Mothership Sea Kayaking

Paddle the coast by day, relax in luxury by night aboard British Columbia’s original sea kayaking mothership!

Just a few reasons to paddle with the COLUMBIA III:

Novice and experienced paddlers welcome
Instruction by professional certified guides
Safe and stable Necky double kayaks
Maneuverable, light kayaks unburdened by camping gear
Many diverse landscapes in a single tour
Flexible paddling schedule dictated by the weather and our guests interests
New paddling waters each day, new anchorages each night
Cozy staterooms, hot showers, especially appreciated in cooler weather
The mothership takes you to the wildlife

You can always recognize the elegant COLUMBIA III at the dock or at anchor by the bright yellow kayaks covering the roof! As you get closer, you’ll see the rows of spray skirts and bright red life jackets hanging neatly under cover on the back deck. Racks of paddles hang below. The COLUMBIA III is perfectly set up to load and unload kayaks smoothly and quickly with its efficient roof top crane system. There’s plenty of room up there to carry kayaks for ten guests and two guides. The water level platform at the rear of the boat makes getting in and out of the kayaks simple and easy. And if you are a beginner paddler, not a problem! Attentive instruction is provided by our certified guides. So welcome aboard and let us provide you the kayaking trip of a lifetime! British Columbia’s coast is a sea kayaking paradise. From Desolation Sound to the Great Bear Rainforest, glacial fed rivers spill into lush salmon spawning estuaries at the heads of magnificent steep sided fjords. Hundreds of islets and islands provide sheltered travel from the open ocean and habitat for a vast array of marine life. Orcas, humpback whales, sea lions, dolphins, sea otters, black bears, spirit bears, grizzly bears, wolves, eagles and seabirds all inhabit this temperate coastal rainforest and the waters off its rugged Pacific shores. This is the coast the Columbia III has safely traveled since 1956!

Sea Kayaks on sandy beach On a typical kayaking day, guests gather on the back deck after breakfast. Water bottles are filled, dry bags are packed with cameras, sunscreen and a spare sweater, and spray skirts are pulled on. A guide assists each person into their kayak and soon everyone is on the water!! The mothership sounds its whistle goodbye and heads off to the afternoon meeting place and the paddlers settle into their rhythms, anticipating the day’s journey ahead.

With the kayak’s minimal draft, we’ll float over shallows profuse with inter tidal creatures. We’ll glide along cliffs just inches away from clusters of starfish and anemones. From the intimate vantage of your kayak perhaps you’ll surprise a seal dozing in the sun, or pause as an eagle swoops for a salmon. After the morning’s paddle we’ll land on a shell beach or rocky islet for a leisurely picnic lunch before continuing on in the afternoon. We’ll watch in awe as orcas pass by, or perhaps glimpse a bear on the beach.

COLUMBIA III awaits your return each evening in a new location. No backtracking is necessary! By traveling on the mothership you will explore and paddle in new landscapes every day. We are not limited to areas with natural campsites; we simply drop the anchor! This means we can paddle in the more remote, steep and rugged parts of the coast, where other kayakers rarely go. The COLUMBIA III is always within radio range of the guides and available in the unlikely event of an emergency. Safety is always our first consideration. Our goal is to provide you with attentive service, a spotless ship, a warm family atmosphere and fantastic kayaking during your mothership adventure.

"What a week! We came for the whales and the paddling and came away with so much more. The food and the weather were wonderful, in fact, we can't remember any vacation with better food. But the best part, and the one that will stay in our hearts is getting to know your family and sharing your love for this beautiful part of the world."
- Susan and Peter, Rhode Island

Kayak on beach After the day’s paddling, guests come aboard, kayaks are settled and secured into their places on the roof, and we’re off to our next anchorage. It’s very luxurious to enjoy a hot shower, great food and a warm bed after a day exploring the wilderness! There are no tents to set up, and if the weather turns foul we have a cozy environment - dry and heated. Our fully equipped galley turns out dishes with a west coast flavour and our guest book raves about the vessel and the hospitality shown by her crew. We offer kayaking tours to three areas of British Columbia's wild and remote coast: the Desolation Sound Skills Workshop Tour, the The Broughton Archipelago and Johnstone Strait Tour, and The Great Bear Rainforest Tour.

"First time in this part of BC. First time kayaking. Got upgraded from absolute newbie to novice during the trip! Not bad for an old desert rat! The food was absolutely fabulous! You are a great crew . . you were almost like friends I hadn't met before, rather than a 'company crew'. Hope to see you next fall for the 'Great Bear Rainforest' trip."
- Howard, 2008

Sea kayaking tours are normally 3 - 10 days long. Your trip on the Columbia III is all inclusive. The price includes meals, wine/beer, kayaks, equipment and paddling instruction.

Get More Information