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Columbia River Kayaking, in conjunction with Alaska
Kayak School is developing Alaska trips for late June
Get in now at the planning stage with your suggestions.
Most trips feature two 2 BCU 5-star leades and level 4 coaches, Tom
Pogson and Ginni Callahan,
one local kayaking expert (Tom), top-quality British-style or skegged
boats, and quality kayak gear.
Late June is prime wildlife viewing because migrating birds have returned,
and daylight hours are long.
Here are some sample trips:
Kenai Fjords Expedition
for Intermediate to Advanced Paddlers
130 miles south of Anchorage, the quaint seaside town of Seward
is our gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. The fjords offer both
open coast and protected paddling within view of glaciers, wildlife,
and stunning scenery! Previous trips here have seen orca, humpback whales,
wolverine, black bear, sea otter, river otter, mink, Steller sea lion,
harbor seal, puffins, kittiwakes, and more. The paddling is punctuated
with fun play spots where we can surf over glacial moraines and in diverse
tidal races. Develop BCU 3-star and 4-star skills.
This trip could alternatively be developed as a BCU 2-3 Star trip by
keeping to the more protected areas.
9 days total, 6 on water.
Cost approx. $2000 including lodging, local
transportation, kayaks, food, cooking gear, and water
taxi pick-up and drop off.
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Shuyak Island
for Intermediate to Advanced Paddlers
Some 55 miles north of Kodiak, Shuyak Island State Park encompasses
a coastal forest system unique to the Kodiak Archipelago. It contains
only one species of tree: Sitka spruce. The 47,000 acre island also
includes miles of rugged coastline, beaches and protected waterways.
At 12 miles by11 miles, Shuyak Island contains more interior waterways
than anywhere in the Kodiak Archipelago. There is about 3 days worth
of protected paddling in the inland bays. On moderate days, the outer
coast offers fun 4-Star conditions. In storms, the outer coast is a
5-Star environment. Due to the remoteness and exposure of Shyuak Island,
the weather here has a huge influence on our trip.
The island and waters are home to a stunning variety of seabirds including
puffins, black oystercatchers, cormorants, common and red-throated loons,
mergansers, harlequin ducks, and bald eagles. Otters, whales, harbor
seals, sea lions, and Dall porpoises ply the waters. Kodiak brown bear
and Sitka black-tailed deer inhabit the island's forests. Alpine botany
grows at sea level on the rugged capes of the outer coastline.
This trip could be run as a British Canoe Union 3-star/4-star workshop,
or a solid 4-star trip.
Park cabins can be reserved for lodging, with enough advance notice.
9 days total, 6 on water.
Cost approx. $2200 including lodging, local transportation, kayaks,
food, cooking gear, and water taxi pick-up and
drop off.
Shuyak
Island State Park
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Prince William Sound Expedition
for Intermediate Paddlers
Larger than the state of Connecticut, Prince William Sound is home to
an incredible concentration of wildlife. We paddle in prime Orca and
Humpback feeding grounds. Prince William Sound is less remote than the
other options, making for easier and less expensive logistics with similar
stunning wildlife viewing. BCU 2-3 Star.
7 days total, 5 on water. Cost approx. $1750 including lodging, local
transportation, kayaks and food.
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Note: we are trying to keep prices reasonable for these trips without
shortcutting safety or quality of experience. As a result, pricing on
all trips is subject to change due to events out of our control and
unforseeable from this far in advance. Something like a dramatic increase
in water taxi prices reflecting rising fuel prices, for example. (It
currently costs $3,000 to transport a group of 10 kayakers to Shuyak
Island.)
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