Passage Canal Tours

Passage Canal is a wonderful venue for a day of paddling. The rugged Chugach mountains surround you housing the northern most range of the temperate rainforest, piedmont and hanging glaciers. Opportunities for mountain goats, marmots, black bears, seals, sea lions, sea otters, eagles, kittiwakes, murres, pigeon guillemots and too many other sea/shore birds to list, and Humpback and Orca whales. The longer you’re out the more opportunity you have to experience and embrace this unique environment.

3-4 Hour Introductory Paddle

If you’ve never tried sea kayaking, but always wanted to, this is a great introduction to sea kayaking.
On this trip we depart from the harbor, paddle along the southern shore line exploring coves and salmon streams, do an open water crossing (if the weather allows) to the north shore, spend time at the Kittiwake Rookery where thousand of sea birds nest, pod up in the water and swarm overhead. We then do another open water crossing back to the harbor.
3 to 4 miles.
Offered daily starting at 8:00 am, 11:00 am, 4:00 pm.We can adjust this time based on your schedule.
$100/person, minimum 2 people or monetary equivalent+ 5% Whittier sales tax

5 Hour Shotgun Cove

On this trip we either start in Whittier, have lunch at a beach along the way and meet the charter boat in Shotgun Cove for our ride back to Whittier, or get dropped off by the charter boat in Shotgun Cove and stop for lunch along the shore as we paddle back to Whittier.
$275/person with a minimum of 4 people or the monetary equivalent+ 5% Whittier sales tax.
This trip is dependent on the availability of a charter boat.
Snacks and hot drinks included.

6 Hour Intermediate Paddle

This is an extended version of the introductory paddle. We have more time to explore, stop for lunch, and take some short walks through the temperate rainforest.
5 to 8 miles
Offered daily starting at 8:00 am, 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. We can adjust this start time based on your schedule.
$180/person with a minimum of 2 people or the monetary equivalent. +5% Whittier sales tax.
Snacks and hot drinks included.

7-10 Hour Passage Canal Paddle

As many miles as we can squeeze out of the day.
Offered daily starting at 8:00 am.
$250/person minimum of 2 people or monetary equivalent. +5% Whittier sales tax
Snacks and hot drinks included.

Tidewater Glacier Day Trips:
The Ultimate Alaskan Sea Kayaking Experience!

Enjoy the spectacular sights from the charter as we make our way from Whittier to Blackstone Bay, Harriman Fjord, or Nassau Fjord. Once at our drop-off beach we’ll pack the boats, go through a short orientation and outfitting session, then kayak towards the tidewater glaciers that have been rumbling. Our day consists of making our way through the ice towards the towering faces of ice, watching for seals and sea birds to stealthily surface, stopping for lunch and a stroll along the beach, scanning the shore for wildlife and settling in front of the glaciers in anticipation of ice calving. The air is pristine. The scenery is absolutely stunning.

Blackstone Bay:

Western Prince William Sound
$400/person with a 4* person minimum or
the monetary equivalent. +5% Whittier sales tax.
Departs at 9:15, returns to Whittier by 6:15
Snacks and hot drinks included.

*If you do not have a group of at least 4, no problem! We will pair you with others looking for a trip on the same day.
Click here to go to see trips to join

Blackstone Bay photo gallery

Harriman Fjord

30 miles from Whittier
Northwestern Prince William Sound
$700/person* with a minimum of 4 people or the financial equivalent. +5% Whittier sales tax.
Charter is hired for the day.

Harriman Fjord photo gallery

Nassau Fjord

70 miles from Whittier
Southwestern Prince William Sound
$900/person with a minimum of 4 people or the financial equivalent. +5% Whittier sales tax.
Charter is hired for the day.

Nassau Fjord photo gallery

Included in all Day Trips

Snacks and hot drinks included.
Properly outfitted kayak*: single or double, plastic or fiberglass, paddle, spray skirt, P.F.D., rain gear: paddling jacket, bibs, rubber boots, and pogies.

*Tandem kayaks are used on all day trips, unless there is appropriate experience to warrant single kayak use. If you’re inexperienced and/or interested in paddling single kayaks consider a day of instruction or an instructional day trip.

Advanced Day Trips

When the Wind Blows:

Whittier is certainly known for being a windy place; whether its coming out of the east or the west. Unfortunately the wind can force us to cancel some of our day trips. But if you/your group have the right set of skills, then it is a perfect opportunity to get suited up in dry suits and go play in the wind and waves.
There is very little advanced notice for these trips: Watch the forecast, check the website, and get on the e-mail list. Even when wind is forecasted for Passage Canal, we won’t know if it is going to materialize until that day.

Tidal and River Current:

Portage River is a class one river on the other side of the tunnel in Portage Valley. These are just 2 of the local options to do a day trip in conditions. Turnagain Arm runs from Anchorage to Portage Valley. The “Arm” is home to some of the largest tidal fluctuations in North America. There are many rivers on the Kenai Peninsula with rivers that are perfect for sea kayaks.
It’s best to set these trips up at least a day ahead so we can sort out the logistics.

Reservations

Walk-in business is encouraged and very much appreciated, reservations guarantee the opportunity for us to go paddling together. Please e-mail or call ahead when forming your plans.

jschombe

2023-07-05

Great Sea Kayaking Trip The guides, Portia and Luke, were fantastic - they made us feel comfortable, were super-patient with us, including our disabled daughter, and were very responsive to our interests. Though the day was foggy and drizzly, we had a fantastic trip and saw beautiful sights.

geminisu

2022-07-21

Excellent Ryan was excellent. It was pouring rain but he got us all outfitted and did a great job making the whole day fun. Scenery is amazing even in the fog and rain and Gabe the boat taxi captain was highly entertaining.

Pam H

2022-07-14

Great Guide! The trip Exceeded my expectations!! Ryan took me and three other guests on a "never to forget" kayak adventure on Blackstone Bay! I am so lucky that I came across his business as he is extremely knowledgeable about Alaska and the Prince William Sound area. He made our trip run so smoothly and had every kind of gear needed to make it a safe and memorable day. Thank you also to Portia, a guide who joined us and who helped us to enjoy the experience. Both Ryan and Portia share their joy in being part of nature. We went up close to three separate glaciers and many waterfalls, saw sea otters playing, seals peeking at us from the water, and many birds including Kittiwakes and a pair of Eagles! Ryan provided a delicious lunch, after which we walked to a nearby glacier then more wonderful time paddling on the Bay. It was the best way ever to celebrate my 70th birthday! Thank you Ryan!!!

Borja U

2022-07-13

Great gear and useful tips I rented a kayak and some gear to paddle for a few days in Prince William Sound. Both kayak and paddles were top class. The best you can find in town and at a very reasonable price. Ryan is great and gave me a lot of valuable tips around where to camp and other practical details. The kind of information and service that makes your kayaking experience much more enjoyable. Definitely a must go if you want to paddle the area.

Cristian F

2022-07-10

Go here I don’t always review tour agencies, but when I do, it’s because I think you should rethink your entire itinerary to include kayaking. It was a cold rainy summer morning in Whittier. We loaded the kayaks in a boat, wondering if it was foolish to go chasing glaciers in a kayak while the rain showed no signs of stopping. I looked at Ryan, our guide, as he smiled with a “we got this” smirk that can only be achieved after years of hard earned experience. By the end of the trip, the rain was just background white noise that made the whole experience even more relaxing. That’s the hallmark of a good guide, they can refocus your attention in such a way that even the cold and the rain are things you enjoy. If you’re looking for a kayak trip, book here. If you’re not, also book here and thank me later when you find yourself in the middle of the Sound, surrounded by wild life and admiring how the glacier has polished the walls of rock over millions of years.

Whasabae

2022-06-26

6.5 hours intermediate kayaking Excellent instructions. Gorgeous views. Ryan was helpful and informative. We did the intermediate 5-6 hours! Worth every penny. Highly recommend. Not suitable for individual over 6.5 feet.

Toni J

Highly recommended! Ryan was amazing! Highly recommend this kayak experience. He was took the time to show us some falls and also the lunch was amazing. Beautiful scenery.

Mary W

2021-07-11

Very professional. Ryan was very professional and safety conscious. He had a complete set of good gear for everyone. I stayed warm and dry for the whole day. Our trip started with a water taxi out to Blackstone Bay. The scenery was majestic. Ryan paced the trip to fit the ability of the participants. He also offered a nice lunch with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and smoked salmon. I couldn’t have asked for more.

DrBooBoo

2021-06-11

Great Experience! I’m new to kayaking and have always been afraid of it after a bad first experience years ago. After looking and asking around for recommendations, Ryan was recommended to teach a beginner’s course for my husband and I. He met us where we were at and he covered all the things I set out to learn. I felt safe throughout the course. He’s a calm, assuring presence on the water and safety is his obvious first priority. Ryan is very observant and we were impressed with his risk management. He’s particular about his equipment and that is reassuring. Great experience and I highly recommend!

G_and_L_Seattle

2019-07-06

Super 10 Day Paddle Trip We just finished a 10 day paddle in the SW corner of Prince William Sound. Ryan Collins (owner of Paddler's Realm) and his assistant Nate Louis provided outstanding service in all aspects of the trip. We couldn't be happier with the experience! Our group of 4 has been paddling together in Washington and British Columbia for about 5 years. We've done one or two long trips every year on our own but, for this trip, we decided to have someone else take care of all the details. We chose Paddler's Realm after carefully looking at the qualifications, experience, and reviews for the paddling companies in Whittier. In advance of the trip, Ryan asked for our meal and equipment preferences. Basically, we brought what we wore and he supplied everything else. The gear was all new or nearly new and very high quality. For example, NDK kayaks and Werner paddles of the models and sizes we requested. The meals were great, too, and we had plenty of time to enjoy them on the long Alaska days. We had told Ryan in advance that we wanted to average about 15 miles each day. He set up a great itinerary with three days of paddling in the Icy Bay area followed by slowly working our way back to Culross Island. The whole trip went without a hitch. We definitely recommend Paddler's Realm in Whittier as a great choice.