Kayaking INformation
Tips to enhance your journeyKAYAKING FAQs
General
How much kayaking experience and fitness do I need?
Do I need to know how to do a self rescue or be able to swim?
How much kayaking happens in one day?
During an average day trip or multi day trip it is common to paddle for 2-3 hours before lunch and 2-3 hours after lunch. For a short day trip such as the Saltery Bay trip a minimum of 2 hours is spent in our kayaks.
Do we paddle everyday?
Can you accommodate food allergies, vegetarian or gluten free needs?
Are there washrooms?
Should we tip our guide?
Day Journeys
What is included on a Day Journey?
Your Day Includes:
- Your guide and trip
- All kayaking and safety gear including: kayak, paddle, spare paddle, pump, sponge, tow line, spray skirt
- Lifejacket
- Paddling jacket
- Two dry bags for your personal belongings
- Lunch if listed in the tour description
Please ask about any extra rentals if needed
What Will I Need To Bring?
Clothing should include:
- Shoes that can get wet and most importantly have grip. They need to have ankle support. I recommend runners, water shoes, Keen or Croc sandals. Closed toed shoes help against stubbing toes on rocks.
- Shorts or pants that dry quickly when wet.
- 2-3 shirts so you can adjust your layers depending on the weather.
- A wool hat for cold days.
- Gloves for those who easily get cold fingers.
No cotton/jeans. They become heavy and cold when wet. Synthetics are a better option such as fleece or polyester. These will warm with your body if wet.
Other items include:
- A hat or sunglasses for sun protection
- 1 litre of water
- Personal medications
- Waterproof camera if possible, otherwise we have drybags which will keep the camera dry during
Multi Day Journeys
What is included on a Multi Day Journey?
Your Multi Day Includes:
- Your guide and trip
- All kayaking gear and safety equipment including: kayak, paddle, spare paddle, pump, sponge, tow line, spray skirt
- Lifejacket
- Paddling jacket
- Camp chair
- Three dry bags for your personal belongings
- Tent
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping mat
- All kitchen and fire gear
- All meals and snacks
Please ask about any extra rentals if needed
What Will I Need To Bring?
Clothing should include:
- 1 pair of shoes that can get wet and most importantly have grip. They need to have ankle support. I recommend runners, water shoes, Keen or Croc sandals. Closed toed shoes help against stubbing toes on rocks.
- A pair of rubber boots are optional. Perks include your feet staying dry entering and exiting the kayaks. Downside they can flood if a wave fills them. They can also be bulky to wear in a kayak or to store.
- 1 pair of shoes for land, after kayaking.
- 2-4 warm socks
- 2 shorts
- 1-2 pants
- Underwear
- 1 thermal underwear – like the underlays you might wear skiing.
- 3-4 shirts, short and long
- 1-2 sweaters, at least one very warm sweater recommended
- Rain jacket and rain pants
- Gloves if you easily get cold fingers
- 2 wool hats
- Sun hat
- A mask
No cotton/jeans. They become heavy and cold when wet. Synthetics are a better option such as fleece or polyester. These will warm with your body if wet.
Other Items Include:
- Sun glasses
- Glasses and Contacts. Consider a back up if one becomes lost or breaks.
- Toiletries – biodegradable soaps please.
- Baby wipes and a few band aids
- Sunscreen and insect repellent
- SPF 15 Chapstick
- Headlamp
- Personal medications. Bring extra doses medication if is critical to you. Separate and duplicate, storing one set with a partner or guide. A trip can be cut short if there is not enough medication to keep a client safe.
- Water bottle. It nice to have a clip attached.
- Book. Keep in waterproof/sealable bag
- Spirits. Alcohol may be consumed after the days kayaking only.
- Camera. Small waterproof cameras are great. If you have a larger SL camera a pelican case is a great way to keep it protected. Alternatively, a camera can be wrapped in a sweater and kept in a dry bag for protection.
- Extra batteries
- Ziplock bags
- Sleeping bag and/or mat if you prefer your own over ours.
Leave your watches and phones behind
PADDLING LOCATIONS
PADDLING
LOCATIONS
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- Wild Root Journeys guides have the right to remove persons from any trip if they are compromising the safety of themselves or the group.
At any point, before or during a trip the guide has the authority to remove persons via water taxi or other means, at their cost.This is very rare and would likely be, but not limited to a guest repetitively compromising the safety of themselves, other guests, the guides or wildlife.
This may also be injury related. We highly recommend guests buy travel insurance, bring duplicates or more of important pharmaceuticals and to discuss concerns before booking. - Day Journeys require full payment at the time of booking.
A full refund requires 24-hour notice via email, contact with Wild Root Journeys employee via phone or in person or by leaving a voice mail. We have the right to hold payment if the cancellation has been unclear. Credits may be given within 24 hours due to certain circumstances. - Multi Day Journeys require a $300.00 deposit per person at the time of booking.
Full payment is required 20 days prior to the tour departure date. Credits may be issued in the case of illness. Deposit is non-refundable but may be used as credit. - We recommend purchasing travel medical insurance trip cancellation for your trip.
Check with your local travel agent about travel insurance before booking.
We appreciate your understanding. Please contact us about any concerns before booking.
RECOMMENDED READING
RECOMMENDED
BOOKS
Heart of the Raincoast: A Life Story (1998) Alexandra Morton and Billy Proctor.
Topics:
Johnstone Strait and Broughton Archipelago landscape
Condemning farm salmon ocean pens and saving our wild salmon
The life of Billy Proctor
The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness and Greed (2006) John Vaillant
Topics Include:
Haida Gwaii landscape and seascape
Social, economic and environmental issues of the times
Protest by Haida to stop old growth logging
Spirituality and stories of the Haida
The Wild Coast, Volume 1: A Kayaking, Hiking and Recreation Guide for North and West Vancouver Island (2010) John Kimantas
Topics include:
Specific kayaking information and maps for Vancouver Island North and West.
History and geography of Vancouver Island
Information on how to be prepared for multi day kayaking