20 Jun 2013

Kayaking Option for South Pacific, Russian Far East & Subantarctic Voyages

We are delighted to announce a sea kayaking optional add-on is now available on selected expeditions in the South Pacific, the Subantarctic Islands and the Russian Far East.
 
Join experienced kayakers Judd Hill and Al Bakker as we launch our kayaks from theSpirit of Enderby which acts as a floating base camp for special excursions and shore landings. Judd has kayaked in many exotic locations including Fiji, Panama, Palawan, Antarctica, the Russian Arctic and the Russian Far East. Al has paddled whitewater and sea kayaks for 39 years in North America, the South Pacific, Japan, Antarctica, the High Arctic and all across Europe and has operated his own kayak tour company for more than two decades. Both guides are excited to offer a new perspective to your wilderness experience.
 
Cruising in a small group of about 6 to 10 paddlers and led by Judd or Al, we will generally visit the same sites as the Zodiacs but be more independent and perhaps access areas not appropriate for Zodiacs. If the ship’s schedule allows, it may be possible to do an extended day trip, taking our lunch with us. The coastlines offer a wide array of habitats and sea kayaking opportunities, from sandy bays to rugged cliffs against a backdrop of extraordinary floral displays. They are also perfect sanctuaries for nesting seabirds, fish and marine mammals, so each day brings new challenges and fresh experiences to our small band of kayakers. In the South Pacific, our kayaks are a source of fascination to the locals and a magnet for children who paddle their dug-out canoes out to join us and invite us back to their villages.
 
Kayaking is available on the following expeditions:
 
South Pacific - Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
Melanesia Discoverer 11 – 24 October 2013
Voyage from $7,995, kayaking $995
SPECIAL OFFER: BOOK BEFORE 1 AUGUST 2013 AND RECEIVE A $1000 FLIGHT CREDIT - valid on 11 Oct '13 departure only, first 5 bookings
 
Southern Ocean - New Zealand Subantarctic Islands and Macquarie Island 
Galapagos of the Southern Ocean 2 – 14 December 2013  
Voyage from $6,600, kayaking $975
Forgotten Islands 15 – 22 December 2013                                  
Voyage from $4,500, kayaking $695
 
Russian Far East - Commander Islands, Kuril Islands, Kamchatka and the Sea of Okhotsk 
Commander Islands Wildlife Survey  20 – 29 May 2014               
Voyage from $4,250, kayaking $925
Russia’s Ring of Fire 29 May – 10 June 2014                              
Voyage from $8,200, kayaking $1,025
Sea of Okhotsk 11 – 22 June 2014                                              
Voyage from $7,600, kayaking $995
 (prices in USD, subject to weather conditions and minimum numbers)
 
Our kayaks are easy to manoeuvre but you do need to have some experience to participate in this activity. Weather and ocean currents need to be considered when kayaking in this environment and negotiating them requires some skill. If you are a beginner we strongly recommend you take some lessons prior to the voyage. Add fitness, fun and another dimension to your expedition experience by joining the band of paddlers on one of these special expeditions. 
Contact us today for more details or to book your place.