Do I need kayaking experience to join an expedition?
We believe in getting everyone out on the water at Seawolf and our trips are designed to accommodate novice paddlers and veterans alike. You will learn a multitude of things about paddling along the way, and that’s the point! For certain trips such as the West Coast of Vancouver Island we do ask that you have some sea kayaking experience and feel fit and able to paddle for several hours in a day. If you’ve never paddled a sea kayak before, we recommend a trip to the San Juan Islands.

What is included with the expedition’s cost?
Our expeditions include guide services, all your food needs, and gear for both kayaking and camping. You’ll need your own clothing and sleeping bag. What’s not included in the cost are tips for our guides, and transportation to our launch site. With most tours we offer the option of traveling to the site with us, saving you quite some expense.

Tell me about your guides!
Our professional guides have been chosen for their kayaking experience and skill, and possess a unique skill set. They are trained in wilderness skills, are reliable and have great easygoing personalities. In fact, our guides typically have years more experience in naturalist skills and guiding than other outfitters because of Seawolf’s special mission and requirements with skin-on-frame kayaking.

What’s your typical expedition group size?
Our average group size to the outer coastal areas is 5 guests, and our average size to protected waters is 8 guests.

How about other the other kayakers in the group? Will they be fun?
Everyone’s on vacation! We have found that being in such beautiful places with plenty of fresh air, exercise and brilliant food makes everyone friendly, content and quite involved. Our guides do their best to facilitate a comfortable and friendly atmosphere where you can make friends for the rest of your life.

What is the average age?
Our kayakers typically range from their mid twenties to late fifties, with a few energetic younger and older souls. Several sixty-plus paddlers have done our outer coastal trips and reported that it was the best thing had ever done.

Can I bring my teenagers?
We cherish the idea of introducing teens to the great wily outdoors, indeed our wilderness programs have worked with teens extensively in the past. The better to keep them away from the cell phone and computer screen! Our minimum age is 15, to ensure that our paddlers are relatively close in paddling ability.

Is sea kayaking safe?
Guided sea kayaking is quite a safe venture. You are far more likely to get into an accident in your car on the way to the boat launch than in the kayak itself! Sea kayaking guides in general go through extensive training before they are allowed to get out there– it’s a privilege to take others on the water. Seawolf’s guides have more extensive training than most, training as sea kayak guides and then as skin-on-frame kayak guides. In addition, we plan emergency procedures and routes before we take any trip. We carry VHF radios, have a satellite link to the Coast Guard, and your family and friends can even check your location everyday on our expedition blog (satellite posting) to see that you’re doing well!

Can we customize our expedition?
Yes, we do customized expeditions for groups of 4 or more and that’s our specialty! See our custom expedition page.

Am I in good enough shape to kayak? Do I need to be in great physical condition?
Being in good shape will be helpful, but we often find that one’s mental strength accounts for a great deal more than physical shape. In fact, we find women who are concerned about upper-body strength often paddle more slowly but last longer! Indeed, paddling with Greenland paddles which we offer is better on your body, taking the strain off your shoulder and back and transferring the work to your core. Because our expeditions are coastal, we will always encounter wind and ocean conditions, but our guides will help prepare you.

Our outer coast trips do require a higher level of physical fitness, and the ability to paddle for several hours at a time. Please contact us directly if you are concerned about your physical ability.

How much paddling will we be doing?
Typically we paddle for about four or five hours, with some rest stops and a nice break for lunch on land. In the past we have paddled continuously anywhere from stopping every two hours to stopping every four. We will plan paddling time based on the group’s ability and experience and weather.

I can’t swim / I’m afraid of the water. Is this a good idea?
We have guided a few people who couldn’t swim, and they enjoyed their time immensely. Non-swimmers have even learned to roll their kayaks quite successfully! We recommend getting started on one of our protected waters trips first, such as the San Juan Islands. On the other hand, if you are deathly afraid of the water, this can be a problem as kayaking involves almost becoming one with the water at moments, and getting splashed is guaranteed.

I am a vegetarian and would like vegetarian fare, is it possible?

We understand, and are more than happy to come up with good alternate tasty food just for you. It’s actually quite difficult to not have mostly vegetarian-friendly food as vegetables, soy products, last a lot longer away from refrigeration.

What kinds of meals do we get to eat?
Food is often a great highlight of our trips, and our goal at Seawolf is to supplement as much as we can sustainably from nature surrounding us. We will often pick wild plants, pull up crabs and amazing fish. Then we base our meals around this fresh centerpiece. Our meals range from good old-fashioned oatmeal and cinnamon-cranberry breakfasts to breaded and fried salmon.

What should I bring?
When we receive your trip registration we will send you a complete list of items you’ll need. We supply sleeping pads, food, guide/s, cooking equipment, dishes, group tarp, boats, PFD’s, safety equipment and virtually all you will need other than your sleeping bag, tent and personal gear. You may want to bring some of your own favorite camping equipment.

What will the camping be like?
Wilderness campsites at kayaking destinations are all pretty amazing. We look for ones with good views and are sheltered and not packed with other people. We setup a camp kitchen with an overhead tarp for a nice sheltered area, we can stay out of any inclement weather if it develops. We also carry a solar shower for nice sunny days, though often our guests like to go for a quick dip in the pure ocean water. Generally, Pacific Northwest weather is quite amazing in the late spring through early fall when our expeditions happen, though you should be prepared as rain does happen. Daytime temperatures are usually around 60-75 and nighttime temperatures around 45-55, mitigated by the great ocean.

Will we see whales?
Both the waters of British Columbia and Puget Sound are fantastic whale-watching areas. In particular, Johnstone Strait in B.C. and San Juan Island in the San Juans possess a regular population of both resident and transient orca whales. The waters everywhere else typically have humpback and gray whales, porpoises, seals, sea lions, and sea otters. You are virtually guaranteed a whale sighting on your trip, but of course nature is nature!

Will we have bug problems?
Along the West Coast beaches we seldom have any insects to worry about, we are quite blessed compared to just about anywhere else in the world! Sometimes we will get a few mosquitoes in the evening, but a long-sleeve shirt is more than enough to keep them away. Some bad bug seasons you will be glad to have a bugproof tent though!