Price: $2575 + tax

Dates: May 26-30, 2024

Check In Time: 3:00pm Day 1

Check Out Time: 11:00pm Day 5

Guides: Norm Hann, Tina Currie

Location: Discovery Island Lodge, Quadra Island, B.C.

Prerequisites Previous flatwater standup paddleboarding experience required.

Costs Include the Following:

  • 4 nights accommodation at the cozy Discovery Island Lodge
  • Use of all facilities including outdoor showers and wood fire sauna.
  • 5 days of guided and interpretive paddle tours and touring specific instruction.
  • Nutritious and delicious local meals from dinner on day 1 to brunch on day 5 provided by our talented wilderness chef, Amy Bender
  • All paddleboarding and safety equipment. (You are welcome to bring your own touring board)

Price Does Not Include the Following

  • Travel to and from Quadra Island.
  • Gratuities

Payment

A $500 deposit is required at the time of booking to secure your place on the expedition with the balance to be paid 60 days prior to trip departure. Full payments can be made via email transfer to explore@normhann.com. 

Cancellations

Read about our cancellation policy here. Please email explore@normhann.com if you need to cancel at any time.

 

Experience the Magic of Paddling the Discovery Islands.

Our Discovery Islands Ocean Camp offers a relaxing five days of sup touring in and around the magnificent Surge Narrows Marine Park. The waters around Quadra Island offer an incredible place for connection, cultural history and exploration. Included in National Geographic Canada’s 50 Places of a Lifetime, the Discovery Islands are a standup paddle boarders paradise and considered to be one of the West Coast’s best kept secrets. The Islands host abundant wildlife and are home to sea lions, seals, pacific white sided dolphins, otters, colorful birds and some of the largest starfish and clams in the world. Playful seals and seal pups often approach the boards. Even transient Orcas and Humpback Whales have at times been spotted during this trip. Our week takes place at the beautiful family owned, Discovery Islands Lodge on Quadra Island. The Lodge is adjacent to Surge Narrows Marine Park which is one of the most biologically diverse ocean environments in the Pacific Northwest.

This week also provides an opportunity to learn some of the finer points of sup touring with instructional topics on decision making, weather, group dynamics and learning how to read current charts. We spend time on water improving forward strokes, navigating mild tidal currents and enjoying full days out on the water with ocean side lunches.

Come and experience the deeper connections to the land and to yourself that this experience provides. We look forward to sharing our expertise and the incredible destination of the Discovery Islands with you.

What to Bring

** We will be staying at Discovery Island Lodge with all the amenities and this gear list is for paddling. Bring want you want to wear for hanging out at the lodge.

NOTE: Discovery Island Lodge supplies a bed sheet and pillow but you will need to bring a sleeping bag and towel.

Paddling Equipment

  • Inflatable or Hard Touring Board, Paddle, PFD, Coil Leash, Paddle and drybags provided unless you would like to bring your own.

Clothing & Extras

  • booties/ sandals/water shoes
  • Upper and lower body clothing system. We personally wear Vaikobi VCold Flex Pant and V Cold L/S Base.
  • Board shorts
  • Waterproof jacket and pants
  • Mid Layer fleece or Puffy Jacket
  • Toque
  • Hat
  • Wetsuit or Drysuit
  • Paddling Gloves if your hands are sensitive to cold
  • water bottle
  • thermos (for tea, coffee or hot water)
  • sunscreen
  • sunglasses with attachment
  • notebook/journal/reading material
  • camera, batteries
  • headlamp with extra batteries

Contact Us if you have any other questions about gear and equipment.

Camp Itinerary: This is a tentative itin

Day 1 – 3:00pm is check in time at Discovery Island Lodge so you can take the 2:30pm ferry as it is a 30 minute ride from the ferry to Discovery Island Lodge. You can also take an earlier ferry, on every half hour, and get over to Quadra Island early for some exploration. There is an amazing bookstore next to the grocery store 5 minutes away as you get off the ferry.  After meet and greet and some snacks we will head out for an hour paddle to explore the local area while working on paddling skills and building comfort on the boards if you have not been out paddling for awhile. Approximately paddling distance: 6-7km

Day 2: After a delicious morning breakfast we will introduce a decision making model before getting on the water for a full day exploring Reid and Maurelle Islands. We will be searching for First Nation’s pictographs while keeping a watchful eye for the local marine life. We will be out on the water for lunch and will return prior to dinner where we will have the sauna stoked up for you and ready for your use. After dinner we will have a mini talk on tides and currents and how to read a current chart before enjoying the sunset and great conversation in the Great Room. Approximate paddling distance: 12-15km

Day 3: After some morning movement, another nutritious breakfast, and picking our Great Bear Oracle card for the day we will head out for a full day exploration of the amazing Surge Narrows Marine Park with it’s incredible intertidal life, eagles, seals and stunning beauty. We will also have the opportunity navigate some light moving water while enjoying all of the nooks and crannies of this very special area. Lunch will be at one of our favourite island locations allowing us to watch the currents coming and going. Then we will head back to the lodge for another sauna and relaxation before dinner and another fun evening of interpretive touring talks. Approximate paddling distance: 12-13km

Day 4: If the tides, currents and weather are in our favour we will head north to the spectacular Octopus Marine Park where we will have lunch while enjoying the scenic islands that make up this beautiful mini archipelago. This will also be our longest day of paddling of approximately 20km. If we cannot make it to Octopus Island then we will explore areas of Surge Narrows Marine Park that we have not yet visited. Our final evening will be spent relaxing at the lodge, enjoying the mountain views and connecting with your new paddling friends. Approximate paddling distance: Octopus Islands 20km, Surge Narrows 12-13km

Day 5: After a delicious early morning coffee or tea will we be on the water for a meditative sunrise paddle before coming back to the lodge for brunch and our final wrap up and take aways before checking out from the lodge at 11am and heading to the ferry back Vancouver Island.

Lodge life.