Adventure High Sea Kayaking is gearing up for an exciting and busy summer on Grand Manan Island.  The spring has brought warm and fair weather conditions, letting us get out on a few paddles to explore new regions of the Bay and Fundy and the Island of Grand Manan, including paddling out to the Wolves Islands from Beaver Harbour near Black’s Harbour, as well as exploring the outside of White Head Island.  We spent the winter paddling in the cold Southern Ocean surrounding the continent of Antarctica so it was a nice treat to get back out on the Bay of Fundy in warm conditions.

PADDLE CANADA (PC) CERTIFICATION

Adventure High Sea Kayaking will be expanding into educational Sea Kayaking throughout the 2016 summer season.  We have developed a lesson program being offered in conjunction with Paddle Canada certification programs.  The Paddle Canada SK Level 1 certification will be run over four distinct lessons, allowing the student to take one or a few of the lessons in which they feel they want instruction, improvement or development or taking all four lessons in order to obtain a Paddle Canada certificate.

Lesson 1: Sea Kayaking Basics – July 4 and August 1 (Mornings – 4 hours) $70.00+HST

Lesson 2: Intro to Capsize and Recovery – July 4 and August 1 (Afternoons – 4 hours) $70.00+HST

Lesson 3: Balancing, Bracing and Edging – July 5 and August 2 (Mornings – 4 hours) $70.00+HST

Lesson 4: Solo Paddling – July 5 and August 2 (Afternoons – 4 hours) $70.00+HST

Lesson 1-2 Package: PC Intro to Sea Kayaking – July 4 and August 1 (Full Day) $125.00+HST

Lesson 1-4: PC Sea Kayaking Level 1 Skills – July 4-5, August 1-2 (2 Day Course) $250.00+HST

FUNDY ISLES PADDLING GETAWAY

We are also proud to be hosting the “Fundy Isles Paddling Getaway” – Let’s get together, practice and have fun at New Brunswick’s Sea Kayaking Getaway.  Then we’ll go to the best, chillest folk festival in New Brunswick – Summer’s End Folk Festival.  This getaway is meant to be fun and active, develop and improve basic paddling strokes and maneuvers and promote safe paddling decisions.

Visit fundyislespaddling.com

for details and to register for this fun and active weekend.  All ages and abilities.

AUGUST 19th, 20th, 21st, 2016

Our goal in developing the education programs is to promote awareness, enthusiasm and continuous development of sea kayaking throughout New Brunswick so more New Brunswickers can enjoy this beautiful sport in a safe and smart way in partnership with Canoe Kayak New Brunswick.

NAVIGATION WORKSHOP

Every summer we notice more and more sea kayaks on the top of cars that drive off the Grand Manan Ferry (www.coastaltransport.ca).  This makes our hearts happy to see more and more people/paddlers getting involved in the sport.  We would like to make your journey exploring the coasts and islands of Grand Manan via a kayak more enjoyable and safe by offering an hour long navigation workshop.

Give us a call or email to let us know when you will be arriving and make an appointment or find our brochure on the ferry and call on your way over. 

Sit down with us in our comfortable kayak shop and learn about basic fundamental navigation skills, tools used and specific routes, places of interest and dangers of Grand Manan.  Leave our shop feeling confident about your exploration journey.

Remember we offer a 10% discount for those who have their own gear.

CLASSIC DAY TRIPS

As always, we offer our three classic and traditional day trips each day.

Island Hopper full day Tour 6 hour – Daily Departures: 9:00am $110.00+HST

Explorer half day Tour 3 hour – Daily Departues: 9:00am and 1:00pm $60.00+HST

Adventure evening Tour 2 hour – Daily Departures: 6:00pm $45.00+HST

Let us know if you have been with us before, unless we recognize you, and we will try to kayak in a different location than last time.  Grand manan offers a wide range of routes but remember it’s the ocean and mother nature that tells us where we can paddle.

 

THE WOLVES ARCHIPELAGO

We have developed a new full day trip for this exciting 2016 summer season partnering with Top of the Island Boat Tours.   Adventure High and Top of the Island will depart Grand Manan with kayaks, lunch and a sense of adventure in the morning and be taken across the bay of Fundy and dropped off at The Wolves.  We will then explore these remote islands for the majority of the day then be picked up and returned to Grand Manan Island in time for dinner.  A lunch will be provided and snacks for this exciting, epic and new adventure.

The Wolves are a group of small rocky islands located in the Bay of Fundy, approximately 25 km north of Grand Manan. Eastern Wolf Island is the largest, with Green Rock, Spruce Island, Flat Wolf Island and Southern Wolf Island all being less than 75 ha in area. The shorelines are mostly rocky with a large intertidal zone. A few small coves are also present. The vegetation is mostly characterized by boreal species such as spruce, balsam fir, and poplars. In more exposed areas, raspberry bushes prevail, with grass, and stunted shrubs/trees also being present.

 

MULTI DAY

Over the years Adventure High has explored every inch of this island with this combined experience we know where all the hidden gems are.  We have many options of multi day trips that we can offer depending on what you are looking to get out of your adventure.  We can make it of epic proportions or a relaxed low key vacation.  One adventure lets you start and finish the trip staying at our comfortable heritage inn The Compass Rose.  Take a look at the various options we have, choose which expedition you would like to do, gather a group of friends and family and let us plan your exclusive, all inclusive trip during the below dates:

July 18th – July 24th

August 5th – August 7th

August 29th – September 4th

NOTE: We are flexible with these dates, need to leave a few days before or are able to come back a few days later.  Not a problem we can make time for you!

Have an idea or a place you have always wanted to paddle but do not have the expertise or gear to do so, well we do!   Let us know where this dream paddling location is whether it is near or far and we will organize the trip and let you capture those epic photos for social media.

FULL MOON PADDLES

Been with us before?  Ever want to paddle in the dark?  Looking for something new?

Ask us to bring you out for a paddle during a full moon.  Become one with the water as you gently paddle in the calming full moon darkness.  Enjoy the thrill of paddling into the unknown and the silence that greets you with every stroke as you patiently listen for the sound of a near by whale coming up for a blow in the distant or the curious seals wondering what we are doing.

If you are on the island a few days before, after or on the below dates, stop in, call, or email to let us know you want to paddle in the dark.

June 20

July 19

August 18

September 16

Hello fellow paddlers,

We here at Adventure High Sea Kayaking hope you are all enjoying your New Year and are having a wonderful winter.  It seems it is getting a bit colder up there in the north.  We say this because both Kevin and Ryan have been down south in Antarctica since November.  We actually did have the chance to come back home for Christmas and New Year’s but have recently flown back down south to the white continent just as the temperatures began to drop.   Kevin spent the month of January exploring South Georgia by kayak and Ryan is also back exploring Antarctica by Kayak.  This was the first time Kevin and Ryan have worked together in the past four seasons in Antarctica.  Working on the Ocean Endeavour, Quark’s newest ship, was a successful challenge and of course many good times were had. 

We do miss our family and friends but are excited about being back down south.  We are also extremely excited about the up coming 2016 summer on Grand Manan Island as we are developing many new programs designed around skill development, adventure and creating passion for the sport for all ages and skill levels.  Epic multi-day trips locally, to remote islands and out of province, skill development programs, a kayak festival run in collaboration with Summer’s End Music Festival, CKNB guide training, and much much more!!!

Please stay tuned to hear more about these exciting new programs.

I am now back from Antarctica, where the adventures were amazing.  Wish you could all be there, as there are not the words to describe what an incredible place it is.   The scenery is awe-inspiring and as beautiful as the pictures are, it doesn’t even begin to capture the beauty of it all.  I’ve heard you all had quite the winter here in Canada and USA, and believe it or not it was colder here than Antarctica, as it is their summer when I am there.  Will be posting a few pictures for you to enjoy and maybe get you thinking about taking a trip of a lifetime down there!  Would love to take you kayaking around the iceburgs and whales.

What’s new at Adventure High?  Quite a bit actually, as many already know we purchased the Compass Rose Heritage Inn on December 31, 2013 – the day I left for Antarctica.  This week was the first time I have had the opportunity to walk through the property as the owner!  Really excited for the 2014 season and all the new things we have planned.  At the Compass Rose we are planning to build a deck on the back of the dining room, overlooking the harbor, which will give guests another place to relax and enjoy the view.  We will be doing more landscaping on the water side of the property to give an even better view of the water.  There are lots of plans in the works, but timing is everything, so will do as much as we can before the summer and then look at doing more in the fall.  One thing we will be doing soon is upgrading the parking area, giving more spaces for our guests and the dining room.
This summer we will have the dining room open 7 nights a week.  Last year we only opened 3 nights a week, but from the feedback that we received it looks like it was a success, so we are going all out.  We offer a lobster dinner that was very popular.  From one guest who travels all over the province, declared it was the best she ever had!!

Easter weekend will be our official opening date for room rentals, so looking forward to another great season and meeting lots of new folks and hopefully returning guests.  We met so many wonderful people last year and know that we will meet many more.

Our cabins, Nature’s Window and Post Office are now open and ready for the season.  Its great that we now have accommodations to meet everyone’s needs.  Whether it be a private retreat in the woods, a cabin for families or B&B for shorter stays.

We still offer all our day trips for kayaking, along with multi-day kayaking trips.  Our newest addition is the “Grand Manan Experience”.  This is a four night trip, which is the first and last night staying at the Compass Rose, including dinner.  Nights two and three are spent camping on one of the outer islands and 3 days kayaking.  This is a combination of luxury and camping at its finest.

Adventure High is also partnering with Outward Bound and have several trips scheduled to run this summer.  I love how the company is growing and the direction it is going.  Several of the programs we are working on in conjunction with Outward Bound revolve around children – celebrating life and overcoming obstacles.  Very excited and proud to be involved in such noble pursuits!

We have just incorporated a new reservation system, which allows you to book either kayaking or accommodations on-line if you wish.  However, you can still call or email us and reserve that way as well.  Please give us your feedback on the reservation system, as well as our website.  We are always looking for ways to improve and to do that we need your input!

The summer paddling season is here!

The 2012-2013 Antarctic season has come and gone, with many good times had on ice. Kevin returned once again to share his love for paddling the southern ocean. Ryan also traveled to Antarctica this past winter to guide sea kayak trips off the fly-in cruise packages. You didn’t even need to brave the Drake Passage to join him for some of the most fantastic kayaking around. We also had the opportunity to work with a new wellness guide down south, and recruit her as an assistant kayaking guide for the summer season on Grand-Manan. It wasn’t too difficult to convince Sarah to take a break from the summer heat of her home, Montreal. Sarah came for a canoe trip around the islands of Grand-Manan on her vacation last year, so she was eager to come back for more Fundy fun.

The 2013 summer season has been building steadily. When we’ve been really busy with kayak trips, we’ve been lucky to be able to depend on Susan and Linda’s brother Perry for an extra hand. Their knowledge and enthusiasm is always a treat to have along for the trip. Mark our long-time guide, has also been back this summer help out. You always learn something new paddling with Mark, who’s been with us for 20 Years now!

Our newest venture has been running the Compass Rose Heritage Inn, which has kept us very, very, very busy! Linda has been serving delicious continental breakfasts to guests every morning in the beautiful dinning room. You don’t have to stay at the Compass Rose to enjoy a meal with fabulous ocean views either. We’re serving fresh lobster dinners every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, at 5:30 and 7:30. Dinner begins with a homemade soup, and the lobster comes with three sides – so make sure you bring your appetite! Linda is enjoying serving, and her son is wowing customers with his excellent waitering.

We still have availability at Nature’s Window and the Post-Office this summer, if you’re interested in cabin rentals.  The stunning views of the western cliffs, and Seal Cove from each of the cottages respectively continue to keep our guests endlessly entertained. Of course there are entertainment systems in each unit, but the Bay of Fundy is pretty hard to beat.

 

It is now October 2012 and looking back it’s been a whirlwind of a year.  First part of the year (Jan-March), you could find me kayaking in the Southern Ocean.  I have been very blessed to have the opportunity to paddle in two of the most spectacular places on earth – Antarctica and Grand Manan.

 

The spring kept us busy getting things ready for the 2012 kayak season.  The biggest thing we needed to do was hire a new guide.  Fred, who was with us for four years, decided to take the summer off.  This was a decision he did not take lightly, as he and his family love Grand Manan, but due to family obligations felt it best they stay in Ontario.

 

Fred left a big void and we were concerned about finding someone who could step in and fill it.  Fortunately, we found Ryan (or he found us) and he has done a fantastic job.  While we definitely miss Fred and his wicked sense of humor, the business didn’t suffer.  Ryan proved himself to be a great guide/leader and everyone who went on one of his tours have commented positively about him.

Mark Mykytyn was also back for the summer and it was, as always, great having him around; if for no other reason than to have him cook!  His restaurant experience was put to good use, both on the multi-day trips and at home.  We had a record number of multi-day trips this year and that was Mark’s domain.  Everyone enjoys Mark’s chef skills on these trips.

Along with the multi-day trips we had our day trips.  It proved to be a great season when we had to reschedule people due to full trips – a positive problem!  We had excellent kayaking weather this summer and I’m sure that also contributed to our success.

Linda’s brother, Perry, pitched in and helped as an assistant guide and he did a great job.  Everyone was kept extremely busy and the summer seemed to fly by.  Elliot and Susan were both back this summer and helping out whenever schedules allowed.  Elliot shines when we have the Rhode Scholar groups and they all love having him as a guide, especially since he has so much local knowledge to share with them.  Susan also helped out as an assistant guide and her love of the island and paddling is contagious!

Along with the kayaking, we did lots of maintenance, renovation and repair work on both the cabins and the kayak shop.  Ryan especially is looking at this winter as a chance to relax.

We haven’t sat down to figure out exact numbers yet, but we think it’s been a the best summer we’ve had in recent years.  That being the case, shouldn’t we have more money than what we have??!!  Maybe because we spend it as fast as we make it??

 

The cabins also did well this year.  July and August were both full and while we had some vacancies in September, we were pleased with our bookings.  Just to let you know for future reference, some of our best weather is in September (if you’re planning a vacaton for next year).

If we weren’t busy enough, we decided to upgrade and update our website – which has turned into a full-time job!  We’ve added Facebook and Twitter to our website, figured we may as well tap into the social networking scene.  Also on Facebook we have our Adventure High Cabins and Adventure High Sea Kayaking pages.  Feel free to check it out and “like” us, as we are always looking for more friends.  We want to expand and build our friend list, so please send it along to your friends – it is all really appreciated.

You can click here to like Adventure High Cabins and click here to like Adventure High Sea Kayaking.

 

We’re also adding more pictures to our picture gallery, so if you have any pictures or comments you’d like to share of your adventures with us, please send them along and we will add them for all to see.

The last week of October, which is quickly approaching, will have me heading back to Antarctica for another season of kayaking.  I will be blogging about my experiences there and adding pictures, so check out our new blog page.

Just on a side note, all of the pictures on this site are protected by copyright.  If there is a picture that appeals to you, please ask as I am sure we can work something out.  The picture of the penguin sliding down the hill has been stolen a number of times and use on other sites, as well as calanders!

The 2012 season has sadly come to an end.  It was a successful one and had lots of great adventures.  We are now in the process of madly cleaning up and getting geared stored away for the winter months.  While in the middle of it all Kevin is getting ready for another epic adventure to Antarctica, with another season of great kayaking in store for him.  Keep checking back as he will be adding pictures and stories of his adventures down south.  While kayaking here on Grand Manan has finished for this year, we still have cabin rentals available for you to enjoy during the beautiful fall weather.

 

We would love to hear from you about your experiences with Adventure High, so please drop us a line so we can share your stories and pictures with everyone.  We are in the process of developing a picture album that will include all the great pics that you’ve taken with us, so send them along.

We’d like to thank everyone for making this one of our best seasons in recent memory and look forward to seeing you next season.  Have a great fall and hope you have many more adventures!!

PS  If you’re looking for an amazing experience you should join Kevin kayaking in Antarctica – home of the penguins!!