Day 1

We begin at our kiosk at 25 Nichols Street on the morning of your tour. If you are on the ferry that morning, catch the earliest possible ferry from Anacortes. Please call if you have any questions.

The first thing we will do is finalize any paperwork, meet your guide and group, and take a look at the map! We will then load the van and head down to the launch location. Just a five-minute drive away, there we will find the boats and gear waiting on us. Your guide will go over packing the boats, gear distribution, tips and tricks, and answer any questions that you have. We will then have an opportunity to use the restrooms before pairing up and getting comfortable in the boats. The first leg is about an hour to Turn Island where we will have lunch and stretch our legs! A beautiful loop trail circumnavigating the island is a nice way to walk off your lunch and prepare for an afternoon paddle down into Griffin Bay. Protected from winds and currents, Griffin Bay is a perfect place to acquire skills and become confident on the open water! Home to dozens of species of migrating and native maritime bird species, there is a lot to take in. Surrounded by snow-covered mountains on virtually all sides, as well as rocks full of hauled-out harbor seals basking in the sun, this is a picturesque afternoon. Arrive at camp in the early afternoon before setting up camp and having options to relax and beachcomb or paddle down to Jackle’s Lagoon where there are trails to access American Camp National Historical Park. Lighthouse views, Olympic Mountain views, Cascade Mountain views, and breathtaking archipelago views highlight this afternoon outing.

Upon returning to camp, enjoy a wonderful dinner together before an evening spent around a campfire reminiscing on the action-packed day. Drift off to sleep with the lapping sound of the shoreline and a star-filled sky, or if you are feeling super adventurous, try out a bioluminescent paddle!

Day 2

Beachside breakfast and coffee with snow-covered mountain views hits different! Enjoy a relaxing morning before breaking camp and creeping along the shoreline, looking for all types of wildlife. Families of river otters, harbor seal colonies, and even vibrant and eccentric-looking invertebrate species (depending on the tide level) make every nook and cranny more interesting than one could imagine.

Arrive back at Jackson Beach in time for a late lunch before parting ways and embarking on the next part of your adventure.

Catch a ferry back to Anacortes or rent a moped and cruise around the island!

Food is extremely important for energy, mood, and community! We do our best to source locally when possible and most of our meals use fresh ingredients. There are inherently more canned beans involved then local grass-fed beef when you are carrying all your food for two days with no refrigeration, but we strive to optimize nutrition and make meals fun

Breakfast typically includes local coffee and some combination of yogurt, eggs, oats, fresh fruit, and granola. We often don’t have a ton of time as we have a tide schedule to follow, so pancakes and bacon are only sometimes an option…

Lunches are typically charcuterie style with some combination of salami, salmon, nuts, cheeses, fruits, veggies, and hummus. Often, we will make tuna and chickpea salad with our local, sustainably caught tuna.

Dinner is often a highlight where we can reflect on the day and put some time and love into a big meal. Some popular dinner menu options are as follows:

Pesto pasta with salad, sourdough, and butter (lots of fresh veggies)

Burritos (black bean, cheese, salsa and lots of fresh veggies and guacamole)

Coconut curry (chickpea) with rice and naan

Veggie chili

Please give us a call if you have any concerns about food! We can easily accommodate vegan, vegetarian, gluten or dairy-free diets. Bringing treats to share is encouraged and our guides will often bring desserts or local beer or wine to share 😊

Click here to view information on how to prepare for your adventure in the San Juan Islands!