August 26th-September 1st, 2013
Nootka Sound Total Experience

Watch a mother and baby humpback whale breach right in front of you.  Visit a 4,300-year-old village site and renowned traditional carvers at Yuquot.  Have a surf beach worthy of Tofino all to yourself.  Timed for the beginning of humpback whale seasonal migrations in Nootka Sound, this amazing expedition takes us to to one of the most wild and inaccessible places on the West Coast for a once-in-a-lifetime-trip.

Humpback whales, sea lions, black bears and wolves abound in the Sound.  They are all wild creatures and with our respect, will stay happy and healthy.  Being wild, they follow their own schedules and reasons for being, meaning that there is no telling how often - or whether - we will run into them.  Keep your senses tuned ... 


How much does it cost?:  $ TBA
This is a non-profit, volunteer-organized trip (retail value around $2,000).  I am still hammering out logistical details, so hold your horses.  The Lodge has very graciously given us a steal of a deal on boat rentals!   

• Organized through (and many thanks to) Strathcona Park Lodge
  

Suitable for "early-intermediate" paddlers and above
Participation requirements (talk to Daye):

• Comfortable on overnight backcountry camping trips, far from "civilization"/services
• Basic confidence paddling and controlling a kayak in calm to choppy conditions
• Have practiced "wet exits" & capsize recovery (workshops available)

Things to do 
Tell Daye you're interested
Send in your registration & deposit
Med form & waiver
Read meal & ratio suggestions, and sign up for a meal 
Figure out your transportation to SPL
Get your "homework assignment"




Disclaimer: not acting as a guide, multiple dangers abound including encounters with wildlife, exposure to the elements, and being extremely remote and far from access to medical facilities, come at your own risk.  Like most outdoor activities, this is not a "safe" trip. If something goes wrong, you could be seriously injured or die.

Register

Entrance to the Secret Gardens, Nootka Sound

From http://www.seakayaking.com/ (see note on why below)

Transportation will be arranged -- not to worry!

Yuquot totem allowed to return to the earth

Friendly Cove (Yuquot), 18th century

Burdwood beach

While I definitely borrowed this from the interweb (thanks http://noticinglife.com) because I usually don't bring a camera with me on my Nootka school contracts; this has definitely happened to our groups -- multiple times :)