About Us
Our Story:
Located on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia; Paddle West Kayaking offers sea kayak tours and kayak rentals (Tofino only) out of the seaside communities of Tofino and Ucluelet. Originally founded in 2001 by Chris Bowers, the company was purchased in the Spring of 2010 by long time Paddle West guides/managers Ryan Rogers & Nick Benton. As of 2013, Ryan Rogers is the sole owner and operator of Paddle West Kayaking leading a team of fantastic guides that offer an exceptional sea kayak experience.
What We Do
Our goal at Paddle West is to provide you with a fun and informative wilderness kayaking experience; and to leave you with a sense of wonder for the breathtaking sights of one of the world’s premier kayaking destinations. On all of our kayak tours you’ll be provided with the necessary equipment and instruction for an enjoyable paddle.
Our tours are as educational as they are fun. While kayaking through the islands and waterways surrounding Tofino and Ucluelet, our experienced professional guides will touch on subjects such as rainforest and ocean ecology, local wildlife, the cultural and historical significance of the first nation peoples (Nuu-chah-nulth), and the sensitivity of environmental issues which have captured the attention of the world.
As paddlers and nature enthusiasts we feel incredibly fortunate to be able to live in such awe inspiring surroundings as Clayoquot Sound (off Tofino) and Barkley Sound (off Ucluelet). Our great reward as guides is not only to be able to explore, on a daily basis, this area we feel so passionate about, but to be able to share the sport we love and our knowledge of this spectacular place with travellers from around the world. With it’s stunning backdrop of old growth temperate rainforest, white sandy beaches & snow capped peaks; and it’s incredible abundance and diversity of life; the west coast of Vancouver Island is one of the best places in the world to explore by kayak. At Paddle West we’ll provide you with the tools, experience and expertise to enjoy this stunning wilderness environment in the best way we know how; by sea kayak.
Environmental Commitment:
In this day in age with an abundance of environmental challenges we believe it is important for businesses to take responsibility for the inevitable impact we have on our surroundings. At Paddle West we try to mitigate those impacts as much as possible by using practices such as “leave no trace” ethics on our tours, and using locally made equipment and materials as much as possible. An example of this is our new 20′ by 30′ floating launch in Tofino, which we built using 100% locally salvaged wood.
Paddle West is committed to the environment. Each year we donate 1% of annual gross income to environmental non-governmental organizations. in Clayoquot Sound.
We also work to help educate the public on important issues such as temperate rainforest conservation and salmon conservation. Each year Paddle West Kayaking donates 1% or more of its gross revenue to ENGO’s working on environmental conservation, education and sustainability. This last year we made donations to two organizations:
The Raincoast Education Sociey is a community-based non profit society with a mission to help shape an environmentally sound future for the Clayoquot and Barkley Sound region through education and community stewardship. Funds go directly to environmental and cultural education programs, including their Young Naturalist programs, and the “More than Just Mud” educacattion program about the Tofino Mudflats.
To learn more or to donate visit: www.raincoasteducation.org
The Western Canada Wilderness Committee is based out of Vancouver BC, and is the largest grassroots environmental non-profit organization in British Columbia. They work on a variety of conservation campaigns including the Clayoquot Campaign to which we donate.
To learn more or to donate visit: www.wildernesscommittee.com
Other organizations we support:
We are happy to support Clayoquot Action a conservation organization committed to protecting the bio-cultural diversity of Clayoquot Sound. Clayoquot Action’s goals are achieved through public education, citizen research and monitoring, and advocacy. Clayoquot Action focuses much of their energy on the proposed copper mine on Catface Mountain, the proposed gold mine in Tranquil Inlet, raising awareness about tankers on the West Coast, and monitoring the effects of fish farms on wild salmon populations in Clayoquot Sound.
If you have visited the area by yourselves or been touched by the beauty through a kayak tour, please visit their website to learn more and if possible make a donation to the most effective ENGO on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.
Dan Lewis and Bonny Glambeck, the founders of Clayoquot Action are known for delivering entertaining and inspiring slide show·presentations on Clayoquot Sound. Check out Clayoquot: Sound of Freedom any·Tuesday at 8pm·in July or August at the Clayoquot·Community Theatre in Tofino. This show is not to be missed!
To learn more or to donate visit: www.clayoquotaction.org