FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We have introduced many people to Haida Gwaii over the past three decades, and before we travel together, we want to ensure that all our guests have a clear understanding of our trips, so that your expectations will be met.

Personal Fitness

First and foremost, I would like to make it clear that age means nothing to me.  I see it simply as a number.  The fact that you have connected with me, tells me you are an adventurous soul, and seek intrinsic wilderness experiences, which is what we are after.

Anyone in good physical condition and willing to share in an occasional camp chore is welcome on our tours.

We travel in a self-propelled mix fleet of single and double sea kayaks. There is NO support boat on any of my kayak tours.

Kayak experience is not required; however, I do ask that guests feel comfortable around water.

More important than one’s paddling skill, is that guests arrive with past camping experiences to draw upon.  Past experience’s travelling and camping in the wilderness will assist you greatly, ensuring your personal comfort in a remote wilderness setting such as Haida Gwaii.

Lifting and Carrying

To make any trip successful all guests must participate in the daily chores, and contribute to the overall team environment such as:  food cache, meal prep, meal clean up, setting up camp, collecting fire wood and drinking water, etc.

We can accommodate those that have physical limitations in this department; however, guests are expected to be able to carry up to 20 – 30 pounds, as kayaks must be placed above the high tide line nightly in teams of 6- 8 people.

Toilets 

There are no outhouse facilities throughout Gwaii Haanas.   The use of low impact practices such as the “intertidal flush”, a standard set by Parks Canada for all kayakers in Gwaii Haanas.

Your guide will give you a briefing of this practice and present a private area for the group washroom at each rest stop, and campsite.

Bathing and Water

Many of our chosen camps have a freshwater source to collect water and to bath in.  Your guides will create the boundaries along with a private location for guests.

The kayak tour will have the capability of carrying 110 Liters of water to sites that do not have suitable or reliable water supply.

Non-Scented wet wipes are some handy items around camp, as they are convenient and easy.

OSK Principals

Our goal is to offer a wilderness experience that will remove you from your everyday distractions, replacing cell phones with solitude, and street lights with stars.

Let’s keep the wild, “WILD”.  With this in mind, it is our responsibility to travel thru Haida Gwaii with an ethical approach.  After all, there are a limited number of places that offer such an authentic wilderness experience like Haida Gwaii.

Your guide will provide you with a trip orientation on day one, a Parks Canada requirement of all Gwaii Haanas guests.  The purpose of the trip orientation is to offer insight to: the Haida Culture, the sensitivity of Ecological Reserves, and to deliver awareness as to how our tours will be practicing industry standards regarding low impact camping, and wildlife encounters.

Known as the “Galapagos of the Pacific North West” – Haida Gwaii can offer some incredible wildlife experiences.  After all, these encounters are one of the greatest attractions to any kayak trip.  Our approach to such species like Humpback Whales, dolphins, porpoises, Orcas, bears, sea birds, seals and sea lions can be reviewed below in our Wildlife Etiquette.

Since 1989 OSK has introduced many people to sea kayaking.   Our trips are designed for both beginner and experienced paddlers.  Each trip is unique, so we tailor it to the specific skill base of the group, tour expectations and overall guest experience.

More important than kayaking skill, is that all guests must have camping experience to ensure their comfort while in such a remote wilderness location. Ocean Sound Kayaking requests that guests bring the following items outlined in our gear list for a successful kayak vacation.

Please note, that Ocean Sound Kayaking does not accept direct online bookings.

I like to talk to each guest directly on the phone, allowing me to draw upon the many years of experience I have regarding kayaking on Haida Gwaii, to answer any questions you may have, while designing the ideal trip for you.

Another reason why small business operators, are actually BIGGER and better for you!

Contact us.

Deposit & Payment Schedule

Reservations require a non-refundable 300$ Cdn deposit per participant to secure all tour reservations.

This deposit holds participants space on the tour until 90 days prior tour start date, when final payment is due.

The cost to make an expedition successful begins well before the departure date.  The following payment schedule will apply.

• >90 days to departure date – Full Refund minus 300$ deposit
• <90 – 60 days prior departure date – 50% Refund of full cost
• <60 days prior departure date – No Refund

If for any reason you are to cancel your tour, 90 days prior the tour start date, and you or Ocean Sound Kayaking can find a suitable replacement, a full refund less deposit can be granted.

All Cancellations must be submitted by email, and confirmed by Ocean Sound Kayaking.

Travel insurance has never been more important or helpful than it is today. Purchasing appropriate and adequate travel insurance will protect your travel investment and decrease stress if you are not able to travel as planned.

Ocean Sound Kayaking is not responsible for ensuring the appropriate level or amount of coverage is purchased. Please contact your travel insurance provider to ensure you have appropriate coverage for your entire trip. If you use a credit card for payment for your tour expenses, you may have trip interruption insurance as part of your card benefits. This coverage, however, is often a limited dollar amount, may not cover COVID-19 related issues and does not usually include cancellation or medical coverage. Please check with your specific card provider to ensure you are adequately insured. Personal equipment, baggage and valuables (cameras, electronics, jewellery, etc.) are carried entirely at the owner’s risk. Ocean Sound Kayaking is not responsible for lost, damaged or delayed property.

If a tour has to be cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control and/or a circumstance amounting to “force majeure” such as war, threat of war, political instability, riots, civil disturbances, actual or threatened terrorist activity and its consequences, natural or nuclear disasters, fires, epidemics, health risks and pandemics, acts of God, industrial disputes, unforeseeable technical problems with transport for reasons beyond our control or that of our suppliers, closed or congested airports or ports, hurricanes and other actual or potential adverse weather condition, and any other similar events, there will be no refund from Ocean Sound Kayaking. Please contact your travel insurance provider for details on how to start a claim.

Ocean Sound Kayaking is not responsible for expenses incurred by trip participants in preparing for a cancelled trip (for example non-refundable advance purchase plane tickets, visa fees, inoculations, equipment etc. or for any additional arrangements for other travel plans associated with your travel).

Most people have insurance without knowing it through their credit card(s), health plan, personal insurance, etc.   I strongly recommend that all guests have travel insurance to cover any unexpected situations and illnesses that could arise before and especially during your tour in Gwaii Haanas, as any evacuation from this remote location “WILL” be costly. 

For Out of Province and Non-Canadian Residents this is a must for you, as medical costs and evacuations can be very expensive.  Contact your travel agent or insurance for further information regarding coverage in British Columbia, Canada.

Tour delays can be costly, whether it’s due to bad weather, cancelled or delayed transportation (flights, ferries or zodiac), Covid, and illness or like situations that Ocean Sound Kayaking cannot control, are not included in the tour costs.  

Paddlers can find themselves exploring great distances very easily with efficient use of the tides, weather patterns and local topography,

We tend to paddle 2.5- 3 hrs in the morning, as well as in the afternoon, with a break for lunch.  There is usually plenty of opportunity to rest or go to shore while en route. The biggest factor in a day’s outing is weather and the skill base of the group.  Longer or shorter days may be desired to get to a favorable location or due to different tides and weather.

If you live a healthy, active lifestyle you will be fine.  Age means nothing ever since we travelled with 78-year-young Roddy from California, whose spirit for adventure has outpaced many we have met to date.

If you are looking for a very flexible experience, take a look at our Basecamp tour.

If moving camp and seeing a vast amount of landscapes is what you desire, the Expedition tours may be what you’re looking for.

Both types of tours offer you an equal amount of kayaking time in a day.  What it really comes down to is how you wish to spend your day.

Expedition tours have an objective – to travel from a known starting point to a finishing point in Gwaii Haanas. Kayakers will break camp and set up a new home almost daily and early starts may be required for efficient travel.  Expedition kayaking also provides you with the opportunity to explore a variety of landscapes unique to Haida Gwaii.

There is nothing like having the opportunity of wondering what new adventures may lay ahead in your day.

One luxury that a Base Camp tour offers is flexibility.  Our base camp tours tend to use three or five strategically placed remote wilderness camps through the vacation.  Guests may find a more leisurely atmosphere because you are not required to move camp from one rainy site to another if you don’t wish to.

Base Camp tours are also not as tide dependant, so may not require early starts.  From these camps guests enjoy a variety of day trips that allow you to intimately explore the surrounding landscape.

With over two decades of kayaking Haida Gwaii, we have tried all types of kayak combinations to create an efficient, safe and team environment for your sea kayak vacation. We find the mixed fleet option of six single kayaks and two double kayaks to be the ideal scenario for self-supported travel.

You can take a virtual tour of the following sites by opening these links:

SGang Gwaay – UNESCO World Heritage Site

K’uunna

T’aannu

Hot Springs Island

BIG trees of Windy Bay

Legacy Pole at Windy Bay

Our approach has always been for everyone to take a turn in a double kayak for a day and then try our various single kayaks for the rest of the sea kayak vacation. This delivers the best flexibility and safety for the entire group.

Remember, a single kayak is a self-propelled vessel, while a double has two ‘engines’, which can be very attractive on a long day.

Absolutely! Whether you are travelling solo or with a friend, you are not required to share your personal space.

Yes! Given enough time we can accommodate most food allergies.  It really comes down to communications so we can adjust accordingly.

If we could order the weather, every trip would be rain-free and filled with double rainbows! That said, Haida Gwaii is the largest temperate rainforest on the B.C. coast but that does not mean that it rains all the time.  The driest season tends to be the later part of June to early September which is really the operating season. The average temperature for July and August is 17-20 C (62-68 F), however in 2015, record breaking temperatures of well into the 30’s (80’s F) were set throughout Haida Gwaii.

Everything from honeymoons, birthdays, anniversaries, family vacations, exclusive groups and conferences has been offered since 1989.   It’s best to contact us early to plan so you can get what you desire. Many guests return to Haida Gwaii to appreciate the virtually untouched landscape with the limitless potential for discovery or to challenge themselves with a skill-based tour.

We have enjoyed the company of people from seven to 82 years of age.  It is all about a person’s attitude to enjoy unspoiled wilderness and adventure.   If you are thinking of visiting Haida Gwaii for your family vacation, the 6 Day Haida Gwaii kayak tour is flexible, designed for families, and would be great introduction to Haida Gwaii.