ABOUT MY COMPANY

San Juan Kayak Expeditions, now in its 28th season, is a small, ecology-minded, owner-operated, owner-guided, one-of-a-kind kayak touring company which makes its home in the San Juan Islands.

-It is a company whose owner guides each trip!

-It is an outfitter that offers a most exciting addition to the sport - sea kayak sailing!

-It is an outfitter whose guide has led over 400 multi-day trips in the San Juan Islands and has paddled more miles here than anyone on the planet!

-It is the only company around that specializes in multi-day sea kayaking expeditions and is not in the three-hour-tour business!

 "I have come to love and respect the awesome beauty of this small corner of the world. My enthusiasm for these islands has allowed me to share them with you!"


             PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IS NOT NECESSARY!
If you enjoy activities that incorporate exercise and camping outdoors you will enjoy sea kayaking!  San Juan Kayak Expeditions! San Juan Kayak Expeditions will provide reliable, top quality, two-person, fiberglass sea kayaks and equipment including Therma-Rest inflatable seat cushions, all major camping gear (quality, two-person tents, cooking utensils, tarps, stoves, etc.) and all meals except lunches. Just bring your own sleeping bag and pad, rain gear, mess kit, one quart water bottle, flashlight, etc., and you will be good to go!*  Seals, otters, orca and minke whales, porpoise and eagles are common companions and will assure a memorable voyage!

"Please join me this summer for an exciting sea kayaking journey of adventure in the spectacular San Juan Islands!"

*Upon receipt of your registration form and deposit, I will send you a detailed equipment list and information packet to help you prepare for your adventure.

"Thanks again for a fabulous trip!  You helped make our experience in the San Juans very special!  It was a pleasure paddling and sailing with you!  You are a wonderful guide full of knowledge, expertise and leadership skills!  Yeeha!"
Julie Jorling

Salt Lake City, UT

ABOUT YOUR GUIDE

Tim Thomsen has been a resident and avid kayaker in the San Juan Islands for thirty years. He has owned and operated San Juan Kayak Expeditions for twenty-eight years and has logged over 10,000 miles paddling in the San Juans!  He has personally guided over 400 three and four day expeditions!  In addition to paddling in the San Juans, he led his own 6 day expeditions in Baja's Sea of Cortez for thirteen winter seasons.

Tim is also a sea kayak sail inventor and patent owner!

A Washington State native with a degree in horticulture from Washington State University, Tim speaks semi-fluent Spanish, plays classical guitar and alto recorder, and has completed one marathon and several triathlons. Tim is also a world traveler. He has spent past winters traveling and kayaking through diverse and exotic regions of the globe.



"I had a wonderful time on your trip! It was absolutely amazing! Your incredible knowledge and expertise, combined with a warm heart and a great sense of humor, made this an experience I will never forget! Thank you!
Audrey "Scotti" McGowan
Portland, OR

 "The first morning we were a group of beginners who didn't know each other. Under your patient guidance, we were soon a well oiled team with excellent safety, paddling, and camping skills. Thanks, Tim, for a great trip. Your knowledge and experience made this a safe and educational three days for us!"
Bob Nowlan/Debbie Stout
Astoria, OR

"We had a great time kayaking with you! Thank you for sharing your expertise and sense of fun with us. I hope I can keep a little of your joy of life now that I'm back at my daily grind. Tim you have a true gift for creating a sense of trust and community among perfect strangers. Good luck and light winds."

Virginia Mohl

Red Lodge, MT

"We just wanted to give you extra thanks for working so hard paddling so my wife could feel more secure and enjoy the beautiful scenery during the 3-day trip we took with you last week. Although neither of us was very experienced at kayaking or seamanship we felt safe paddling in the ocean under your experienced and observant leadership, and were very pleased with the individual attention you gave us. We're glad we took this trip with you instead of the other tour operators. Best Regards and Happy Paddling!"
Jeff & Alicia Bastl
Chicago, Illinois

 


WHY PADDLE WITH ME!


When I first started in 1980, I was the only local company leading kayak expeditions in the San Juans. Today there are a lot of outfitters out there. That means a lot of choices for you. Here are twelve solid reasons why you should choose San Juan Kayak Expeditions for your multi-day adventure:


                                                 
                                                             June 30, 2007 Four Day Trip!

EXPERIENCE!


I have more experience guiding multi-day trips in the San Juan Islands than any other person on earth!  That is not a boast but a fact! 

I am also a local! I have lived and kayaked in these islands for thirty years! I have guided my own multi-day trips for twenty-seven years now, have led over 400 expeditions throughout these islands and have logged more than 10,000 miles paddling in the San Juans alone! No one else can offer you that kind of experience!

If you paddle with me, you'll be paddling in my backyard! In a place where the tides can change up to thirteen vertical feet in one six hour period and the winds are unpredictable, a guide with my knowledge, experience and judgement is imperitive to a safe, fulfilling and educational multi-day sea kayak journey!  When you sign up for a San Juan Kayak Expeditions adventure, you are certain who your guide is going to be and what his experience level is!  With any other company, no matter how long they've been in business,the guide you get will be a roll of the dice, and something that important is not worth the gamble!


SAFETY!

I have never had a capsize on one of my trips!  That unprecedented record is a reflection of my experience, judgement, quality equipment and observational skills!  My record stands alone!  

I carry all safety equipment(flares, GPS, chart, VHF radio, cell phone, first aid kit, etc.).

 
TOP QUALITY EQUIPMENT!

I use only new, state-of-the-art, two-person, rudder-controlled sea kayaks(Seascape II by Northwest Kayaks), lightweight fiberglass paddles(Camano by Werner Paddles), top quality, comfortable and dry spray skirts(Snap Dragon Designs)and comfortable life jackets(Sabre by Extrasport).  I also supply you with a Therma-Rest inflatable seat cushion while paddling, new two-person tents and, just in case, a quality rain tarp for our comfort in camp.

                  Extrasport Retroglide Sabre PFD       Camano        

     

"I am out on the water all summer,every summer, so I know there is no other outfitter around here whose equipment ranks up there with mine!  I am as proud as punch of that fact!"

AFFORDABLE!

Because I am a small operation, I am able to keep my prices low without sacrificing service, quality and professionalism!  I don't have seasonal guides, multiple vans and trailers, outlets in town, motorized support boats, heavy advertising expenses(no "sponsored" listings on Google, for example)or other overhead.  I run a well organized yet simple operation honed by experience, and that means a positive experience for you at an affordable rate! 




PERSONAL ATTENTION!

The small size and professional nature of my company mean I can give you the personal attention necessary to make your kayak experience a positive one!  I answer your e-mail and telephone inquiries personally.  In fact, I take care of every aspect of the trip including guide it!

LAUGHTER!

Yes, laughter is an important aspect of my trips that sets them apart! Perhaps it is the nature of my website, the clients who come to me via word-of-mouth or just my bubbly personality that attracts fun people, but everyone just seems to bring along a sense of humor!   My trips are full of variety, relaxing, action-packed and totally fun!  Possibly the sorest part of your body after paddling three or four days with me just may be your cheeks (facial, that is)!


"We came, we paddled, we laughed, we conquered!  Thanks,Tim for our sixth great trip!   They just keep getting better!  Just wish we could have won a game of horseshoes!"

Craig and Ryan Britt

West Seattle, WA

WILDFLOWERS AND WHALES!

In the month of May I offer you a chance to enjoy the spectacle of up to thirty-five species of blooming wildflowers in a marine setting as we hike a little-known island jewel and to observe orca whales in the wild.  Indian paintbrush, great camas, shooting stars, naked desert parsley, broadleaf starflower, western buttercup, field chickweed, chocolate and fawn lillies, etc. form a colorful carpet at our feet while blue ocean dotted with small islands creates a unique backdrop!  This trip has all of the usual scenery and wildlife plus a little more!  Let's go wildflower and whale watching this spring!

"I always find time spent in the glory of nature to be very restorative, but there was more to this adventure! I believe that when someone touches us in a profound way there is something divine in it....and for our "paths to cross" at this time in my life was nothing less than providence!  I am so inspired by your willingness to share your spirit with me, with all of us!  Your generosity and joy, simplicity, wisdom and integrity is genuinely captivating, and I feel as though two nights around the fire was entirely insufficient(I guess we should have done a 4-day, huh?) - as is the word "Thanks."  How can it be that I have been "home" for almost 2 weeks, but my spirit is still there..."

Kara Marks

Los Angeles, CA


KAYAK SAILING!

I have devised and patented a safe, lightweight and easy to use spinnaker complete with a forward viewing window that allows each kayak to sail with the wind at exciting speeds!  Anyone can sail!  You will receive professional instruction on how to safely and efficiently use the wind to propel your double kayak through the sea!  My patented sailing system definitely raises my expeditions to an exciting new level!   No other outfitter offers this unique alternative to paddling! It's a total rush and makes kayaking a breeze(pun intended)!

     

"The sailing totally blew us away! HAR! HAR! The sound of the sea rushing under our kayak as we crossed effortlessly to Speiden at 7 knots made us realize that we were unique and awesome adventurers! Thanks Tim for an experience of a lifetime!"
Mike and Krishna Smith
Portland, OR

WE ARE MOVING FORWARD

I do not use base camps, so my expeditions are unique and constantly changing. We break camp every morning and paddle or sail to new and different areas. This maximizes your experience by increasing your exposure to varied coastlines and wildlife habitat. You are also better able to experience the rhythm of a sea kayak expedition.  One word that best describes my expeditions is "variety!"  We finish our adventure miles from where it began, and we never backtrack. Every mile of your journey will be new, exciting, adventurous and unique!!

And on the last evening of every trip - an island to ourselves!  Reserved exclusively for San Juan Kayak Expeditions, this small, island jewel will be ours for a night!  Enjoy!

 

                         

HIKE & PADDLE

Every evening of each trip we enjoy a leisurely sunset paddle or hike. These special moments are always a highlight of my expeditions. Looking west into Canada from our elevated mossy bluff or from our floating kayaks, the serenity is palpable. Seals and porpoise feed in front of us as we enjoy the magic of the days' last light. As night falls, our seclusion is complete. Upon our return to camp, let's sit around the campfire and share a few stories!

"I wanted to send you a brief thank you note!  Kathy and I had a great time on our trip with you - it was over much too quickly -and we are having fun recounting our experiences to family, friends and co-workers!  We particularly enjoyed the short hikes and the sunsets and your sharing of your knowledge about the area and the things we were seeing.  We will be back for another whale encounter!  Thanks!"

Al Raymond

Minneapolis, MN

"Thanks for a fabulous trip!  What a great way to see a beautiful part of the world!"

Terri Furman

Broomfield, CO

                       

LOW-IMPACT CAMPING!

I have called these islands home since 1978, and I feel that they and local wildlife are worth protecting! For this reason, my expeditions emphasize low-impact camping. Only by treating each beach, each campsite, each hiking trail and each creature with care and respect can we justify our passage. My groups average six to eight and NEVER exceed twelve people! We leave each campsite cleaner than when we arrived. Evening fires use beach driftwood only and are kept small.

I am not affiliated with motorized, whale-watch tour companies, as they are extremely polluting and have a  very high, negative impact on orca quality of life.  I do not use motorized support boats.

As a self-appointed steward of these islands, I paddle to the Kayak Education & Leadership Program(K.E.L.P.) code to help protect marine wildlife.

Upon conclusion of each trip, participants are proud, not only of what they have accomplished together, but also of what little trace we have left behind from our voyage!

                                                                                                                          CARRYING AROUND A LOT OF EXTRA BAGGAGE?!

Are you bringing clothes, gear or luggage that you don't need for the kayak trip? You may leave them in my van for the duration. It will be waiting for you at our landing site.

I highly recommend you leave your car in Anacortes and walk aboard the ferry to Friday Harbor. You may, if you drove across, park your car (or bicycle) safely at my shop. Be sure to let me know if you will have your vehicle, so that I can make the appropriate arrangements with you.


A MESSAGE FROM TIM

Spring, 2008

My 27th summer season was a record-breaking year!!  It was filled with fun people, great sunset hikes and paddles, ripping sailing action and some breathtaking whale encounters(see photos above, below and throughout). I hope you can join me next spring or summer! An unprecedented 28th season is just around the corner! 

NEW UPDATE:  My June 13 four day trip, which has been full for months, has just had a cancellation of three due to a shoulder injury from snowboarding.  This leaves three spaces suddenly open for probably the most popular trip of the season.  Now is your chance to get on board!

In the month of May, 2008 I will be offering new "Wildflowers and Whales" three day trips.  You can enjoy up to thirty-five species of blooming wildflowers on a little-known, island jewel and observe orca whales as they travel in search of salmon in Haro Strait!  Please check my 2008 Trip Schedule for dates.

In addition, my trips continue to offer a final night island campground reserved exclusively for San Juan Kayak Expeditions!  This site is a small, quaint island perched right on the edge of orca country!  For one night, we will have an entire island to ourselves!     

My expeditions are a culmination of all I have learned over the past thirty years of living and paddling here, and they continue to evolve as I inquire, observe and learn each season.  The very fact that I have been guiding my own multi-day trips in the San Juan Islands for twenty-seven years is unique to the entire sea kayaking industry!  My trips attract fun, well-rounded folks with diverse backgrounds, can-do attitudes and a love of adventure.  My perfect safety record is a result of experienced leadership and quality equipment.  My sea kayaking expeditions minimize our footprint on the island environment. 

My knowledge of this small corner of the world allows me to provide you with the best that the San Juan Islands have to give!  My committment to offer you a high quality experience is taken seriously.  I dedicate myself and work hard toward that goal each year!  

 
May the tide be with you,

Tim Thomsen

Owner/Guide

              
                                                                                                                         

 

San Juan Kayak Expeditions is a proud member of the following organizations:

 

 



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