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.
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.
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.
Tour Reviews
4.90 based on 10 reviews
Sarah Stoski
June 22, 2017
I hoped to learn some new SUP touring skills in this camp, but got a whole lot more out of it then I expected. Norm is a phenomenal teacher, Sarah made the most delicious (and healthy) meals, and we all shared a lot of laughs with new friends. The lodge was perfect and comfortable. And paddling around Quadra Island was amazing with pristine waters and a rich inter-tidal life that will stay with all of us forever. If you want to improve your SUP skills, gain significant ocean navigation knowledge, meet great people, and have an unforgettable adventure, I highly recommend this camp!
Tina Currie
August 16, 2017
Well been a bit and I still can’t stop thinking and talking about this trip with everyone I paddle with! The accommodations, food …did I mention the food thank you Sarah!!! The knowledge/ education shared by Norm and rest of the crew was amazing! The sea life is outstanding and so proud and honoured to be able to share this experience with this crew and plan to keep learning on my SUP! I can’t recommend this experience enough to all!
Thank you Norm & Sarah
Hunter Sones
December 27, 2017
Possibly the best multi-day paddling experience of my life. Learning and exploring with Norm Hann is an absolute honour and privilege. The food was amazing as were the sights that we saw over the 5 days that we were there. Being able to learn coastal navigation skills with a guide as knowledgeable as Norm was an experience that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. 11/10 recommendation for this camp!
James Headrick
October 12, 2018
Loved this trip and the education, the food was amazing as was the location! Is this where I take my level 2?!
Heather Martin
September 23, 2020
Paddling in and around Surge Narrows is a truly fantastic experience. With Norm and Tina’s phenomenal guiding and leadership you will definitely come away from this trip with more confidence having learned new skills and an appreciation for how dynamic and incredible the ocean can be. The lodge is a very comfortable place to unwind and reflect with your fellow paddlers after a fun day on the water and Sarah prepares the most delicious meals! I feel very fortunate to have shared this experience with an amazing group of people…. looking forward to going back next year!
Thank you so much Norm, Tina and Sarah
Olivia Bevan
September 23, 2020
I will be forever grateful to Norm, Sarah and Tina for creating this unforgettable opportunity to discover this magical area, and for sharing their knowledge and appreciation of the landscape, the ocean, and the life within it. It was an incredibly powerful, moving experience and I found it heartbreakingly difficult to leave.
Wendy Mills
June 1, 2021
Amazing! A very special experience and more than I expected in every way. Being in nature, connecting, learning, growing and improving my SUP skills made it an experience I will keep close to my heart. The timing of the experience made it even more meaningful as the last year with Covid has been very challenging and being with other like minded souls to connect on a deeper level made me even more grateful to Norm and Tina for their support.
Meribeth Tikkanen
September 23, 2021
A simply incredible trip to the Discovery Islands! The scenery was spectacular and it offered a great opportunity to learn and reflect. I was looking forward to getting a better understanding of paddling on strong currents. There was an opportunity to develop those skills needed to ferry across the moving water in a supportive environment. We also spent time with tour planning, learning how to read current and tide charts.
The area is filled with abundant marine life and we saw a variety of starfish, oysters, scallops, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, sea lions, seals, porpoises, eagles, and herons.
I can’t say enough about the passion and experience that Norm and Tina bring to guiding and coaching the group of paddlers. The food was outstanding too. I enjoyed the trip so much, I have even done it twice!
Jane Creed
September 26, 2021
What an ian incredible trip . Powerful and. peaceful with a lot of fun and excellent food thrown in . I can’t recommend this enough.
Trish
May 30, 2022
This trip is exactly what I needed. The accomodations / location are perfect. The food supplied by Amy was delicious, healthy and plentiful. Tina and Neil make the perfect team for guiding and paddling instruction. Thay absolutely went above and beyond to help us as individuals improve our technique while giving us a magical tour around Quadra Island along with fun and education on the eco system there. I will go again.
Tour Reviews
I hoped to learn some new SUP touring skills in this camp, but got a whole lot more out of it then I expected. Norm is a phenomenal teacher, Sarah made the most delicious (and healthy) meals, and we all shared a lot of laughs with new friends. The lodge was perfect and comfortable. And paddling around Quadra Island was amazing with pristine waters and a rich inter-tidal life that will stay with all of us forever. If you want to improve your SUP skills, gain significant ocean navigation knowledge, meet great people, and have an unforgettable adventure, I highly recommend this camp!
Well been a bit and I still can’t stop thinking and talking about this trip with everyone I paddle with! The accommodations, food …did I mention the food thank you Sarah!!! The knowledge/ education shared by Norm and rest of the crew was amazing! The sea life is outstanding and so proud and honoured to be able to share this experience with this crew and plan to keep learning on my SUP! I can’t recommend this experience enough to all!
Thank you Norm & Sarah
Possibly the best multi-day paddling experience of my life. Learning and exploring with Norm Hann is an absolute honour and privilege. The food was amazing as were the sights that we saw over the 5 days that we were there. Being able to learn coastal navigation skills with a guide as knowledgeable as Norm was an experience that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. 11/10 recommendation for this camp!
Loved this trip and the education, the food was amazing as was the location! Is this where I take my level 2?!
Paddling in and around Surge Narrows is a truly fantastic experience. With Norm and Tina’s phenomenal guiding and leadership you will definitely come away from this trip with more confidence having learned new skills and an appreciation for how dynamic and incredible the ocean can be. The lodge is a very comfortable place to unwind and reflect with your fellow paddlers after a fun day on the water and Sarah prepares the most delicious meals! I feel very fortunate to have shared this experience with an amazing group of people…. looking forward to going back next year!
Thank you so much Norm, Tina and Sarah
I will be forever grateful to Norm, Sarah and Tina for creating this unforgettable opportunity to discover this magical area, and for sharing their knowledge and appreciation of the landscape, the ocean, and the life within it. It was an incredibly powerful, moving experience and I found it heartbreakingly difficult to leave.
Amazing! A very special experience and more than I expected in every way. Being in nature, connecting, learning, growing and improving my SUP skills made it an experience I will keep close to my heart. The timing of the experience made it even more meaningful as the last year with Covid has been very challenging and being with other like minded souls to connect on a deeper level made me even more grateful to Norm and Tina for their support.
A simply incredible trip to the Discovery Islands! The scenery was spectacular and it offered a great opportunity to learn and reflect. I was looking forward to getting a better understanding of paddling on strong currents. There was an opportunity to develop those skills needed to ferry across the moving water in a supportive environment. We also spent time with tour planning, learning how to read current and tide charts.
The area is filled with abundant marine life and we saw a variety of starfish, oysters, scallops, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, sea lions, seals, porpoises, eagles, and herons.
I can’t say enough about the passion and experience that Norm and Tina bring to guiding and coaching the group of paddlers. The food was outstanding too. I enjoyed the trip so much, I have even done it twice!
What an ian incredible trip . Powerful and. peaceful with a lot of fun and excellent food thrown in . I can’t recommend this enough.
This trip is exactly what I needed. The accomodations / location are perfect. The food supplied by Amy was delicious, healthy and plentiful. Tina and Neil make the perfect team for guiding and paddling instruction. Thay absolutely went above and beyond to help us as individuals improve our technique while giving us a magical tour around Quadra Island along with fun and education on the eco system there. I will go again.
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