Questions & Answers - Vancouver Island Kayaking

Q: Are your trips and expeditions safe?

A: Safety always comes first. Our guides are seasoned veterans that understand our tour areas, the weather patterns. In addition, they all have first aid training and are always equipped with radios. 

Q: Is previous kayaking experience required to join your trips?

A: No. Anyone, regardless of his or her level of experience and abilities, can enjoy our tours. Before setting out on the various adventures, we offer kayaking instruction and safety procedures. Many of our guests are first-time kayakers and our guides are experts at helping everyone relax and enjoy their journey.

Q: What are the physical requirements to join your trips?

A: Average physical health is required. Most of our adventures are not strenuous or physically demanding so they do not require a high level of fitness. You should be capable of a few hours of moderate exercise each day. Still, these trips are adventurous and every day is different; certain days might be a little harder to paddle than others. If you have any health problems, let us know when you are making your reservation so that we will be able to accommodate your needs and abilities.

Q: What are the age requirements?

A: Please check the itineraries of each trip for minimum age requirements. The individual fitness level is more important than age.

Q: How many hours per day do you paddle?

A: This depends on the destination, the group's abilities and their desires. Some groups like to paddle a lot, some don't. Our guides will adapt to the group’s performance. Our trips also include short rain forest walks, wildlife and plant interpretation/education, bird watching, swimming, camp fires, snorkeling, enjoying great food, beachcombing, and, of course, time to rest, relax and enjoy the scenery.

Q: How stable are the kayaks? Can they flip over?

A: The kayaks we use on our tours are very stable and designed for comfort; the likelihood of capsizing is minimal. Before we embark, we go over safety procedures, which includes preparation for rescues. If for some reason your kayak flips over, our experienced guides will help you get upright quickly and efficiently.

Q: What Kind of Food is supplied on your Tours?

A: The food supplied on our tours include:

• Fresh Local Seafood such as Salmon, Halibut, Ling Cod, Red Snapper. Of course current fishing regulations and fish in the area determine the menu for us.
• Fresh fruits, hearty salads, fresh vegetables, corn on the cob
• Wholesome healthy breads like flat breads, pita bread, whole grain breads
• Selection of cold and hot cereal
• Great pasta and rice dishes
• Hearty soups like Clam Chowder, Chicken Gumbo, Shrimp Gumbo
• Variety of healthy snacks
• In addition meats such as Chicken, Fresh Beef may be served when possible
• For those with allergies or special diets that is no problem

Q: What Gear should I Bring?

A: Please refer to our "Gear to Bring" page for information on what to bring.

All About Orcas

We maintain a number of monitoring devices to know when whales are in our area but still like to use the element of surprise to enhance each trip. As the passage of pods of orca, porpoise, and dolphins can happen at anytime, sightings are most often seen during the daytime and sounds are often heard into the early evenings. Over many years of listening to vocalizations we have become familiar with the vocals of numerous families of whales. It is often the case that our guests see whales before the guides do.

The Orca, in their popularity, serve as ambassadors to one of the richest marine eco-systems in the world. The bio-diversity of the area is astounding and includes many other cetaceans, pinnipeds, invertebrates, fish and birds. We strive to give our visitors a chance to gain an appreciation of the full richness of the area.

There's no better way to encounter pods of these friendly (and inappropriately named) Killer Whales than up close and personal, while sea kayaking the British Columbia waters of Johnstone Strait. Discovery Expeditions is a tour and vacations outfitter of sea kayak expeditions and Guided Tours to Johnstone Strait on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. We specialize in close encounter sea kayak expeditions with orcas, or killer whales, other whales such as humpback whales, minke whales, dolphins and porpoises, seals and sea lions. Kayaking with Killer Whales, orca, sightings are very common on our orca kayak tours so we guarantee that you will see them. We also offer grizzly bear and whale watching tours.