Valdez, AK Sea Kayak Rentals & Instruction

Please keep in mind the following important points:

-The kayaks are plastic, and do not have a ton of storage space, so you’ll want to pack light!

-We clean our kayaks daily after use, and we expect them to return clean after a rental. There is a hose on the dock you will need to use to spray the inside and outside of the kayaks, and a bilge pump and sponge inside each kayak to clean out excess water and debris. We will charge $20 per kayak that is returned dirty.

-We do also ask that you avoid dragging our kayaks onto the beaches, where rocks and barnacles can shave plastic from the hull of the kayak. The kayaks should be picked up and carried with two people. And then if you could make sure to carry the kayaks up higher than the high tide line on the beach, and tie it off to something that won’t float away, while making sure the paddles are secured under the bungees or in the cockpit, that will ensure they don’t take off in the night (sadly we learned all these lessons the hard way!).

-Please do not let any moisture get into the radio/flare kit bags, and please do not turn on the radio unit without first screwing in the antennae. 

-Paddling in the Port is best done in the mornings. A windy afternoon in the Port of Valdez can get treacherous for a kayaker. Ideally, you’re out of Port Valdez by no later than 2pm. You can usually count on the trip to take about 6 hours, one way. Just make sure you don’t get a late start.

-You won’t be able to paddle from the lower bay into the upper bay (where the Kittiwake Cabin is located) or vice versa until there’s about an 8 foot tide. There is otherwise too great of a current flowing from the upper bay into the lower bay for you to paddle against (even when the tide is incoming!). Once the tide gets to 9.5+ feet, it becomes easy to paddle from the lower bay into the upper bay, and at that point, the current will actually carry you into the upper bay. One can usually get from the upper bay to the lower bay without issue at any tide lower than 9.5ft.

-lastly, please don’t forget about our 48 hour cancellation policy.

Kayak Rental Package Includes:

• Fully outfitted kayak
• 1 paddle per person
• 1 spray skirt per person
• 1 life jacket per person
• 1 paddle float per kayak
• 1 pump per kayak
• 1 extra paddle per group
• 1 sponge per kayak
• 1 dry bag per person

Sea Kayak Rental Requirements:

SELF RESCUE … Renters must be able to demonstrate, on land, the proper techniques for a self rescue. If you cannot demonstrate a self rescue properly you will be required to take a lesson in which you’ll need to prove you can be safe on the water. This is for your safety and required by our insurance.

Self Rescue Lessons: Available for $50 per person (read more below)