Transportation

Water taxi service out of Whittier:

Getting to Whittier:

Go Purple Shuttle (907) 644-8098

Weather, Tides & other resources

Barry Arm Landslide | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Prince William Sound Marine Forecast

Other Resources

National Snow and Ice Data Center

Alaska Office of Boat Safety
http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/boating/tides.htm

Wilderness Medicine
www.wildmed.com

National Geographic Topo
www.nationalgeographic.com/topo

Books

U.S. Coastal Pilot #9: Cape Spencer to Beaufort Sea. 15th edition, NOAA, U.S. Department of Congress, 1992

ChartNo1.pdf (noaa.gov)

A History of Prince William Sound. Lethcoe, Jim and Nancy. (1994/2001).
A Cruising guide to Prince William Sound. Lethcoe, Jim and Nancy. (1998).
The Strangest Town in Alaska. Taylor, Alan. (2000).
Kayaking and Camping in Prince William Sound. Twardock, Paul. (2004).
Floatsametrics and the Floating World. Curtis Ebbesmeyer and Eric Scigliano.
Sea Kayak Navigation. Franco Ferrero 1999/2007.
Sea Kayak. Gordon Brown 2006.
Where the Sea Breaks Its Back. Corey Ford 2003.

Paddling Organizations

International Sea Kayak Guide Association

British Canoe Union

American Canoe Association

River and Ocean

PADDLESPORTS NORTH AMERICA INC – GuideStar Profile

Where to stay in Whittier and Portage

Glacier View Suites

Junes B&B

The Inn at Whittier

Williwa and Black Bear -Chugach National Forest Campgrounds

Where to Stay in Girdwood

Alyeska Hideaway Log Cabins

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.