Steller Sea Kayaking
Natural and Cultural History Tours
Wildlife of Johnstone Strait
5 days/4 nights
A fantastic wildlife adventure for nature lovers and explorers. Great for individuals and families interested in a mix of easy kayaking, casual hiking, and simple relaxation from the comfort of our Steller base camp on Yukusam Island.
Broken Island Odyssey
5 days/4 nights
Discover amazing sea life in the Broken Group Islands. This archipelago provides endless adventures for people who want to experience kayaking on the west coast in a protected coastal environment with a rich history of human occupation.
Archipelago Village Adventure
6 days/5 nights
Thread your way through the Broughton Archipelago and explore the beauty and diversity of the islands. Along the way you'll visit ancient villages and witness evidence of First Nations culture spanning thousands of years of occupation.
Custom Adventure
Create your own experience!
Want to plan something special? Whether you're a group of friends, a family, or a corporate group, we'll help plan an adventure just for you. Give us a call and we'll be happy to discuss the possibilities.
 
“Circle of Time”
Kwakwaka’wakw Cultural Tour

7 days/6 nights
Journey by kayak through the traditional territory of the Kwakwaka’wakw people where you'll see ancient villages, clam gardens, culturally modified trees, pictographs, totems, traditional native dancing and much, much more.
Into to Expedition Kayaking
6 days/5 nights
This expedition is for people with previous paddling experience who are interested in learning all the skills necessary to organize and undertake a multi-day kayaking adventure in comfort, style, and safety. Books are good ~ experience is better!
Cougar Annie's Garden
5 days/4 nights
Come explore the beauty and history of Cougar Annie's garden and learn about the dynamics of rainforest ecology, traditional plant use, and coastal prehistory. We'll also visit the Grove of the Ancients which have survived for millennia.
Click HERE to see what is covered in the tour price. center
TOURS
1 - 2
Travelers
Group Discounts
3
Travelers

(-4%)
4
Travelers

(-6%)
5+ Travelers
(-10%)
Wildlife of Johnstone Strait
5 days/4 nights
$1299 $1247 $1221 $1169
Broken Island Odyssey
5 days/4 nights
$1299 $1247 $1221 $1169
Archipelago Village Adventure
6 days/5 nights)
$1499 $1439 $1409 $1349
Intro to Expedition Kayaking
6 days/5 nights
$1499 $1439 $1409 $1349
Circle of Time: Kwakwaka'wakw Cultural Tour
7 days/6 nights
$2450 $2352 $2300 $2200
Cougar Annie's Garden
5 days/4 nights
$1299 $1247 $1221 $1169
Custom Adventure
variable
custom adventures for 5 or more people call for price

Note: all prices are quoted in Canadian dollars per person, exclusive of 5% GST and gratuity.

If you use a non-canadian credit card to make your reservation the exchange rate will be determined by our credit card processing service using the current exchange rate. If you send a non-canadian check or money order the exchange rate will be determined using the current exchange rate as calculate by Bank of Canada (link opens new window) on the day it is received.

Please refer to our Booking Information page for more detailed information on reservation and cancellation policies, travel insurance, etc.

Broken Island Odyssey Broken Island Odyssey Broken Island Odyssey Broken Island Odyssey Intro to Expedition Kayaking New Moon Full Moon
Due to the popularity of our tours please reserve your space today!
Check Price MAY Book Tour
Steller Sea Kayaking

Check Price JUNE Book Tour
Steller Sea Kayaking Broken Island Odyssey Wildlife of Johnstone Strait Broken Island Odyssey Broken Island Odyssey Cougar Annie's Garden Broken Island Odyssey Intro to Expedition Kayaking New Moon Summer Solstice Full Moon

Check Price July Book Tour
Steller Sea Kayaking Southern Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower Wildlife of Johnstone Strait Wildlife of Johnstone Strait Circle of Time Wildlife of Johnstone Strait Wildlife of Johnstone Strait Wildlife of Johnstone Strait Intro to Expedition Kayaking Archipelago Village Adventure Archipelago Village Adventure Circle of Time New Moon Full Moon

Check Price August Book Tour
Steller Sea Kayaking Intro to Expedition Kayaking Archipelago Village Adventure Wildlife of Johnstone Strait Wildlife of Johnstone Strait Wildlife of Johnstone Strait Wildlife of Johnstone Strait Wildlife of Johnstone Strait Circle of Time Circle of Time Circle of Time Perseid Meteor Shower New Moon Full Moon

Check Price SEPTEMBER Book Tour
Steller Sea Kayaking
Full moons and new moons cause extremely low tides and maximum exposure of the intertidal ecosystem. Broken Island Odyssey Intro to Expedition Kayaking Broken Island Odyssey Cougar Annie's Garden Broken Island Odyssey Circle of Time Wildlife of Johnstone Strait Full Moon New Moon
Broken Group Islands Broken Group Islands Broken Group Islands Broken Group Islands Intro to Expedition Kayaking Cougar Annie's Garden New Moon Full Moon
Book Your Adventure Here
Book Online If you want to book online you can submit your reservation request with our secure web reservation form.
Book by Phone We also accept reservations over the phone and will be glad to discuss our tours at the same time. Please call us toll free at 1.866.251.5135.
Booking Information Before booking we suggest you read our booking information page for details about tour deposits and final payment, optional travel insurance, cancellation and refund policy, etc.
All You Need to Know About Booking Your Adventure Today!
Tour Dates View our tour calendar to help plan your kayaking adventure. If you don't see a date that works for you just give us a call and maybe we can work something out.
Prices We offer special discounts for groups - the larger your group the less you pay!
Travel Directions
Look here for detailed travel directions to all of our tour departure points.

                           Port McNeill   · Ucluelet & Tofino
Accommodations Look here for a list or recommended accommodations at our tour departure points.

                           Port McNeill   · Ucluelet   · Tofino
Frequently Asked Questions Answers to the questions most of our guests seem to ask - from clothing to cuisine!
Useful Links Here's a list of additional links that may be useful in planning your adventure.
At Steller We Use Only Top Quality Equipment
Gear Review Take a moment to review our equipment and you'll see that we travel in style. Steller uses top of the line fiberglass kayaks and safety equipment and proven camping gear.
What Steller Provides Here you'll find an extensive list of the equipment and services we provide in order to make your adventure comfortable, enjoyable, and safe.
What Guests Provide You don't need to bring much. Check out this detailed list of what you'll need to bring in the way of clothing, outdoor gear, personal gear and, of course, personal luxury items!
Nuggets of Information

Other companies will take you kayaking. Steller will take you on a journey through time and space. We explore the geological history of Vancouver Island and the evolution of biological and cultural diversity along this rich and complex coastline. The list below contains just a few nuggets of information that you'll enjoy as your guides lead you on an adventure of exploration and discovery.

Nuu-chah-nulth The first recorded encounter with indigenous people on the coast of British Columbia was in 1774 by the Spanish navigator Juan Perez who met a group of Haida near ...
Kwakwaka'wakw On the central coast of British Columbia, Queen Charlotte Strait is the center of Kwakwaka'wakw territory ...
Coast Salish The Coast Salish homeland encompasses most of the Salish Sea watershed which stretches from the Strait of Georgia north of the Fraser River to ...
Infectious Disease Indigenous people on the northwest coast often lived in densely populated villages but were unaffected by the health problems associated with ...
Temperate Coastal Rainforest Temperate rainforests have always been among the rarest ecosystems in the world, originally comprising less than 0.2 percent of the earth's land surface ...
Eagle Data from the Gulf Islands Data on eagle activity compiled from 13 years of observing approximately 15 different breeding territories on Hornby Island ...
Steller Sea Lions The Steller Sea Lion lives in the coastal waters of the North Pacific from southern California to the Bering Strait ...
Orca Whales In British Columbia, Orcas have been recorded throughout almost all salt water (and some fresh water) areas, including many long inlets, narrow channels and deep enbayments.
Humpback Whales The Humpback Whale is one of the larger cetaceans, typically reaching lengths of 13 meters for males and 14 meters for females, and weighing 25 to 40 tonnes.
Adventure Gallery
Click on a thumbnail to open gallery viewer
  • Campfire Comdraderie
    Relaxing by the campfire at Nuxda'ma (Compton Island) after a day of exploration.
  • Driftwood Conference
    Hanging out on the beach logs and sharing stories at Steller Beach on Yukusam (Hanson Island).
  • White Shell Beach
    Catching some rays on the beach below the complex terrace structure at Xupxwapa Village, Insect Island.
  • Cedar Bark
    Rolls of cedar bark harvested by Beau Dick and the friends at the carvers camp on Yukusam (Hanson Island).
  • West Coast
    Stopping for a quick lunch near Haw'aa Village on Blunden Island, Clayoquot Sound.
  • West Coast Beach
    Looking back at the beach on the northwest coast of Vargas Island, Clayoquot Sound.
  • Simon and Davina
    Stopping for a quick lunch on Hand Island before heading deeper into the Broken Group Islands, Barkley Sound.
  • Kayaks at Big Bay
    Kayaks on the beach at Big Bay on Yukusam Island before crossing Johnstone Strait to Vancouver Island.
  • Dinner on the Beach
    Enjoying dinner at 3-fingers bay at the north end of Ahous Bay on Vargas Island, Clayoquot Sound.
  • Big House
    Visiting the Big House at Mimkumlis VIllage on Village Island, Broughton Archipelago.
  • Mortuary Poles
    'Mortuary poles standing in the Namgis First Nation Cemetery, Alert Bay, Johnstone Strait.
  • Traditional Canoe
    Traditional cedar canoe on the beach at Tofino. This is one of the canoes carved by Joe Martin, a master carver and member of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation.
  • Mortuary Pole
    Mortuary pole being carved by Beau Dick and friends in Alert Bay. Beau Dick is a respected Kwa-giulth artist from Kingcome Inlet.
  • Mortuary Pole
    Remains of a wolf atop a mortuary pole at Mimkumlis VIllage on Village Island, Broughton Archipelago.
  • Orca Pod
    Pod of female Orcas in Johnstone Strait.
  • Orca
    Two female Orcas playing together in Johnstone Strait.
  • Orca Sighting
    Watching the Orcas swim by while paddling onlong he shore in Johnstone Strait.
  • Sunshine Paddle
    Paddling south toward Vancouver Island on a beautiful sunny day in the Broughton Archipelago.
  • Heading East
    Paddling east toward the Fox Group and looking north toward Cramer Passage in the north end of the Broughton Archipelago.
  • Almost Home
    Heading around the north side of Nuxda'ma (Compton Island) and almost home after a long day of paddling.
  • Suze Toots Her Horn
    Suze serenades the group with a nearby piece of Bull Kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana).
  • Taxi!
    Loading up the water taxi for our ride north through the Broughton Archipelago en route to Xupxwapa Village, Insect Island.
  • Bull Kelp
    Paddle through a patch of Bull Kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) in the early morning fog near Nuxda'ma (Compton Island), on Blackfish Sound.
  • Aquamarine Waters
    Paddling through the aquamarine waters of Tour Bay en route to the Broken Group Islands, Barkley Sound.
  • Ecological Reserve
    Paddling around Cleland Island Ecological Reserve off the west coast of Vargas Island, Clayoquot Sound.
  • The Aquarium
    One of the many secret aquaria in the Broughton Archipelago where there's as much to see under the water as above the water.
  • Misty Passage
    Looking south down Misty Passage from the shore of Xupxwapa Village, Insect Island.
  • Johnstone Strait
    Looking east down Johnstone Strait from the high bluffs of Yukusam (Hanson Island).
  • Divinty in the Sky
    The clouds in the Broken Group Islands looking a lot like the divinity candy my mother used to me me as child.
  • Summer Sunset
    One of the many fine summer sunsets on one of the many beautiful beaches on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
  • Sea Lions
    California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) on their favorite haul out in the Broken Group Islands, Barkley Sound.
  • Sea Star
    Courtney shows off a huge Pink Spiney sea star (Pisaster brevispinus) in the Broken Group Islands, Barkley Sound.
  • Harbour Seals
    Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) sunning themselves on a rocky shore in Clayoquot Sound.
  • Water Conservation
    Common ochra stars (Pisaster ochraceus) conserving body moisture during low tide. Or maybe they're just having fun.
  • Surreal
                              Intertidal Life
    Giant green anemonies (Anthropleura xanthogrammica) and encrusting algaes reflecting a pink sunset.
  • Sea Lion
    A California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) checking me out in Broken Group Islands, Barkley Sound.
  • Sunflower Star
    Kevin checking out a huge Sunflower Star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) in the intertidal zone.
  • Bald Eagle
    One of the many Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) that frequent the coast during the spring and summer months.
  • Board Walk
    Board walk through the rainforest in Clayoquot Sound.
  • Intertidal Zone
    Intertidal zone near Xupxwapa Village, Insect Island.
  • Breakfast is Served
    Every day begins with a wonderful breakfast made from fresh ingredients and prepared by your multi-talented guides.
  • Ancient Pictograph
    An ancient pictograph located on a cliff in the southern Broughton Archipelago.
  • Culturally Modified Tree
    One of the many culturally modified trees at Xupxwapa Village, on Insect Island. First Nations people have been gathering cedar bark on the island for thousands of years.
  • Old Growth Cedar
    Ancient old growth cedar tree in the Broken Group Islands, Barkley Sound.
  • Islands in the Stream
    View from one of my favourite lunch spots in Indian Channel, Broughton Archipelago.
 
Useful Forms and Lists
Personal Information Form Once you've reserved your trip you'll need to fill out this form and submit it to us within 30 days of your tour departure.
Waiver of Liability Form This form is also due 30 days prior to your departure.
Information Request Form Need more information by mail? Just used our handy email form to request information.
Online Booking Form If you're ready to book your adventure and want to do it online, this is the form for you!
Recommended Gear List This list will give you a better idea of what you'll need to bring.
Recommended Reading List Interested in a little background reading? Here's a selection of titles from our personal bookshelf.
Information About Steller Sea Kayaking
Ethics We all have them! Ours are founded on the desire to build shareholder value.
Owners Check out the individuals responsible for bringing you Steller adventures.
Guides Our guides have backgrounds in biology, archaeology, history, public education, and environmental activism. They also have a wealth of guiding experience and a thirst for adventure!
Contact Steller We would love to talk to you about any of our regular tours or about customizing a tour for your group.
Our Privacy Policy Our privacy policy explains how we safeguard your personal information.
Useful Links An assortment of links related to kayaking that you may find useful.
Link Exchange Form Webmasters/Owners - use this handy form if you'd like to exchange links with Steller.
Steller Sea Lion

Scientific name: Eumetopias jubatus
Taxonomic group: Mammals (marine)
Range: BC Pacific Ocean
 
Status under SARA*: Special Concern, on Schedule 1
Last COSEWIC**
designation:
Special Concern (November 2003)

*SARA: The Species at Risk Act
**COSEWIC: The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada

Steller Sea Kayaking

Description Steller Sea Kayaking
The Steller Sea Lion is the biggest sea lion.  Sea lions are often confused with seals, from which they can be distinguished, among other ways, by the presence of external ear flaps.  The males of this species are noticeably larger than the females: adult females are 2.1 to 2.4 m long and weigh 200 to 300 kg, while adult males reach a length of 2.7 to 3.1 m and a weight of 400 to 800 kg, the biggest of them weighing nearly a tonne.  Mature males develop a light “mane” of coarse hair on their massive muscular necks and chests, from which they derive the name “sea lion”.  Pups weigh 16 to 23 kg at birth, the young males generally being heavier than the females.  Pups have a shiny, blackish-brown pelt.  Coloration of dry juveniles and adults is pale yellow to light tan, darkening on their underside and near their flippers: wet individuals are greyish white.


Canadian Distribution of the Steller Sea Lion
(shown in red) 1,2

Distribution is approximate and not intended for legal use.Steller Sea Kayaking
1Author: Canadian Wildlife Service, 2004
2Data Sources: The main source of information and data is the COSEWIC Status Report. In many cases additional data sources were used; a complete list will be available in the future.

Distribution and Population Steller Sea Kayaking
The Steller Sea Lion lives in the coastal waters of the North Pacific from southern California to the Bering Strait, and west and southwest along the coast of Asia to Japan.  Two populations are recognized in these waters: the Eastern population and the Western population.  The animals living in Canada are part of the Eastern population extending from southern California to southeastern Alaska, in the United States.  They are only present in British Columbia, where three main breeding areas are found.  The first is in the Scott Islands, off the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island.  The second breeding area is located at Cape St. James, off the coast of the southern Queen Charlotte Islands.  The third is offshore from the Banks Islands, in the northern portion of the continental coast.  In addition to these breeding sites, there are about 21 year-round haulout sites, and many irregularly used winter haulout sites.

Since the Steller Sea Lion first received protection in 1970, the size of the adult population has practically doubled.  In 2002, about 3,400 pups were born in British Columbia.  The total population of animals living in the coastal waters of British Columbia during the breeding season is between 18,400 and 19,700 individuals.  About 7,600 of them are apparently of breeding age.

Worldwide the Eastern population has grown in the past few years, contrary to the Western population.  In 2002, the Eastern population was estimated at about 45,000 individuals, nearly as large as the Western population.  The Western population accounted for 90 percent of the world Steller Sea Lion population between the 1950s and the 1970s.

Habitat Steller Sea Kayaking
The Steller Sea Lion mainly lives in the coastal waters of the North Pacific. Little is known of its aquatic lifestyle.  In general, most Steller Sea Lions seem to feed on the continental shelf and along its edge.  In summer, these animals generally are seen within 60 km of the coasts, in water less than 400 m deep, but they sometimes venture up to 200 km offshore.  The Steller Sea Lion is not considered a migratory species, but individuals may disperse up to a considerable distance from the breeding sites.  The animals regularly haul out year round and tend to form compact groups with practically no space between individuals.  The terrestrial sites frequented by sea lions are divided into three categories: 1) rookeries, which consist of isolated rocks where the animals gather from May to June to give birth, mate, and nurse their pups away from land predators such as wolves and bears; 2) year-round haulout sites, accessible sites generally occupied year round; 3) winter haulout sites, occupied irregularly outside the breeding season.

Biology Steller Sea Kayaking
At sea, Steller Sea Lions are found individually or in groups of a few animals.  During the mating season, they form dense colonies on solid land where the calls of the adults and the bleating of the newborn pups provide a constant din.  The most powerful males breed with several females.  Between the end of May and the beginning of July, the females return to their native rookery to give birth to a single pup, which they generally nurse for nearly a year, although nursing sometimes lasts up to three years.  The mothers stay on land with the pups for about one out of two days, each stay on land being followed by a day at sea to feed.  The newborns are precocious: they are capable of crawling from birth and learn how to swim at around four weeks of age.  One month after their birth, the mothers begin to move their pups to the neighbouring haulout sites, thus joining the non-breeding males and young females.  Although it is fairly difficult to estimate, it seems that the mortality rate for pups is fairly high.  The lifespan is about 14 years for males and 22 years for females.  In British Columbia, the Steller Sea Lion eats mainly schooling fish, such as herring, hake, sandlance, salmon and sardines.  Sometimes deepwater wish, such as rockfish, flounder and skate, as well as squid and octopus, make up a substantial part of the Steller Sea Lion’s diet.

Threats Steller Sea Kayaking
The threats to the Steller Sea Lion can be classified in two main categories. The first category covers human-induced factors such as hunting and killing.  For most of the 20th century, Steller Sea Lions were killed as part of programs to control predators of fish raised in British Columbia fish farms.  Other human-induced limiting factors include accidental entanglement in fishing gear or debris; catastrophic accidents such as oil spills, environmental contaminants like heavy metals which are harmful to health; and finally, the relocation of sea lion populations away from their critical habitats, or the degradation of these habitats.  The species is also subject to a second category of threats, natural this time, which include occasional decreases in the number of prey available, predation by killer whales and disease.

Protection Steller Sea Kayaking
The Steller Sea Lion is protected under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). More information about SARA, including how it protects individual species, is available in the Species at Risk Act: A Guide.

Management of marine mammals in Canadian waters is the Federal Government’s responsibility. Commercial hunting of all marine mammals, including the Steller Sea Lion, is prohibited in the Pacific Region.  After having suffered from many years of killing, Steller Sea Lions have been protected since 1970 by various regulations of the Fisheries Act applied by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.  Some animals however, have been killed under special permits. The Oceans Act, which came into force in 1996, protects the habitats of marine mammals.

Certain breeding grounds in British Columbia also benefit from additional protection: the Cape St. James rookery is protected under the Canada National Parks Act and the Scott Islands rookeries are part of a provincial ecological reserve.

Other Protection or Status Steller Sea Kayaking
Under the Endangered Species Act in the United States, the Eastern population (which encompasses the British Columbia populations) is designated as Threatened, and the Western population (found in the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea, the Aleutian Islands and Russia) is designated as Endangered.

Steller Sea Kayaking
Source: Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. Reproduced with permission of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2007.
Source URL: http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/species/speciesDetails_e.cfm?sid=326
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