Whitecap Kayak Camping Trip Information

Thank you for choosing Whitecap Kayak for your kayaking adventure, we are looking forward to seeing you out on the water during your next Apostle Islands Kayaking tour! Begin by completing a waiver below for each of your group members then read through the information with some tips and tricks for packing for your trip.

Packing List

First and foremost – bring a spirit of adventure! We plan & pray to have perfect conditions & have everything go as dreamed. But truth is, rarely is the weather perfect, rarely does everything go as planned. With that said, a good part of the adventure is making adjustments & facing the conditions presented to us. Some of our best memories are those experiences!

Water bottle
Hat for sun protection – best to have one with a chin strap which will help keep it on in the wind
Sun screen
Footwear – your feet will get wet (sandals work well)
Swim suit
Preferably non-cotton sportswear (wool, synthetic, wicking and insulating fabric etc.)
Sun-glasses
Glasses straps
Camera
Extra clothes (for the trip and a dry pair to jump into after the trip) – it’s good to have along a layer of clothes that you can wear to cover your body – including socks for your ankles in case of biting flies
Rain coat

Additional Things to Bring for Overnight Trips

Sleeping bag – preferably compact - e.g. about 8" x 15" is nice
Small foam pad, or compressible camping air-mattress (optional)
Extra clothes suggestions (it can still get cold here even in summer)
- One pair of pants
- Extra socks/underwear
- Jacket or a good fleece sweatshirt (Remember-cotton is not our favorite camping friend)
- T-shirt or two
- Nightwear (footed jammies are acceptable-even encouraged)
Things to do during “down-time” (book, small game or cards)
- Sometimes we have extra time at camp or get stranded due to weather
Toiletries and personal hygiene items (we provide toilet paper)
Flashlight(s) and extra batteries
Small personal first aid (band-aids, ibuprofen, benadryl, meds you use or may use, etc). We have a larger first aid kit but it’s often convenient for you to have some available as well)
Extra shoes to wear around camp
Insect repellent
Don’t put any food or snacks in your bag – it could attract unwanted critters to your tent-If you want to bring something extra, give it to the guides to put with the food bags
We don’t have dry bags for everyone. Most of the time, the hatches will stay dry, though not all the time. You can wrap things in plastic bags, for extra caution (see below)
We have tents, but if you have your own that you like to use, bring it

Useful Kayak Camping Tips

Packing for kayaking is similar to packing for backpacking, except you don’t need to worry about weight – that means you can bring a whole toothbrush and toothpaste!
One of the many great things about sea kayaking is being able to pack all of our gear into compartments in the front and back of our boats. Your stuff will generally stay dry especially if the water is calm, but every now and then, water finds its way in so it’s best to give the important stuff a little extra water protection.
For extra security against a wet sleeping bag, before stuffing it into its stuff-sack, line the stuff-sack with a heavy duty garbage bag, then shove the sleeping bag in to the garbage bag rolling down the top of the garbage bag like you would for a paper sandwich bag then just tuck the ends in and cinch up the sack! (You can do the same thing with your clothes)
When you stuff your kayak, start by pushing the lightest, narrowest things way in – stuff well! Work your way to the center with heavier, wider things.
You’ll also need to carry some of the camping gear & food, which will be divided among the group
It’s a good idea to pack books and similar items in zip-lock baggies
Though kayaks have a lot of storage space, the compartments/hatches are often a strange shape, so big bulky objects are usually difficult to store – plan to break down your stuff into many smaller bags.

Who can we take on trips?

We assume everyone is a beginner. We’ll teach, train and guide you throughout the trip — but also respect the experiences you come with.
Participants should be able to:
- Understand basic instructions
- Manage personal care and mobility
- Enter and exit the kayak. You should be able to maintain a balanced upright position while seated.
- Be comfortable in water and able to float in an upright position with a life jacket.
- Weight restrictions - depending on where you carry your weight, somewhere around 275 lbs & heavier, can be prohibitive for this sport. If you have questions, please e-mail us.

Payment

When you’ve figured out where and when you want to do a trip with us, you’ll be directed to pay on-line.

Before June 15th, we’ll ask for a non-refundable 10% discount, with balance then 30 days before your trip start.

After June 15th, we ask that you pay the full amount. Refunds as follows:

If Whitecap Kayak must cancel your trip, (e.g. guide sickness) we will refund the total amount.
If you cancel the trip, (e.g. change in plans) up to a week before we’ll refund 90%
If you cancel the trip within the week leading to the trip we’ll refund 80%
If we mutually cancel the trip due to adverse conditions (and we can not find an alternate venue) we’ll refund 90%
You also may want to consider a tip for your guides 🙂