Sample Itinerary – Sea Paddler Journey
SELF-SUPPORTED COURSE / CAMPING TRIP IN SEA KAYAKS
All itineraries are subject to weather, Port closures, and other fun factors intrinsic to “Adventure” tourism.
Day 0. Meet in Loreto for a pre-trip briefing and to fit your equipment.
Day 1. Taxi ride from your hotel about 2 hours to San Fernando on the coast south of Loreto. Practice the magic of making a big pile of gear disappear into kayaks. Have a good snack on the beach after packing and start out with a shakedown 3nm to lunch. Behind this beach is a cave up in the cliffs with red hand prints pressed onto the walls. Continue on past Agua Verde and it’s iconic Sail Rock to camp near Punta Marcial.
Day 2. Sip fresh-brewed hot coffee as the aroma of hot-cooked breakfast wakes up your appetite. Before getting on the water, let’s wake our balance and edging tools – our hips – with some fun Hawaiian dance moves. Paddle around Punta Marcial to Ensenada la Ballena, pausing to poke into the sea cave on the way. Get to camp by lunch and take the afternoon for rolling, rescue practice and good ol’ messing around in boats. Approx. 6 nautical miles.
Day 3. Prepare the day’s outing with a short land session on power transfer. Paddle down the coast with some related exercises along the way, as well as fascinating geology. The rocks at San Telmo camp are made of strawberry-vanilla swirl. In the evening, consider maps, charts and forecast and plan together the next days. 10nm.
Day 4. Let the sun wake you with a smile. More colorful cliffs accompany a consideration of blade angles. What’s the difference between a bow rudder, a stern rudder, and hanging draw/sideslip? What’s the same? Weave through the wilderness playfully combining geology and physics. Tonight’s camp has terrific snorkeling! 8-9nm
Day 5. Today brings a tasty breakfast and a contextual consideration of how edging your kayak assists in directional control. Practice as we travel, interspersed with dolphins, frigatebirds, entertaining conversation, snack breaks, and whatever else might happen to come up. Add nuances of foot pressure, trim and other tricks as you get hungry for more learning challenge. Camp in Los Dolores (8nm) or Deep Canyon (13nm).
Day 6. More spectacular cliffs accompany today’s journey. Perhaps a tailwind will give us wind-waves to surf, putting into use all those skills we’ve been developing. Top up with water if we didn’t yesterday. Find a nice shelter in Arroyo Evaristo 10nm from Los Dolores or 6.5nm from Deep Canyon.
Day 7. After a breathtaking sunrise, paddle a few miles to fish tacos and cold beverages at San Evaristo! Hunting down fresh tacos and cold beverages is an expedition survival skill that one can never practice too much. Resupply the veggie boat with whatever freshies they might have in the local market. Short afternoon paddle to Punta Arena. Skills you’re learning are starting to feel more fluid. Recieve on custom coaching on the things you want a little more help with. 8nm
Day 8. We have choices. We can go a leisurely 6nm straight to camp, or make a loop out to Isla San Jose and/or San Francisco, up to 16nm on our way to our final camp in Arroyo Verde. Geology puts on a good show here. 6nm.
Day 9. Layover for sunrise paddle, last roll practice, nature hike in the arroyo, snorkeling the colorful coral garden. Planning this day here also builds flexibility into the schedule in case we get winded in earlier on. Savor the final night under the stars!
Day 10. There is still a bit of scenic paddling to go, with a new range of mountains layering itself into the distance and the morning sun highlighting its colors. Land at a fish camp and find all those things long hidden in the ends of your kayak. Ride the 6-7 hour taxi-van shuttle back to Loreto, with a stop along the way for lunch. 3nm
Day After. Relax in Loreto. Or fly out to tell your friends how much confidence you gained, and to plan the next one
