Most brides don’t think of adventure recreation when planning their big day, but my good friend loves the outdoors and a biking, hiking, kayaking Bachelorette Party was the perfect fit for her!
We hit up the sunshine coast and had a variety of activities planned over the weekend. One of my favorite activities was kayaking with Pedals and Paddles.
Pedals and Paddles is located in Sechelt Inlet – “A Paddles Paradise.” We booked a three hour tour with a group of single and double kayakers. Laurie, the owner for over 23 years greeted us and after a quick introduction to our equipment and our kayaks we were off on the water.
We were excited to see “Buddy One,” one of the three seals who are native to the area. Then we toured around the harbour checking out all the beautiful houses and learning how to steer our kayak. We then headed north through the five islands and up towards the marine park.
Laurie warned me that “The scenery and wildlife are amazing” and she was absolutely right. Going through the small five islands we quickly saw a wide variety of birds, most of which I hadn’t seen before. We even saw an eagle land in its nest with food to feed its babies! While we didn’t see them, Laurie also told us about how they share their property with dear and bears!
“Last year we offered a yoga and kayak package and planned on doing the yoga portion first in a lovely treed and shady area above the water, and when the group arrived with their mats they were greeted by a grunt from sleepy Mama Bear and her 2 cubs. They claimed the area first so we (quickly) found another spot for yoga. I’m pretty sure that was the same bear that helped herself to a batch of home-made cookies I had left in the shop for afterwards.” Said Laurie.
We were out kayaking for about an hour, winding in between islands and inlets when we arrived at the marine park. The sun was warm and it was a beautiful spot to regroup with our friends and take a few photos of the ocean, forests and beach.
After our break we did a bit more touring around and then decided to head back. The weather was beginning to turn a bit. Fortunately we had taken Laurie’s advice, “Our saying is there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” So we were well dressed, but ready to head back to shore!
Travelling in a tandem kayak meant that we were back on shore before our friends, and that paddling was probably a bit easier with two people working on it then one!
It was an awesome girl’s trip and I can’t wait to go back there with my kids! And Laurie was right, Sechelt Inlet really was “A Paddles Paradise!” Check out our You Tube Video of the whole experience:
Things I learned:
– They have kayaks that can fit three and four people (With two of them being little people) Family kayaking here we come!
– They have a new kayak with a see through bottom! That would be a neat way to check out starfish, sea life and maybe even a seal!
– Wear a hat and gloves… and the appropriate clothing. It made the experience a whole lot more comfortable.
– I love the ocean. While this isn’t news to me I’m always reminded of my passion for the sea every time I’m close to it.
If you’re interested in booking a kayaking tour check out www.pedalspaddles.com or call 1-866-885-6440, They offer Kayak, SUP, Zodiac tours and rentals. Their owners are amazing ambassadors who clearly love what they do!
