Kayak Nootka Sound

Your sea kayaking adventure begins in Tahsis, a small Village on the West coast of Vancouver Island with services, accommodation and a beautiful location.

Shorebird Expeditions maintains a small fleet of rental kayaks for paddlers unable to bring their own equipment. Contact our office for availability and additional information.

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Allow us to transport you and your kayak to your chosen destination in Nootka Sound, Esperanza and Nuchatlitz Inlets and beyond.

MV Shorebird can drop you, your kayak and gear on a beach where you can base camp, exploring the area on day paddles, or move camp to different locations for a prearranged pickup elsewhere in our service area.

Esperanza Inlet has magnificent scenery and the Nuchatlitz Marine Park area is a kayaker’s delight.

Rosa Island has a user-maintained camping area and the small islands that line the channel into Nuchatlitz give kayakers plenty of spots to haul out and enjoy the views. Unique to the area are the sea otters that spend their days eating, grooming and watching kayaks glide by and the whales that stop in the area for a quick meal before continuing north on their travels.

For the more adventurous sea kayakers …

a kayaking trip outside Nuchatlitz, thru the many rock piles will take you into Nuchatlitz Inlet and the many beaches that line the Inlet and Mary Basin OR allow MV Shorebird to drop you off closer to some further paddling. If you are looking for even more seclusion then grab the flood tide and shoot into Inner Basin. Once in the Basin you will probably forget that there is a world outside the narrows.

If you kayak northwest from Rosa Island the beaches of Catala Island & Yellow Bluffs will provide plenty of sand and lots of driftwood to cook your dinner over.

Nootka Sound

Nootka Sound has a large marine park that features Bligh Island and numerous small islands that make up the Spanish Pilot Group. Yuquot (Friendly Cove) is probably the best stopping off spot on your Nootka Sound sea kayaking tour. The history of this ancient site is phenomenal and the First-Nations residents love to tell visitors about their history. (There is a small fee for touring the site but the experience is not to be missed!)

Beyond Yuquot are the beaches that border the open ocean

Access to these beaches on Hesquit Peninsula and the west side of Nootka Island is for experienced kayakers who have spent time on the open ocean. The extra effort is well worth it as at times you feel like you’re the first person to set foot on the pristine stretch of sand. During the summer migration past the mouth of Nootka Sound, whales can be seen feeding and playing just outside the surf line. Some kayak tour visitors have commented that they saw whales every day during their visit to the area.

Due to the nature of our business, All online bookings are subject to date and/or time changes. Please contact us before booking if you have any concerns.

Kayak Rentals available* to water transport customers.
Contact us for more information

    
 
 
       The owner was always quick to respond, even calling to chat in the evenings or on weekends. She cared about our trip being a success and gave us lots of tips about the trail we were being dropped off at. She is involved in trail clean-up and future trail improvements alongside the indigenous groups in the area.
  
 
    
   Lara Kremler 
 July 4, 2021.
 
 
 
      What an experience! Shorebird was an amazing company to work with. They were able to provide lots of information about the Nootka trail to help us better prepare. They were flexible in dates/times, and worked with  us when we had to unexpectedly leave the trail early. The boat ride is beautiful with lots of opportunities to take in the beauty and snap some great photos. 10/10
  
 
    
   Rita Wakelin 
 June 21, 2021.
 
 
 
      I can highly recommend Shorebird Expeditions for their water taxi service. I used their service to get my hiking group to and from the Nootka Island trail for an amazing one week adventure in the wilderness. Sarah was a wealth of information, friendly, and patient. Both our drivers were friendly and kind. The ride to and from our trail heads were spectacular. I hope to use their service again for a kayak adventure. Thank you Shorebird for making our time with the wolves possible.
  
 
    
   Leila Nazaroff 
 October 1, 2020.
 
 
 
      We have used this company for various kayak trips in the area over several years and they have always been excellent.
  
 
    
   Salty Shyster 
 June 22, 2020.
 
 
 
      It was easy to book our water taxi service to hike the Nootka Trail. Everything was on time (actually, early) and easy going. Great drivers and good craft for getting you there and back easily and safely. We even stopped to watch a raft of otters on the way back!
  
 
    
   Timothy Annan 
 July 14, 2018.

KAYAK EXPEDITIONS