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Kayak Guesthouse
Vacation

Trip Itinerary
Kayak Guesthouse Vacation   5 Days

Group size is six guests plus two guides.
Each person is equipped with a single kayak.
This tour is suitable for both novice and experienced paddlers.
Previous kayaking experience is recommended, yet not required.
Personal Preparation

The Kayak Guesthouse Vacation provides an opportunity to explore the remote wilderness of Gwaii Haanas, while enjoying the comforts of indoor accommodations each night.

Floating Lodge Kayak

The first night is spent at the Moresby Explorers Floating Lodge.

The next three nights are spent in the rustic Rose Harbour Guesthouse, near the southern tip of the archipelago.  This lovely accommodation was carefully hand-built by resident musician Götz.

The tiny, charming community of Rose Harbour is our base for kayak explorations.  The kayak guesthouse vacation allows for plenty of flexibility each day.  Guests have the option of joining daily kayak excursions, or staying in Rose Harbour to relax at the guesthouse.

Enjoy wood-fired hot showers after your kayak day-trips.  Experience marvelous organic meals hosted by the local residents.  These fascinating homesteaders are happy to provide a glimpse into their unique self-sufficient lifestyles.  For photos, please see the Rose Harbour album.

Speedboat transport

Day One - Kayak Guesthouse Vacation

This vacation begins in Sandspit; guests are picked up in the morning at Seaport Bed & Breakfast for the one-hour drive to Moresby Camp.  Here, you board a large Zodiac-style speedboat to begin exploring the northern regions of Gwaii Haanas.

Visit the ancient Haida villages of Tanu or Skedans.  Explore Hecate Strait; spotting whales, sea lions, dolphins and a large variety of sea birds.

In the afternoon, you arrive at the Moresby Explorers Floating Lodge for dinner and your first night of accommodation.  The floating lodge is a spacious facility with several rooms.  It is possible that the lodge will be shared with another group during your one-night visit.

Day Two

After breakfast at the floating lodge, the boat carries you through Burnaby Narrows on your way to the tiny, isolated community of Rose Harbour.

Guesthouse

Arrive around midday and move into the Rose Harbour Guesthouse.  Two guests generally share each room in this cozy and rustic establishment.  Amenities include a common room with a table, chairs, couch, library and woodstove.  Enjoy the soft chairs and great views from the covered deck.

There is a private, well-maintained composting outhouse.  The guesthouse's indoor sink has running cold water.  The hot running water is located at the ingenious wood-fired shower facility a few steps away.

Three meals a day are served at Susan's place - the neighboring house in Rose Harbour.  (Some days we pack our lunch and enjoy it on a beach during an extended kayak day-trip.)

After lunch in Rose Harbour on day two, we provide an orientation to the kayaks and embark on an afternoon paddle.

Days Three and Four

There are numerous and varied day-trip possibilities from Rose Harbour.  Kayaking options include sheltered local excursions, as well as more challenging adventures to Hecate Strait and the Pacific outer coast.  Ride the current down Houston Stewart Channel as we paddle to the Gordon Islands to explore the lagoon at the centre of this delightful island cluster.  Kayak up Rose Inlet and hike through the magnificent rainforest to a picturesque waterfall, then journey to the head of the inlet where remains of an ancient Haida fish-trap are still visible.

Totems

Walk along shorelines to witness the vast array of marine life clinging to the inter-tidal regions.  Discover the rich bio-diversity existing between sea and forest.

Visit the ancient Haida village of Ninstints on Anthony Island.  This extraordinary historical settlement is a United Nations World Heritage Site, also known as SGang Gwaay.  Numerous totem poles overlook the village and longhouse ruins are still visibly prominent.

Haida Watchmen on the island can explain the carvings on the poles and provide insightful interpretations of the village and their ancestors who once lived there.  Spend a day exploring the site and experiencing the sense of mystery that lingers in this ancient village.

Day Five

The speedboat arrives in Rose Harbour to transport the group to Sandspit.  Tour the coastline of Gwaii Haanas and stop to enjoy various wilderness sites along the way.  At the end of the day, you are returned to Seaport B&B in Sandspit.



Routes and itineraries remain very flexible to accommodate changeable west coast conditions.  Alternate boat or floatplane transport may be substituted.  In order to confirm the kayak guesthouse vacation and secure reservations at the Rose Harbour Guesthouse and Moresby Explorers Floating Lodge, four people must register in advance.

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© Butterfly Tours - Sea Kayak Haida Gwaii
Updated by Gord on May 22, 2013
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