Stuart Island Kayak and Camping Tour
$599.00 - $799.00
Per person- Duration
- 3 Days
- Season
- May - September
Our most popular overnight sea kayak and camping trip picks you up in Friday Harbor and launches from the west side of San Juan Island, through prime orca whale habitat to picturesque Stuart Island, which is accessible only by boat. Paddle international waters, experiencing the beautiful and unique marine and bird life around this vast national park system, all while taking in the views of the Canadian Gulf Islands and the Olympic and Cascade Mountain Ranges. On land, enjoy time exploring the islands, camping, and fueling your journey with stellar, 3-course camp cuisine, prepared by your tour guide. Learn more about the route and the day to day itinerary below. We hope to see you on your next San Juan Island Kayak Tour!
Start
Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal 8:30 AMEnd
Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal 1:30-4:30 PMPromotional Pricing
$599 Shoulder Season Pricing in effect May 9th - 29th and Sept. 1st - Oct. 5thPrice Includes
- All meals
- Kayaking instruction and guiding
- Tour naration
- Kayaking gear
- Dry Bags: 10L to carry and 30L for packing
- Tent
- Transportation to and from launch site
You Provide
- 15-20% gratuity for your guide(s)
- Water bottle
- Sunglasses and/or hat
- Sunscreen
- Headlight or flashlight
- Extra layers
- Sleeping bag & pad (rentals available, add "rental" when booking online or contact us directly)
Stuart Island Kayak and Camping Tour Itinerary
Your Outdoor Odysseys guide(s) will meet you in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Our van will take the group to our launch site on the west side of the. After packing all camping and personal gear into the kayaks, we'll have a thorough orientation covering the fitting of the boat, paddling technique, safety, and boat handling until everyone is comfortable. Then we'll head out, paddling north along the picturesque Haro Strait, with views of the Canadian Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island to the west. We'll keep a sharp eye out for whales, bird life, and other wildlife chasing the Fraser River bound salmon. After paddling along the rocky, tidally rich coastlines of San Juan and Henry Islands, we'll stop for a long lunch prepared by your guide and chef. After refueling, we’ll cross the Spieden Channel to Stuart Island.
Our destination for the night is Reid Harbor on Stuart Island, which is only accessible by private boat. The campsites are nestled in a forest of red barked madronas, cedar and Douglas fir trees. After camp is set up, you can relax while your guide prepares a three course dinner. Life doesn't get much better than sitting at a scenic, secluded waterfront campsite, sipping a glass of wine and eating gourmet appetizers, after a wonderful day of paddling.
On our second day we'll do "le grand" circumnavigation around Stuart Island, passing by numerous uninhabited islands in the Boundary Pass and John’s Pass and staying in prime whale watching habitat. We'll kayak beneath the cliffs of the Stuart Island fog and light station and look out to Mount Baker all while sharing the coastline with resting harbor seals and nesting bald eagles. Match your exploration on water, with a hike in the afternoon to the Stuart Island one room schoolhouse and light station or relax at camp while your guide prepares another gourmet meal. Finish your evening by the campfire and under the light of the stars, or see the “stars in the water” on a guided bioluminescence kayak tour.
The adventure is far from over on the last day. Enjoy a hearty breakfast before packing up camp and revisiting the waters of the Speiden Channel and Haro Strait, maximizing our time in prime whale territory and increasing our chances of seeing the J, K, and L resident or more popular Biggs orcas. We’ll dine on one last artfully prepared lunch before completing our paddle and landing back on the west side of San Juan Island. We’ll load our gear and our paddlers and have you back to Friday Harbor between 3-4 PM to meet your Washington State ferry or continue your time on the islands.
Guide Profile
Tom Murphy
Tom Murphy graduated from Lawrence University with a biology degree in 2003. After graduation Tom spent a year and a half overseas. He traveled through India, worked for an NGO in Nepal, and taught elementary students science in the…
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Peter Yacobellis
Peter, a lifelong New York City region resident, now lives full time on San Juan Island, helping to run Outdoor Odysseys. Peter has a long and storied career in government, tourism, and in corporate America. Peter has a graduate…
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Lily Keziah
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Laura Montanari
Born on the coastal islands of Georgia and raised in the marshes and swamps of the south, Laura has always maintained a deep connection to the ocean. Her earliest memories are paddling canoes through the Okefenokee Swamp with her…
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Hayden Peck
Hayden’s roots are in Colorado and Central Oregon. She ventured out to the Pacific Northwest when she started school at University of Oregon, where she studied human physiology and business. These days, she finds joy in connecting others to…
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Eli Todaro
Eli Todaro grew up in Southeast Louisiana. Eli is a NOLS Wilderness First Responder alumni with specialties in swift water and high angle rescue. He has always had a great passion for the outdoors. Growing up hunting and fishing…
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Carl Cain
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Tiff Pendergrass
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Caroline Seto
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Hunter Bennion
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Vanessa Elliott
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Sam Maylor
Sam grew up outside Seattle, WA, with the Cascade Mountains and the Puget Sound as his backyard. After getting a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Washington, Sam vagabonded through Europe, Australia, and the US before finding…
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Maddie Hollister
Growing up in Seattle, Maddie Hollister gained a love for outdoor recreation and education attending a summer camp on Puget Sound, where she eventually became a lifeguard and outdoor educator. She studied marine biology and science communication at Quest…
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Patrick McEvoy
Boston bred, Georgia grown, and Seattle seduced; Patrick remains as footloose as his “military brat” childhood would deem but continues to rebound back to the San Juan Islands. In Georgia he attended both high school and college where he…
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Duncan Smith
Duncan will be returning for a second season to the San Juan Islands as an Outdoor Odysseys guide and adventure filmmaker. Born in San Mateo, California, Duncan grew up SCUBA diving, backpacking and sailing. After college he spent a…
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Christina Deierling
Born in Snohomish, WA, Christina grew up mushroom picking, squid jigging, crabbing, traveling, backpacking, fishing, clamming, skiing, frog catching, climbing, and everything else outdoorsy. Christina made her way down to Orange, CA to attend Chapman University as a Business…
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Zoey Smith
Born near the ocean cliffs of northern California, Zoey was raised just as much by redwoods and harbour seals as she was by her parents. She is currently going into her 4th year at Quest University, focusing her studies…
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Elliott O’Brien
Elliott grew up in sunny Seattle and spent countless days exploring the Cascades, Puget Sound, and the forests and deserts throughout Washington. He studied environmental science and policy down in California, and uses his emphasis in ecology daily while…
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