An absolutely perfect day; a perfect experience with wonderful guide. We can't give Brandon credit for the weather, but after such a breathtaking experience, we were praising him for the perfect weather, too. Booking was a breeze, advanced communication was timely and informative, check-in was friendly and easy, and even the drive across the island from Friday Harbor was engaged and informative. But the real magic happened on the water, where we started under mild, overcast skies, and ended with sunshine and perfect weather. Along the way we saw: 1 black fox, 2 harbor seals, 1 harbor porpoise, a rhinoceros auklet (unique diving sea bird), 13+ Bald Eagles, AND TWO HUMPBACK WHALES! The beach side lunch was fantastic... the best turkey sandwich I've ever had, made exceptional by the views and the company. The lack of an Orca sighting made this full day trip an eyelash shy of perfect, but we could not have otherwise been more thrilled with our experience on the water with Brandon and the Discovery Sea Kayak team. Thank you for a magical day on the island. PS - we paid half as much for a full day tour with Discovery as we did for a half day tour on Orcas Island, so this group gets our strongest recommendation! read more

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Top notch half day sea kayak tour! Staff have ACA training which shows a commitment to high national standards and safety. I trust their knowledge of the area, their kayak skills, and safety mindedness. The kayak guide was fun, knowledgeable, and had everything going smoothly. I'd gladly do another kayak tour with these folks! read more

Our guide Brenden did A great job with our private 7 person group! 3 beautiful days on the water and 2 nights. All camping great provided a delicious home cooked meals! Brenden was very knowledgeable of the area and wildlife. He offered to take us on hikes and other excursions on our camping islands. He taught us about Bull Kelp, sea anemones, bioluminescent bacteria and so much more! We saw otters, seals and orcas! Fantastic trip, would book again. read more

Did a two day trip. The guide was fantastic. with knowledge of plants, animals, geology and islands in the area. And the food was excellent, thoughtfully prepared and sensitive to peoples food allergies. It was an amazing experience and I highly recommend. Also of note is that the equipment was good quality and well maintained, with the kayaks being stable and relatively easy to steer with an added rudder. read more

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Evan and Jethro led our nighttime bioluminescent tour. What an awe-inspiring experience! Not only did Mother Nature provide a spectacular show, Evan and Jethtro were informative, kind, and patient. They did a great job explaining what we were seeing and keeping everyone safe. The provided jacket, pants, splash skirt, and life jacket kept us warm and dry. The tour runs efficiently and the length of time is perfect for experiencing the water light show, yet not so long that you are exhausted from paddling. I highly recommend this experience! read more

My wife and I went recently, and it was a great experience. Naomi was our guide, she was very professional and personable. The equipment was in great shape and the weather was beautiful. What a great trip...thank you Naomi and Discovery Sea Kayaks! Jim and Vickie read more

Their bikes are not throttle they are pedal assist only. Difficult on a hilly Island. Bike was sized WAY to small for me. My neck and shoulders were killing me after this ride. Roads are SUPER dangerous on San Juan Island, don't do it! Very few roads with shoulders and very narrow and busy. Lady who staffed the front desk was just barely friendly... Didn't love this experience at all... read more

I signed up for the Bioluminescence Kayak Tour with Discovery Sea Kayaks on a warm and clear Thursday night, and it was absolutely magical. I chose the Thursday night option because it was cheaper than the weekend, and I'm so glad I did. The experience was truly unforgettable. The night sky was incredible--there were several dark areas where you could see the brilliant night sky filled with stars, the Milky Way, and even several shooting stars. It was the perfect backdrop to an already amazing experience. The bioluminescence was stunning. The second we started paddling, we could already see glowing in the water. As we glided forward with our kayaks, the glowing trails left by our movements were mesmerizing. Although it was nearly impossible for me to capture the bioluminescence with my iPhone 13 mini, I did manage to get some great pictures of constellations. Brandon and Caleb were fantastic guides. They were fun to talk to, very attentive, and made sure everyone felt comfortable. Brandon also shared many jokes, which added to the fun atmosphere. They thoroughly explained how to use the kayak and paddle, and shared a lot of interesting information about the bioluminescence. What really stood out to me was how well-prepared Discovery Sea Kayaks was. They thought of everything! We were provided with waterproof pants, waterproof jackets, kayak spray skirts, and dry bags. It was around 60 degrees at Friday Harbor, and I found that a hoodie and sweats, combined with the waterproof gear, were enough to stay warm--but your mileage may vary. One tip: I'd recommend using the bathroom before showing up, as the bathroom at the beach is a porta-potty. Overall, I'd highly, highly recommend this tour. The combination of stunning night skies, fascinating bioluminescence, great guides, and some humor along the way made it an experience I'll never forget. read more

Oh gosh, what an amazing experience with Ellie and Ethan!! They were amazing guides that were so knowledgeable in kayaks and kayaking in the area we felt relaxed and at ease even though it was our first time ocean kayaking! Not only were they experts in kayaking but were also well versed in island history and other island information. We had the time of our lives and learned a ton along the way! Ellie was super chill and relaxed helping us to be more confident and at ease. When we got on the water we felt like it was our 10th time instead of our first! I highly recommend Discovery Sea Kayaking and will definitely be back again! Can't wait to do the night one! read more

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we have two guides for a small group of 6. Every 30 mins, guides would give us thorough explanation on the tour and sea knowledge, very entertaining and helpful. And the view is amazing read more

Had a wonderful time playing in the bioluminescence last night! Caleb was knowledgeable, helpful, and passionate about making sure we had a fun and comfortable trip. We had a very calm night and a small group of 6 -- plus the luminescence was OUTSTANDING! I noticed another group with a different company wasn't provided with the waterproof jacket, pants, and skirt that we had. I appreciated the gear, it kept me warm and dry all night! Would do this again in a heartbeat! read more

We had a fantastic outing at 10pm at night during twilight to see the bioluminescent algae/life in the water. To set expectations - this isn't phosphorescence that you'd see elsewhere. The bay was calm, the kayak ride (tandem - two people in a kayak) peaceful on a night with clear skies. There were two great guides Abby and Brandon for our group of 5 kayaks and 10 people, and they were so knowledgeable about the area and the biology. We got to see the Milky Way too. If it's a calm bay and a clear night between May and Sept - GO! You won't regret it. It's an out of the world feeling to be in this beautiful place looking up at the sky and seeing bioluminescence in the water as you row. read more

Discovery Sea Kayaks - Launch point for the kayaks - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Friday Harbor, Washington

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don't let your lack of kayaking experience stop you - don't let the late hours of the tour stop you - don't let a cloudy day stop you - (only the sun, the full moon and very inclement weather are spoilers) - Discovery Sea Kayak's bioluminescence tour will be a unexpected delight after quick lessons - you'll launch at sunset under the watchful eyes of two capable guides (in my case - Brandon & Kelly) - and before long - your little team will be gliding over the water in the gloom - lower your eyesight and watch your paddle as it cuts thru the water - you'll be able to see it as if an LED were shining on it - thanks to countless little one celled animals giving off a bright glow - you'll see streaks in the water - or flashes as you skim the paddle over the water's surface - and twinkling when you gaze down while the team gathers around during the two respites for easy lectures on the creatures it's been 3 days - and my mind can still revive the sensations from that night - in the dark - with the off-shore quiet - and rustling sounds of rowing - the surprising ease of rowing - and the calming sensation of floating on the water read more

Just finished the 3-day/2-night kayak trip around San Juan Island and surrounding Islands. This company, our guides Adam and Jeff are awesome! The experience was top-notch! The equipment was top of the line. The meals were spectacular (veggie and dairy-free options), fresh prepared at camp each night, lunches on the beach each day. We even had beer and wine each night! It is an adventure every day, not easy; but never too hard. Adam and Jeff always made sure we knew what we were about to experience and pointed out all the uniqueness of the water, the wildlife (we even saw Bigg's whales from a distance) and the island history. Thanks Jason, Kelly, Adam and Jeff! read more

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We had Brendon and Brandon as our guides on a sunset tour with bioluminescence. WOW! paddling around the island at midnight, with the flicker of glowing organisms was really cool! The guides were fun and knowledgeable, adding in a bit of info and trivia about what, why and how these organisms are the way they are. Id do it again, absolutely. read more

Our trip was late-season, to celebrate our 10-year anniversary. We vacationed in the San Juan Islands and the highlight was the 3-day kayak camping trip we took. Our guide, Ellie, was fantastic! We saw all sorts of critters, camped in the best site on Jones Island, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Cannot recommend more highly! read more

Discovery Sea Kayaks - Paddling up to Jones Island for our first night. Site #24 is to die for. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Friday Harbor, Washington

Honestly, I was really nervous to do a kayaking tour, especially at night and in the ocean. I have only ever kayaked in a lake and it's been several years. But Kelly and Elm were so supportive and so welcoming that I felt like even though I'm not the best kayaker, I still got the most out of the tour. They never made me feel bad for not knowing what to do or for falling behind the others. It was such a nice tour and I will always remember it. Thank you so much for such an amazing time! read more

We had a superb trip. It was well planned, safe and a wonderful experience. Discovery Kayaks clearly prioritize safety and planning ahead. Our guide, Jethro, was professional, well trained and fun. He was also a gourmet cook ... every meal was superb, starting with the eggs Benedict on the first morning! We could not have been more pleased. We will definitely return for the 5-day Kayak trip! read more

I cannot say enough good things about Discovery Sea Kayak, this was an experience we will never forget. We did the three day kayak tour, with our amazing guide Evie. From the very start she made us feel welcome and comfortable. We got geared up, packed up, and away. The next three days were perfection. There was a lot of delicious food that Evie had put a lot of thought into preparing for us, and simply unbeatable scenery and wildlife. I had done a lot of research to find a locally run and exceptionally well respected outfitter, and I wasn't disappointed. They exceeded every expectation. In addition to the kayak tour, we rented bikes from them the day before and explored the island on their expert guidance and advice. I'm sad to be writing this from home, rather than still exploring the islands with them. read more

After reading reviews for ALL of the different companies, we went with Discovery Sea Kayak and we couldn't have been more pleased. In fact, every time we saw another group with a different company, it reaffirmed our choice. Our equipment was nicer, our group was smaller, our food looked tastier, and our guide was more knowledgeable & professional. We loved our trip with guide Adam and definitely give the experience 5 out of 5 stars. His professionalism, experience, and knowledge really came through and the trip was exceptionally planned and executed. A fun bonus was how much we enjoyed the other couples on our trip. What fun to share stories around the campfire and enjoy our time as a group. We had an excellent trip & found Discovery to be a fantastic company to work with! read more

Emmett! Thank you so much to Discovery Sea Kayaks and especially Emmett. He was a wonderful guide, made sure we were comfortable with the equipment and felt safe before even entering the water. He is clearly so informed of the waters and the island and was so kind and giving of his expertise and time. We enjoyed our kayaking experience under his care and are so grateful for his recommendations of the island and his own invaluable history as a native. read more

Had an amazing kayak trip with Caleb. Very knowledgeable and a great guide. We did the full day kayak trip. We had the incredible experience of having an Orca come right by our kayaks. Discovery sea kayaks took great care of us! We are going back out tonight for the bio luminous kayak trip tonight... can't wait ! Well, we went out with Kelli and Anna for our second trip of the day. It was Magical! So cool how the water sparkled with your paddle strokes. They share their knowledge about how and why we could see it. It was amazing. Highly recommend it! read more

We have been traveling for 10 days and this was a highlight and a most unique experience in nature. Our guides Kelly and Willy were most helpful. Kelly was a wealth of knowledge when we were on the water. Suiting up, launch And retrieval were easy. The bio luminescence we saw in the water and the stars overhead on this moonless night were a lasting memory. It was most magical! I felt like a fairy with a magic wand as I ran my hand through the water and saw all the bursts of light spreading out. This is a must do excursion. Sorry to picks you add but it was impossible for me to photograph. Another wow opportunity on this trip that should be included is a little more info on the stars, planets and constellations. To have a take away picture would have been a wonderful addition as well. read more

Discovery Sea Kayaks - Suiting up for kayaking - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Friday Harbor, Washington

Rick was an amazing guide for our full day Kayak tour of the island. Extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Kelly was extremely communicative and was able to accommodate us with a reschedule due to weather. We're very happy with our kayak experience and we will definitely be coming back for any future kayak adventures. read more

Discovery Sea Kayaks - Kayaks - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Friday Harbor, Washington

Review is for the bioluminescence kayak tour. $125/person. Tl;dr just do it. COVID-19: Masks required when you check in at the store, ride in the van to the launch site, and receive kayaking instruction on the beach. You can take off our masks while you're in the water, then put them back on at the beach for the ride back to the store. Parking: Free street parking for 2 hours until 5 PM. Since we did a night tour, the time limit was no longer applicable. Our guides were Adam and Chad, and they were fantastic! You check in at their store and are given pants and a pullover jacket to wear over your clothes. I think our group was 10 people, so we took 2 vans to Jackson Beach Park. Kayaks were unloaded and then we received a splash guard and life jacket to put on. Dry bags were available if desired. We were given instructions on the beach and then into the water we went! Tandem kayaks were used. I suppose we would have gotten a glimpse of sunset in normal times, but the sky was smokey so bad luck there. It didn't matter once it got dark anyways. When it's dark enough, you start seeing sparkles in the water where your paddle moves the water. You only see it when you agitate the water, but it's still really cool. I tried taking pictures of it but my phone couldn't capture the magic. We were taken around different spots to play around, and the kayaking was done at a very relaxing pace. Tour page and confirmation email recommends a headlamp for when you're back on the beach, but we didn't bring one or find one was needed. The lights our tour guides had were sufficient. After the tour was over, we returned our gear and were driven back to the office. read more

Discovery Sea Kayaks - 9.16.20 - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Friday Harbor, Washington

1. This place was somewhat discriminating. There are five pairs in my group, and each has one male and one female. I'm the only Chinese female in the group. I got paired up with another person who also came out by himself. All of the four groups has put female at front and male at back. But for me, the white male guide specifically demanded my partner (also white male) to be sitting at front. Interesting thing is, he didn't force any seat arrangement for others. My partner was two heads taller than me, and physically much bigger. I've kayaked before and never had I seen the stronger bigger person to sit at front. It's more physically demanding at the back therefore mostly you would put the heavier person at the back. I've voiced it twice that I like to sit at the front. But the guide didn't let us switch. I also questioned the guide that why all other women were okay to choose where they wanted to sit and all of them were sitting at the front, but the guide only asking me to sit at the back. Although he explained that because my partner was too tall to sit at the back. However, when I was actually on the water, I had to step on the foot paddle by leaning all the way back to reach and push. That's when I really questioned his reason. Before we settle, I asked letting my partner to test that if he could fit in the back, and we can switch if he couldn't fit. But because the tour guide strongly insisted his way, so we didn't try it out. He didn't let us test either. Not only have I never seen any place to make this type of arrangement, nor have I seen them putting other women at the back because their partner are taller. I'm fairly petite among all the women in my group, and my partner was at similar height ( slightly more) than the men in my group. I came back and searched all of the website and I found no where mentioning that the back seat is smaller than the front. It's actually the opposite!!!!! It requires much more strength and experience to be at the back. And to put more weight in the back usually 2 person kayak is designed with more space at the back. That matched how I feel when paddling. I was so tired in the middle of the trip, and the tour guide and my partner just urged me to paddle harder and faster because we were "behind". I'm not paying a trip to here to race and just trying to be the first in line. I'm here to see the bioluminescence. I'm so pissed and tired at the end of the trip. 2. The whole experience of bioluminescence was nice and but 80% of the time was in conversation with education on the bioluminescence, and the other 20% was being rushed to paddle faster the tour didn't give out much time to let people enjoy and play the water to see the bioluminescence. And if you paddle or play with the water, it'd be too loud to hear the guide. So everyone was just sitting and listening. That's not how I think you can make the best of the bioluminescence kayak experience read more

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My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed a half day tour of San Juan's west side with Rick. This was our first time sea kayaking and it did not disappoint! Rick gave us the full 101 on our gear and kayaks, but the best part was his knowledge of San Juan's ecosystem and the island's history. Rick's passion for kayaking and island living made what would've been an ordinary excursion an exceptional experience. If you're looking to book a kayak tour on San Juan, I would highly recommend Discovery Sea Kayaks - their guides are top notch who are invested in providing their guests with a personalized experience. Thanks Rick for an awesome day on the water! Cheers Kristin & Sean. read more

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The bioluminescence kayaking is just amazing. Make sure you get a late night spot. The stargazing and the bioluminescence makes a perfect combo. The instructors are so friendly and kind. It's an amazing experience and I will definitely be coming back. read more

I signed up for a 1/2 day kayak trip. The guide was very professional and knowledgeable. I have kayaked before but others in our group was their first time. They were given lots of information and gave them 100% comfort to go out. I highly recommend this group as a 1st timer or better! read more

Loved the experience. One of the most magical experiences I've ever had. As we started kayaking, our guide started saying, you should be seeing the bioluminiscence and we were thinking is he high or so since we didn't think there was anything. But when we looked closely we realized that there was actually something. Then as it became darker, it was just mesmerizing. We didn't want to go back but unfortunately had to. It was super tough to get a shot due to the kayak shaking and low light. This was the best I could get. The photo doesn't even come close to how it actually looks but gives a glimpse. read more

Discovery Sea Kayaks - Bioluminiscence at San Juan Islands - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Friday Harbor, Washington

I really want to rate these guys better because the experience of seeing the bioluminescence was truly incredible. However, the tour was executed somewhat poorly and I can't overlook some of the mistakes and frustrations we had during the experience. I should note, my husband an I kayak somewhat often- but we weren't too concerned about this trip because it was described as a leisurely, discovery experience. When we arrived, our group was made up of younger and older people, some who clearly had more and some who had less experience kayaking. Given this, we understood there should be a safety demo, especially since we were wearing spray skirts and you need to be careful to understand how to get it off in case you find yourself underwater. The double kayaks we took were quite sturdy, and I could see the odds of flipping were quite slim- however, given that some people on the tour hadn't kayaked much or possibly not used a spray skirt, when they quickly went over how to take it on and off without actually making sure everyone demoed it themselves, I was quite surprised. Multiple people had their spray skirts in such a position that if they needed to get out of it quickly, they would not be able to actually grab the pull. Again, the odds of needing to this were slim, but I was pretty surprised and disappointed that there wasn't more explained about this. The bigger frustration we felt was this constant feeling of being rushed. This tour was supposed to be leisurely and fun- once we started seeing sparkles in the water we wanted to pause and enjoy the experience- instead we found ourselves rushing behind our guides so we didn't get lost in the dark. I saw some of the older people really struggling to keep up, and my husband and I were just frustrated that we didn't get time to just enjoy. I was genuinely concerned about getting left behind as we tried to enjoy the tour at a leisurely pace. I would still recommend this tour to friends because it was truly special- and these guys go out late enough that you really get time to see things (it really does need to be super dark and you won't see things until after 11:30pm-12am) but I sincerely wish they would slow down things a bit and make it as leisurely and calm as they say it will be. read more

What an amazing experience! We have gone kayaking multiple times, but never at night, and we had never seen the bioluminescence in the water, at least not like this before. So beautiful and cool! Our guides, Brendan and Emmet were wonderful, patient, and very helpful. We would definitely recommend this experience with Discovery Sea Kayaks to others. read more

Had an amazing time kayaking off the west side of SJ Island. The guide was knowledgeable, funny, and well versed in safe operations. We would definitely recommend Discovery Sea Kayaks to anyone looking to do this while visiting Friday Harbor or Roche Harbor. read more

We met at the shop at 8pm - waterproof pants and a top were provided by the company (Discovery Sea Kayaks). We were able to ride with the company to the beach and then we received a training on how to properly use the kayak as well as the provided gear (waterproof bag, life vest, kayak, paddles, and other kayaking gear). Once we were on the water we paddled out and we were given information about the surrounding islands as well as the wildlife. There was a harbor seal that followed us for the first 30 minutes of the excursion, popping it's head out of the water to observe us. We were also able to see a bald eagle, grey heron, as well as a seal pup. We were able to watch the sunset as we paddled out further. Our guides not only taught us a lot about the surrounding area but they also dedicated most of the trip to finding areas where we would be able to see the bioluminescence- marine dinoflagellates. We were able to be on the water for almost 4 hours, which is much longer than comparable tours in the surrounding area. It was a magical experience that I highly recommend to anyone. My fiancé and I will cherish this memory for years to come! read more

Discovery Sea Kayaks - Bioluminescence San Juan Kayaking Tour - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Friday Harbor, Washington

This was a really fun adventure. My wife and I are on our Honeymoon. We had a blast. I have done some kayaking on the ocean before, but nothing like this! Very impressed. Avery was our guild. He was so much fun. Gave a lot of information, about wildlife as well as currents, and the area. read more

Discovery Sea Kayaks - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Friday Harbor, Washington

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We went on one of the half day tours. Our guide, Rick, was awesome. He was so informative and did a great job leading us and pointing out wildlife. read more

Illuminating experience! My husband and I enjoyed every minute. We had a small group (4 kayaks with 2 people each), most of whom were couples. After a fast checkin, we hopped in a bus for a short 5-min ride to the private entry to the beach. There was only one other group brought by another company and they went to a different direction so we didn't interfere at all. The guides were very accommodating and tried to balance educational aspects with the kayaki experience so we don't get too tired or cold. Overall, this was a 3-hr activity with about 2-hr on the water. Imagine pitch darkness, starry sky and surrounding sparkling water. This is something truly different. read more

Our guide Avery was AWESOME!!! The bioluminescence tour was truly a once and a lifetime experience. You can't photograph it unless you have a very expensive camera, but take it in. We loved the trip and so thankful for them working with our schedule. read more

Discovery Sea Kayaks - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Friday Harbor, Washington

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Kayaking with this team was a wonderful experience. The training each tour leader goes through ensures everyone will have a safe & fun experince. This isn't your normal camping experince either. Everything is taken care of for you making this a fun experince for everyone. The waters of the San Juan Islands may seem like there isn't much there, kayaking through them gives you a chance to peek beneath the surface. Where you will find seals gliding through the water, Star fish clinging to the rocks, groups of fish dart back & forth, porpoises blowing water & if you are really lucky a whale or two. I highly recommend this tour group for any of your travel needs while visiting the San Juan Islands. read more

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A beautiful day exploring! Group size was perfect, weather was pristine and we had an awesome half-day on the water with 3 other couples and our fab guide, Carly. Thank you so much for a fun experience kayaking around the islands today! read more