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4-day Kayak Expedition August 6-9, 2020
Join us as we explore the magical destination of the Southern Clayoquot Sound world UNESCO Biosphere marine preserve on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. This extraordinary 4-day Wild N Queer kayaking adventure will explore one of the last great rainforests on Vancouver Island from August 6-9, 2020.
The region is unceded traditional territory and home of three Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations: the Hesquiaht, Ahousaht, and Tla-o-qui-aht. Clayoquot Sound is world-renowned for its ancient rainforests, monumental cedars, wild salmon, timber wolves, black bears, and whales.
The Wild N Queer Tour include all the gear you will need for this unique adventure, locally handmade Nimbus Kayaks, Werner paddles , a spacious MSR Mutha Hubba tent, Exped sleeping mat and a Helinox cot and beach chair to give you top of the line comfort while in camp and on the water. You will only need to bring personal items and a sleeping bag! If you are not travelling with a sleeping bag, we can provide you with a clean and comfortable sleeping bag for a small additional fee.
We will teach you the fundamentals of ocean kayaking, safety procedures and will stay together as a group. This tour will satisfy everyone from active adventurers to those seeking a more relaxed vacation. Our itinerary will be determined by the weather and needs of the group. This trip is fully catered. All your meals, snacks, desserts and hot drinks are provided.
The evening before your tour departs we would like to meet with you at our meeting point in Ucluelet, to give you your dry bags, try on paddling gear and go over any last minute details.
We will celebrate you in this beautiful place...
Nourishing and delicious local and wild food
Laugh, sing, swim, play, and enjoy good times
Hanging out around a campfire
Camping in comfy tents
And inspiring guides that honour you, and show you this beautiful marine ecology.
No kayaking experience is necessary; participants must be comfortable in and around water, in good enough shape for 4 to 6 hours of daily kayaking and some easy hiking.
The Guides
Mark Riser is a passionate queer outdoor educator and the founder of Wild ‘n Queer. He loves to connect gay people with local ecologies, inspiring people to explore Nature, swim and dive, hike, kayak, backpack, forage, fish, and hunt, sharing his deep love of these beautiful places with people from all walks of life.
He is a SKGABC Certified Sea Kayak Guide (AOG) and holds a Wilderness First Responder certification, as well as training in bushcraft and wilderness survival. He holds a certificate in yoga studies from Bihar Yoga Bharati in India, and is a student of food-as-medicine and wild food cooking.
He loves to sing and play the ukulele, inspired by the beauty of the places he calls home.
Kevin Bradshaw is Head Guide and Operations Manager for Hello Nature Adventure Tours and oversees training and safety. Kevin has lived in Ucluelet, British Columbia since 2002, where he has been honing his craft as a professional Sea Kayaking Guide.
He is a Level 3 Guide and Guide Trainer with Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC (SKGABC) and a Sea Kayaking Instructor with Sea Kayak Instruction & Leadership Systems (SKILS).
He has paddled in numerous locations around British Columbia, Vancouver Island, and Costa Rica. He is truly at home in the Broken Group Islands in Barkley Sound, British Columbia.
Itinerary for the 4-Day Wild N Queer Expedition
Day 1 - Vargas Island
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020 - Set up camp
We will meet at the government dock at the bottom of First Street, Tofino at 9 am to load our gear. Your guide will assist and teach you how to fit everything in to the kayaks. Your guide will do a safety pre-trip talk, explaining and demonstrating the fundamentals of kayaking. You will learn or review how to get in and out, proper sitting position, paddle techniques, what to do in an emergency and of course answer any questions or concerns you might have.
Your guide will assist you if needed with launching your kayak.
Never be shy of asking questions, whether about safety, kayaking, the sea and wild life we encounter or the forest ecology. Our guides have been working in this part of the world for many years and are very knowledgeable about kayaking and about the area.
Our itinerary will be determined by group ability and weather. We are aiming to paddle 4-6 hours per day leaving plenty of time for other activities and for relaxing. There will be plenty of opportunity to take photos, have a snack or to go for that washroom break. Our goal is comfort, we believe that fun and adventure shouldn’t be painful or too strenuous. We will stop for a lunch break and your guide will prepare a delicious meal while you kick back, relax and take in the surrounding beauty.
We will set up camp for the night at one of the beautiful campsites on Vargas Island. Once we arrive on our chosen site your guide will point out all facilities and campsites and assist you with setting up your tent. Snacks and hot drinks will be served after camp is set up.
Dinner will be served between 6 and 7 pm. After a wholesome meal and dessert, we look forward to bonding through everyone pitching in to cleanup. All designated campsites permit campfires. Storytelling around the fire or enjoying time alone is your choice but before we all say good night we will have a quick briefing with the whole group regarding the next day's schedule.
Day 2 - Clayoquot Sound
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2020 - Exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Marine Biosphere - Clayoquot Sound
We aim to have breakfast between 7 and 9 am - depending on weather. We may move camp every day or stay at one campsite for the entire trip. The guide will have final say, as we need to take weather and group ability into account. Paddling and enjoying lunches on different locations within the sound will be a daily routine. There will be plenty of opportunity to discover inter-tidal life , explore old-growth forests, and ancient First Nation Village sites.
Day 3 - Clayoquot Sound
SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 2020 - Exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Marine Biosphere - Clayoquot Sound
We aim to have breakfast between 7 and 9 am - depending on weather. We may move camp every day or stay at one campsite for the entire trip. The guide will have final say, as we need to take weather and group ability into account. Paddling and enjoying lunches on different locations within the sound will be a daily routine. There will be plenty of opportunity to discover inter-tidal life , explore old-growth forests, and ancient First Nation Village sites.
Day 4 - Clayoquot Sound
SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 2020 - final day to explore Clayoquot Sound and start our Journey back to Tofino
We aim to have breakfast between 7 and 9 am - depending on weather.
On the final kayaking day, after paddling for the day, we will end our journey back in Tofino where we began. Returning back around 4-4:30PM we will say our fond goodbyes, exchange email addresses and hugs so we can share photos and keep in touch.
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COVID Safer Travel - Enhanced Safety Protocols
Hello Nature Adventure Tours Ltd. is working closely with our provincial and local health authorities to ensure we have a safe experience. The Province of British Columbia is opening up phase II of Safer Travel allowing British Columbians to travel within the province.
Please note: this means that this tour is available only to people living in British Columbia only.
Here are some of the enhanced safety protocols you can expect:
✓ Each guest will be required to disclose a health and wellness declaration form
✓ Enjoy a low-risk experience by using an online waivers
✓ Guidance for increased hygiene; cleaning common areas and surfaces; required masks and gloves during launching and landing, installed plexiglas at launch pad and front desk.
✓ Kayaks and gear (tents, chairs, cot, sleeping mat, sleeping bag, dry bags, dishes/utensils) will be assigned to each person and will be sanitized in warm soapy water between tours and allowed to dry the sun.
✓ Every PFD (personal floatation device) will have a hand sanitizer in the front pocket
✓ We will recommend that every guest brings a mask.
✓ We are installing a sink at out dock location for hand washing
✓ To minimize contact; all tours are private one household, family group or pod, tours start times will be staggered, maximum group size of 6 people (1 guide; 6 guests) and we will use mostly double kayaks to minimize the potential for capsizes.
✓ Dishes, utensils, cups, thermos will be provided for each guest and will be responsible to care for throughout the trip. Each camp site (tent) will have their own washing basin.
✓ Meal service will be served one person at a time; serving area to be sanitized between serving
✓ We will post signage to our guest and guides regarding infection prevention and control measures in our facility. (Hand washing, Respiratory/cough etiquette, self-isolation and self monitoring)
Payment and Cancellation Policy
A CAD$300 deposit is due at time of booking. Full prepayment is due on or before JUNE 30, 2020.
3% credit card transaction fee is additional
Cancellation Policy:
Cancellation made prior to JUNE 30, 2020 will forfeit the $300 Non refundable, non transferable deposit. Any cancellations made after JUNE 30, 2020 will forfeit the entire trip amount. We do recommend travel medical and trip cancellation interruption insurance. We are happy to provide a quote.
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Personal Travel Mgmt - Departures X Dean (BC Reg. 2806)
Suite 221, 8678 Greenall Ave., Burnaby, BC, V5J 3M6
TEL. 604.739.3622 X348
We operate in the traditional territories of the Musqeuam, Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, Tseshaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, and Toquaht First Nations, and we work to create a good relationship with their cultures.
Clayoquot Sound - Social Inspiration
