Family Centric Inn to Inn Sea Kayaking Tours of the San Juan Islands (2024)

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Why Go with Crystal Seas?

Frequently Asked Questions

• Will I fit in the kayak gear?

  Here’s a good way to get an idea if you will fit in the kayak. Most people of average body weight and height can fit into the kayak. All of our kayaks are doubles so there is more space that one might think. NOT SURE? PLEASE DO THIS: Take a measuring tape and measure the circumference of the widest part of your body (hips/stomach/chest).

  Our SPRAY SKIRTS fits up to 43 inches including clothing, around the largest part of the midriff. The spray skirt is what you will wear around your torso. It connects to the kayak co*ckpit to keep you dry. You can wear it above or below your chest. There is a string to synch it to your body. If you can comfortably fit into it, you should be good to wear the spray skirt.

  Our co*ckPIT dimensions are 31" Long x 16" Wide x 14.5" Deep.

  The co*ckpit is the opening area to get into the kayak. You will need to be able to sit down past it to get onto the kayak seat. Remember that your body parts can move and the boat is fiberglass so if you have hips that are around these dimensions, you can typically still sit into the kayak. What we want is for you to be able to safely exit the kayak. *Please send us a message through our website or give us a call, if you question whether you or someone in your group might not fit.

• Am I too tall?

  The kayaks are most comfortable for people who are 6’ 4” ft. and under. If you are above this height, you may not feel comfortable. We can put tall people in the front of the kayak to give them more leg room.
  *Please send us a message through our website or give us a call, if you question whether you or someone in your group might be too tall.

• What are the start and end times?

  Our Inn trips meet at our office in Friday Harbor between 10am and 10:30am, depending on the WA State ferry schedule on your start date. You will finish between 2-5pm on your end date. We will drop you off at the Washington State Ferry Terminal on the island your trip ends on.

• How long of a drive is San Juan Island from Seattle?

  We are about a 2 hour drive from Seattle to Anacortes and then a beautiful 1 hour 20 minute ferry ride to Friday Harbor. Arrive to the Anacortes ferry terminal about 30-45 minutes before scheduled departure time if you are walking on the ferry and 1.5 to 2 hours before scheduled departure time if you are bringing your car to San Juan Island. We have a shuttle from the ferry in Friday Harbor to Snug Harbor on Mitchell Bay where our tours depart from, for those who wish to leave their cars at the Anacortes ferry terminal. For ferry fees and schedules visit the Washington State Ferries website. You can also fly to the San Juan Islands from Seattle, click on Kenmore Air & San Juan Airlines

• Do you take beginners?

  Yes. All of our tours are designed with the beginner in mind. On all of our tours we give a safety & kayak lesson. All of our tours are guided so you will have an instructor near you the whole time.

• What happens if there is a single person or an odd numbered group?

  We use tandem (double) kayaks for all of our San Juan Island tours. If there is an odd number then one person will be in a kayak with a guide or someone from another odd number party.

• Can you accommodate my food requirements on your multi-day tours?

  Yes. We will send you a questionnaire when you make your reservation and our guides will plan accordingly.

• Will I see whales on my tour?

  Our kayak route offers one of the best opportunities in the world to see wild orca whales from a kayak because we paddle 1-2 days (depending on trip type) in a federally designated whale habitat. Since we can’t guarantee that they will show up on every kayak trip, we offer the option to increase the odds to over 90% by spending one afternoon aboard a whale watch cruise aboard the Odyssey where we often see Bigg's Killer Whales, humpback whales and other types of marine mammals. The resident J, K, and L pods of orcas have recently been put on the endangered species list so our goal is to respect them, abide by the guidelines and not to paddle aggressively into their path. We will give you a lesson at the beginning of the tour for appropriate kayaking behavior near wildlife.

• What kinds of wildlife could we see?

  Some of the local flora and fauna are Bald Eagles, Cormorants, Black Oystercatchers, Pigeon Guillemots, Pacific Harbor Seals, Orcas (Killer Whales), Dall's Porpoise, Great Blue Herons, Ochre Sea Stars, Blood Stars, Pacific Madrones, Douglas-firs, Western Cedars, Bull Kelp forests and Eel Grass beds.

• Are all meals and drinks included in the cost of the trip?

  We cover all meals on our 2 and 3 day trips, from lunch on the first day to lunch on the last day. On our 4, 5 and 6 day trips we allow one night for our guests to explore Friday Harbor on thier own, this one dinner is not included in the cost of the trip. Our guides will give you some suggestions of places that are popular among the locals. We provide all our guests with refeshing, non alchohlic, beverages throughout the tour. If you have a favorite drink that you would like us to have on hand, please note it in the questionairre you return to us. Our guides will also provide the group with a 'happy hour' beverage after the days activity. We provide delicious, sustainable wines or if you perfer beer, we can pick up a cold 6 pack of your favorite Washington variety.