Baja Sea Kayak Expedition

• What: Skiff-supported circumnavigation of Espiritu Santo Island.
• Where: Sea of Cortez near La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Trip Includes:

All accommodations in Baja including hotel stays based upon double occupancy, all meals and beverages (including cold fruit juices, soda, beer and "happy hour" drinks) at camp and farewell dinner on final night, all transfers , trip equipment including tents, kayaks, paddling instruction, hikes, leaders, guides and cooks.

Not Included:

Airfare, meals on fly days, gratuities, single supplement for hotel and/or tent, sleeping bags and pads, snorkeling equipment. If you book as a single person, but are willing to share we will try to find you a room mate of the same sex, but if we can not the single supplement fee will apply.

Qualifications:

WOW expeditions are designed to be fun, active, adventuresome and educational. If you enjoy the outdoors, have a sense of adventure and are fairly fit you should have no problem participating in this expedition, even if you have never kayaked or camped. Due to the nature of the currents, winds and waves, kayaking certain areas around the islands may become difficult and strenuous. In this case, the skiff support team is always there to help. For best results, please come with an open mind and open heart.

Kayak Equipment:

The fleet of kayaks is comprised of approximately 2/3 double kayaks and 1/3 single kayaks. Most are made by SEDA products of fiber glass construction and ALL are equipped with rudders. We do have a few rotomolded or plastic boats in our fleet for variety in seat construction as some of our guests find the plastic boat seats more comfortable. Based upon your experience, size and group composition our guide will help determine what kayak you will paddle, double or single, fiberglass or plastic. As well we encourage the group to rotate kayak seats so everyone has a chance to paddle to their desire. If you are particularly tall (over 6'2") or large (over 200 pounds) please let us know well in advance as we may have to arrange a special kayak to be brought to camp. Light weight Swift and Nimbus paddles, PFD's (Personal flotation device otherwise known as a lifejacket), nylon spray skirts, paddle floats and bilge pumps are all provided on the expedition.

Camping:

We camp on gravel and sand beaches around the Espiritu Santo Island chain. Quality 3 person tents are provided for double occupancy, but it is not necessary to sleep in a tent and you may choose to sleep out under the starry night sky. A large dome tent is set up by our staff and used for cooking. A shade tarp is also set up for taking breaks from the noon day sun. Cooking is performed by our local staff, yet you are welcome to lend a hand at any time. It's a great way to practice your Spanish! Special diets are not a problem as we are stocked with copious amounts of all types of foods. Bathing is available daily in the sea using a biodegradable soap that lathers in salt water (Dr. Bronners does NOT lather in salt water. Campsuds, Joy or Dawn work well and are biodegradable). Fresh water will be available for a quick rinse from a sun shower to complete the process. The toilet is a porta-potty system. It is basically a small self-contained toilet basin that even uses water to flush. It is placed in a secluded spot at each camp and is available from the time you arrive until you depart.

Fishing:

If you want to fish, please come prepared with your own lures. Small minnow-type lures are suggested such as a Rebel jointed Fastrac or mid size Rapala Magnums (4.5 to 5 inches or 9-12cm in length). Suggested colors include: blue/silver, black/silver, black/gold, green mackerel/gold or blue mackerel/silver. Our guides will provide the rod and reel. Fishing is done by trolling behind a motorized skiff (two rods at a time) from one to two hours before breakfast on certain mornings or from your kayak.

Personal Gear and Rentals:

Sleeping bags with pads and snorkeling equipment may be rented in Baja. Costs per trip are: Sleeping bag with pad $20 / Sleeping bag or pad separately $15 / Snorkel gear $15 / mask, snorkel or fins separately $10 / wetsuit $15 / Wetsuits are highly recommended for trips in November through May. Please make sure to reserve all equipment rentals on your trip application form. After arriving in La Paz, we will size you at the local outfitter's office. Dry bags are not necessary on skiff supported trips, as your bags will be transported by skiff from camp to camp, not in the kayaks. We do suggest bringing a small dry bag to keep personal items such as a camera or dry clothes from getting wet when kayaking or riding in the skiffs. Kayak seat pads are highly recommended. If you are vertically challenged (under 5'3" tall) we recommend you bring a seat pad that adds a couple inches of height while sitting in the kayak seat as our shorter clients have exclaimed how much comfort this adds to their paddling experience. You may also want to bring along a pair of paddling gloves to prevent getting blisters.

Weather:

Winter (Dec, Jan & Feb) tend to be cooler with more chance of wind and some chance of rain, water temperatures are in the mid 60's and daytime highs from the 60's to 80's. Daytime highs may be in the 70's but with the wind may feel more like the 50's.

Gratuity Guideline:

Many people ask, "should I tip the guides and how much?" Tipping is voluntary and any amount you leave is greatly appreciated! If you would like to leave your guides a generous tip showing appreciation for an excellent job, 10% of the trip cost is standard in the adventure travel industry. Gratuities are pooled and distributed among your trip guides and staff evenly. If you do choose to leave a tip, please leave cash only. No traveler's checks, personal checks or credit cards can be accepted.

La Paz Money Situation:

La Paz is a large cosmopolitan city (200,000 population) and has many ATM machines. Often you have the choice of receiving money in US dollars or pesos. Keep in mind that accessing these machines can be a hassle and they do not always work. Some businesses accept credit cards and travelers checks but you'll be surprised how many do NOT even in La Paz. US dollars are accepted at most establishments so it is not necessary to change your dollars into pesos before you arrive. We recommend bringing plenty of cash and in small bills such as 1's, 5's, 10's and 20's to use for rentals, restaurants, tipping and other incidentals.

Insects:

Due to the dry desert nature of Baja, and most of the beaches we camp on, it does not tend to be buggy; although, certain years can provide sufficient precipitation to support mosquitoes, gnats and no-see-ums. It is a good idea to bring some form of insect repellent along, just in case.

A Special Request:

If you have any old clothes or shoes you'd like to donate, please bring them along and they will be distributed to local fishing villages. Warm type clothes like rain jackets and fleece are especially appreciated by the fisherman as well as T-shirts, pants, and shoes (sneakers, Tevas or hiking boots, all sizes). Kids clothes and shoes are also needed. Muchas Gracias!