Tour Q1: Kayak Among the Whales
St. Lawrence R., Quebec, 6 days, 95 km (57 miles)

Kayak past beluga whales in the Saguenay Fjord, and minke, finback and great blue whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. To sea kayak among these leviathans is truly an experience of a lifetime. Our paddling area, the Saguenay - St. Lawrence National Marine Park, in Quebec in eastern Canada, is a marine paradise of huge tidal flats, marine mammals, and birds.

We return each day to our base at Les Escoumins. Various accommodation options are available: camping, bed and breakfast, condos (a limited number of two-bedroom seaside condos are held in reserve). Two-way shuttle from Quebec City airport (300 km) is also available.

Families with children too young to paddle can be accommodated as parents can alternate days of paddling (in which case only one person would be charged for the tour).

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Itinerary

The day prior to the tour (Sunday) meet at the guides chalet/condo, after 4:00 p.m. at Essipit. Directions are as follows: drive east from Tadoussac on Hwy 138 (north shore of St. Lawrence) for approximately 40 km (24 miles) to the village of Essipit, on the west end of Les Escoumins. Turn right into the village of Essipit (there are several road signs to Essipit) which lead to the main street, Rue De la Reserve, and follow this street until you see the red roofed chalets overlooking the St. Lawrence on Rue Anse a Jos. The condos Natakan are 500 meters further along. We will give you your key to your chalet/condo.

We begin each morning at 8:30 a.m. in front of the chalets/condos and return by 5:00 p.m. As well, each evening a 9:00 p.m. meeting will be held in the guides' chalet to plan the trip for the following day. Departure times may vary with tides and winds. In addition to the outlined itinerary, there will be opportunities to paddle in the early morning or evening.

• Day 1: Morning: orientation paddle and sea kayak instruction on inland lake near Grande Bergeronnes. Afternoon: We return to Essipit to pick up groceries/or lunch at a restaurant. We will paddle from the cove in front of the chalets - Minke, Finback and Great Blue whales frequent this area.
• Day 2: We drive to Bay St. Marguerite. We paddle with the tides on Saguenay Fjord From Baie Sainte Marguerite to Anse de Roche (12 km, 7.2 mi). Beluga whales are common in this section. We will kayak with the current, which can be several knots, in places. Remember to pack a lunch. We may in Tadoussac, as there are many good restaurants here.
• Day 3: St. Lawrence River: Chalets to Bergeronnes (20 km, 12 mi). Wear a wet suit on this section as the water is very cold. We plan this one-way sea kayak trip with the wind and tides, so direction may vary. Whales are common in this section (Minke, Finback, Beluga, Great Blue and possibly Sperm whales). We stop for lunch along the coast, so bring a lunch.
• Day 4: St. Lawrence River, from Grandes Bergeronnes (11 km, 7 mi). We will paddle in a large arc and return to the harbour. Minke and Finback whales are common within a few kilometers of shore. We have also seen the odd Humpback whale here in the last few years. The area has very large tidal flats. The harbour has a large viewing station with restaurant, showers, viewing platform and archaeological museum.
• Day 5: Grandes Bergeronnes to Tadoussac (18 km, 11 mi). There are strong tidal currents as we pass Pointe au Vaches, so we stay close to shore here.We can stop at La Grande Anse for Lunch. There is a 5.5 km stretch of very steep coast. If the weather is good, we can venture off-shore several kilometers, where Finback whales frequently congregate.
• Day 6: Chalets to Camp Bon Desir and Vicinity. Pre-trip briefing at 8:30 am.

EQUIPMENT YOU SUPPLY

Clothing: It may appear from the following list that you will be preparing for an arctic adventure! However, these clothes should keep you comfortable under poor weather conditions. Minimum of: warm jacket (i.e., for fall conditions) or windbreaker with pile/fleece (e.g. Polartec) liner or wool sweater, two long-sleeved shirts, two t-shirts (one of each for day-trips), two pairs of warm wool or synthetic socks, one pair of pants, shorts, swim suit, undergarments, rain suit, hiking boots, small towel.

Paddling gear: Cap, sun glasses, paddling jacket (synthetic windbreaker or rain-suit preferably with elasticized cuffs), short pants of synthetic material, neoprene booties or water sandals (e.g. Tevas) or running shoes, synthetic long underwear (top and bottom), plastic water bottle, head strap for glasses. A "Farmer John/Jane" wet suit will be supplied by Caribou Expeditions; however, to guarantee a good fit, a wet-suit can be purchased at many outdoor stores. Optional: Hand-held sighting compass

Note: Paddling clothes should be synthetic, or with minimal cotton.

Personal Gear:  Sunscreen, chap stick, bug dope, toilet paper, matches or lighter, small flashlight or headlamp, toothpaste, soap, etc. water bottle

Accommodation, Campsites: There are numerous accommodation options available nearby. However, we have reserved a number of condominiums beginning Sunday evening before the tour and ending the following Saturday morning ($895/condominium); the seaside condos can accommodate four persons. Alternatively, campsites are available nearby for approximately $110/week and can accommodate 2-3 tents. Please inform us of your accommodation plans.

Airport Shuttle: We provide a return shuttle from Quebec City airport (600 km round trip, $195 CDN/person).

EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES SUPPLIED BY CARIBOU EXPEDITIONS

Kayak and Accessories: Single person kayaks (Necky), and doubles (Current Designs Libra XT). Paddlers will be expected to trade-off singles for doubles throughout the trip. Each kayak comes with: sponge, paddle and spare, boat pump, whistle, spray skirt, poggies or neoprene gloves, personal flotation device (lifejacket). Wet suits are provided.

Please indicate your lifejacket size and wet suit size when you send deposit or trip balance.

Safety Equipment: First aid kit, marine radio, compass, tow line.

Basic Training: includes: packing the kayak, paddle strokes, wet exit and T-rescue.

Experienced Guide:
One guide per six clients. Your guides are experienced sea kayakers with training from the B.C.U. (British Canoe Union), C.P.R. and Wilderness First Aid. As well, your guides are experienced outdoors people who will help identify and interpret the flora, fauna and geology around you.

Vehicle Shuttle, Permits: Transportation to put-in each day, and park permits are included.