Sunny Cove Kayaking

Kayaking from Seward is a magical experience, whether you’re a new, or experienced paddler. Find yourself surrounded by the sweeping beauty of mountains, exploring the shoreline of glacial fjords while watching for wildlife. This seasoned operator offers up-close and personal tours of Resurrection Bay, Fox Island, and Kenai Fjords National Park, where you might see salmon swimming upstream in the waters below, a circus of puffins on the cliffs above, sea otters cruising by at eye level or the blow of a humpback whale in the distance.

Having a naturalist guide is key. Local guides have a love of sharing their knowledge of the temperate rainforest’s flora and fauna, the story behind the geology of the steep cliff walls, historic and current information about our indigenous cultures, and their knowledge of the migrations and life cycles of marine mammals and birds. Guides also are well-trained to keep everyone safe, have extensive medical training and most of all, a passion for sharing Alaska.

Sunny Cove Kayaking began as a small outfitter of two guides on Fox Island in 1996. They now about 20 guides and support staff, offering half-day, full-day and multi-day tours departing from Seward to Resurrection Bay, Fox Island and Kenai Fjords National Park.

Resurrection Bay

Tours range from 4 hours to 9 hours, and all begin with a fully narrated van tour through Seward’s harbor area and historic downtown, before arriving at the launch beach at Lowell Point. From here, the kayak guides take over, beginning with a short paddling and safety orientation. The shorter tours are best for those with limited time, and explore the shoreline of Resurrection Bay, while the longer tours include either beach walking, rainforest walking, or for the more ambitious, exploring hidden remnants from World War II.

Fox Island

This full-day tour combines a morning of kayaking with a hearty lunch aboard an afternoon cruise of Resurrection Bay. Departing from the Seward Boat Harbor on a Kenai Fjords Tours cruise, for a one-hour tour to Fox Island, where paddlers are dropped off to meet the kayaking guides. Each tour begins with a short paddling and safety orientation, followed by about 3 hours of kayaking the towering cliff walls and turquoise waters of Fox Island. Upon returning to Fox Island guests board another Kenai Fjords Tours cruise, exploring Resurrection Bay while enjoying lunch, before returning to Seward mid-afternoon.

Kenai Fjords National Park

The Kenai Fjords Wildlife Cruise & Glacier Kayak Combo begins with a privately chartered tour out to Aialik Bay’s Holgate Arm, for a once-in-a-lifetime experience kayaking near Holgate Glacier, one of Kenai Fjords National Parks breathtaking tidewater glaciers. This tour spends about three hours exploring by water, before heading to the beach for a picnic lunch. The private catamaran then picks up the group, spending a few more hours making its way back to Seward while searching out humpback whales, orca, puffins, sea lions, otters and seals.

Kenai Fjords can also be explored in-depth with a three-to-five-day kayak camping trip in either Aialik Bay or Northwestern Fjords. Sunny Cove will provide the guides, food, camping gear and all the kayaking gear, and will craft an itinerary based on what your group would most like to see or experience.

Whichever trip you choose, you’ll find out why so many people call the experience mind-blowing, or the best thing they did in Alaska. Not only are the tours a great value (starting at just $129), but they also offer a vivid education of this gorgeous area, and it’s all within your reach.