear day you can across the San Juan Islands and into Canada. Behind you the massive Mount Baker rises high above the Cascade Mountain Range. Back at camp you will want to open that last bottle of wine and make a toast to your next kayak trip in the San Juan Islands!

Day 5:

Greet your final morning in the San Juan Islands with a hot cup of coffee. [Pro Tip: If camping at Pelican Beach on Cypress Island, it is recommended that you wake early to see the sunrise over Mount Baker.] After breakfast you and your guide will talk about the last channel crossings and the best time to depart before taking down your camp and packing the boats for the last time. Lunch will usually be another beach break somewhere along the route home.

Depending on the route you take, and the conditions of the day, you will likely return back to Anacortes sometime between 2:00pm and 4:00pm. The exact return time is difficult to predict because so many factors are involved with this sort of travel experience. We recommend that you do not schedule things too tightly just in case the weather or some other variable slows you down along the way.

One of our logistics people will be there to greet you and help you unpack the kayaks. If you left any luggage at our office during the trip then they will bring that with them as well. After saying farewell to your guide, you are off to the next adventure. Hopefully we will see you again!