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Anacortes Kayak Tours
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 8 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
5 reviews for Anacortes Kayak Tours
5 reviews in English
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Review from David N.
Poughkeepsie, NY
9/9/2008 3 photos
First off, I've never done any kind of kayaking at all so this was my first time. Truth be told we missed the 10:00 ferry to Lopez Island and we were pretty pissed about that. We passed Anacortes Kayak Tours on the way so we turned around and headed back.
We stopped in an spoke to Megan, apparently one of the owners of the company and asked her if they had any availability for a kayak tour that day.
She said that they had a spot for two open at 2 pm and we booked it. She also gave us some great spots to go see in the meantime.
Our guide Tiffan was very helpful, informative and friendly. We didn't see much wildlife but we were having a blast anyway. It was beautiful kayaking around that area and we saw some spectacular houses on the water. Being beginners we never felt uncomfortable or rushed, we had a great 3 hour tour and came back with huge smiles. -
Review from Jason L.
Seattle, WA
5/29/2009
I was attracted to their 3 hour tour since it didn't involve getting on the ferry. I went on the 6pm sunset tour with a few friends.
The guide was friendly and helpful. He told us about some of the local history, etc. I asked him about orcas and he sounded knowledgeable about the subject, telling me about the distinction between the two different types and the type of videos I could find on YouTube.
Everyone was put into a large two person kayaks with a rudder. Due to the size, kayaks were quite stable and perfect for beginners. There were no problems getting into or out of the kayak, and no capsizing.
(no complaints so far)
I am, however, a bit disappointed at the tour location. It basically involved kayaking around a small island. It was not better than renting a kayak and paddling around Lake Union, which is approximately 90 minutes closer to Seattle. There are much better locations to watch the sunset, e.g., Golden Gardens, without having to kayak in Anacortes. Also, the "sunset viewing" was only as we were turning one corner of the island, and we had to turn and get back before it got dark, i.e., before the actual sunset.
********************Edit********************
Currently, this link indicates that the 6pm tour is a "sunset" tour, not an "evening" tour (maybe the web page will be fixed soon):
http://www.anacorteska...
From this list of things I might see on the trip, I saw seals (or was it otters? I don't really know), kelp forests, (probably) rock formations, and a historical lighthouse. Of those four, all but the seals are a maybe, the rest you should expect to see (how will you miss rocks or the lighthouse if you're going around the island?)
* seals
* bald eagles
* Orca whales
* porpoise (one of the best places in Washington State to see them)
* peregrine falcons (and their nest)
* coyotes
(extremely rare in the San Juans)
* sea lions
* interesting sea birds
* sea stars and urchins
* kelp forests (huge seaweed!)
* the oldest rock formations in the San Juan Islands
* a historical lighthouse
I do agree that this is a good trip if you don't care about the view and just want to paddle on a nice evening. Personally, I would not drive so far to kayak if the view wasn't there (Lake Union is about 80 minutes closer).Comment from Erik S. of Anacortes Kayak Tours 6/2/2009
It is unfortunate that the beauty of Burrows Island and the… More » -
Review from Lowell W.
Seattle, WA
8/17/2011
My eight-year-old son and I just returned from AKT's 3-day kayak trip to Cypress Island. The trip was fantastic in every respect. Ben Williamson was our guide. I was so impressed with how well Ben understood the tides, which are quite complex in the area. As a result, not only did he keep us safe; he also helped us avoid paddling against any stiff currents. The campsite he picked, Cypress Head, was exquisite -- probably the prettiest and nicest campsite I've ever seen. He cooked delicious, healthful meals for our group (with some advanced menu planning, food prep, and provisioning by Megan, one of AKT's owners). And speaking of the group, everyone was really nice, and we all established a really nice rapport from the beginning of the trip. I would recommend the trip to any friend. And I will definitely be back for more next year.
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Review from Brian M.
Glenmoore, PA
12/6/2009
We had a great time and a great guide, we did the 3 hour tour and were just tired enough afterwards to appreciate dinner and drinks later that evening, We did not see any whales this particular day but they were very honest about the chances of seeing one. Great area for kayaking and not too expensive. Great way to spend an afternoon.
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Review from Shannon T.
Edgewater, MD
7/14/2009
The solution to wanting to see more? Take the five-hour tour. It's not a motorboat; of course you can't get that far (and back) in 3 hours. Our guide Ben was knowledgable and the pace and "ground" covered were perfect. I wouldn't have necessarily minded taking the ferry to a competing tour company, but I'd much rather kayak around less-developed islands, so this was perfect.
Specialties
Anacortes Kayak Tours specializes in providing quality kayak tours throughout the San Juan Islands. We are also the only family friendy kayak company that has an affordable tour designed especially for folks with smaller children (our Deception Pass program).
Our wide variety of trip lengths and locations ensures that we have the right choice for you, and our advantageous location means that you won't waste valuable vacation time waiting in a ferry line.
Join us for a great day of sea kayaking in the San Juan Islands!
History
Established in 2004
Megan and Erik Schorr are both Washington natives, born and raised near the shores of the Puget Sound. In the1990's they moved to Friday Harbor where Megan worked as a kayak guide and Erik worked as a licensed captain operating passenger vessels throughout the San Juans. In the off-season they spent their time traveling the world and visited six continents, including working for a season on the ice in Antarctica.
In 2003, while in Antarctica, Megan and Erik decided that it was time to create their own style of running tours in the San Juans. They also thought that it would be great to start a family soon. Little did they know that both would be happening at the same time! In the summer of 2004 they had a very busy first season, and in October they had their first son Taiga. Three years later (during July, the peak month of the summer) came their second son, Tashi.
Today the Schorr's still live in Anacortes, continuing to grow the business and their boys, in the San Juan Islands.
