Alaska Otter Coast Solstice Expedition 2027
This remote kayak expedition originates in Sitka, served by several flights a day from Seattle making it easy to fly into. We partner with a local guide for outfitting and deep local knowledge. Remote multi-day kayak trips to this part of Alaska are very uncommon and feature some amazing tidal features, animal life, wild food foraging, and pure wilderness. We have done several trips to this region the last few years and it keeps getting better. You will paddle with rafts of sea otters, sea birds, seals, sea lions, and humpback whales on water, while on land you may encounter Sitka deer and talkative ravens along the Pacific coast of Baronof Island. This area is also home to large numbers of bald eagles and wild grizzly bears. Bears along this remote part of Alaska aren’t very interested in humans and always retreated into the dense forest whenever we’ve encountered them.
If your interests include navigation in areas where tidal currents rule days that are punctuated by fresh caught fish and huckleberry desserts, then read further. To give the best shot at a beautiful wilderness experience, we are paddling away from town on a one-way journey…with a boat pick-up scheduled at the end for your return to Sitka. We’re going to try to leave some time for foraging, photos, some fishing and perhaps a layover day or two by utilizing hub camps to do a deeper dive into each area. We’ll find ample freshwater along our route, setting up comfortable camps, we’ll work together on tactical bear hangs during this June trip, which is one of the least rainy months.
We start by hand picking a group of 4-6 paddlers and outfit them with excellent expedition gear ready for any weather. Level 3 skills are pretty much the baseline to expect: ability to paddle in 10-15 kt of wind, 2 kts current and 1-3 ft waves. Next, we provision with real food, bombproof tents and full-on safety gear. Jake, our head guide, will be partnering with our local guide to organize provisioning, cooking and campcraft
Itinerary
Note: We ask that you fly into Sitka the day prior to meet up to acclimate to local time and have time to sort luggage issues. Sitka is also a great town to visit, walkable and fun to visit, so extra time is highly recommended.
Day 1: (June 15)
Arrival day, Lodging on your own.
Day 2: June 16
2 pm meet up at Guide Base for gearing up and packing orientation.
Days 3 – 10
Launch Day: Leaving from Sitka, we paddle out to a first night camp and continue through a labyrinth of islands as we get more remote. We’ll invest our time in exploring nooks and crannies, tide races, river mouths (fishing for salmon anyone?), foraging for salmonberries and enjoying fresh rockfish for dinner, paddling wide open spaces and narrow channels. Expect to share this experience with humpback whales, sea otters, brown bears, sea lions, eagles, ospreys, seals, mink, and a variety of other wild creatures that call this remote wilderness home.
Day 11
Boat pick-up to transfer back to Sitka, hot showers, clean sheets, and a dinner out.
Day 12: June 26
Flights home or transfer to your own extended adventure!
Dates for 2027
- June 15 – 26
What’s Included
- Expedition sea kayaks
- Boat shuttle back to Sitka
- Permits and permit fees
- Professional guides
- Safety and group equipment
- Camping equipment
- Backcountry food and meal preparation
- Expedition outfitting and planning
What’s Not Included
- Airfare to and from Sitka
- Airport transfers
- Lodging in Sitka before or after the expedition
- Guide gratuities — 10%+ suggested
- Personal clothing and equipment identified on the packing list
- Personal expenses while in Sitka
What to Bring
Registration
NOTE: If a booking date shows on the calendar below, there is space available but always feel free to call or email with specific questions. If the trip is full and you’d like to be waitlisted, give us a call.
Reservations are held with a $1000 deposit. The price below reflects the full amount, including service fees; However, your initial payment will be a $1000 deposit (assuming you book 90+ days prior to the course).
The remaining amount due will be automatically charged to your credit card 90 days before the trip.
NOTE: You must choose the date of the trip you want before clicking on BOOK NOW. Be sure you are on the right month! You may need to choose the fare you want and then zero out the fare that the system initially chooses. Let us know if you have any difficulty.
What registration option should I choose?
- Joining by yourself? Choose Single Occupancy
- Joining as a couple or with a friend? Choose Double Occupancy
- Joining by yourself but willing to share a room? Choose Double Occupancy but realize we will adjust the price to single occupancy if we can’t find you a roommate.