Whidbey Island kayaking tour review [2024]
Earlier this summer, we researched the top Pacific Northwest kayaking tours on Viator and did a write-up of our favorite finds. We had our eye specifically on Whidbey Island, Washington paddling trips, and we ended up booking a kayaking in Deception State Pass Park adventure in Bowman Bay…
In today’s article, we’ll share all about our sea kayaking adventure with Anacortes Kayak Tours in Bowman Bay – complete with our own Flatwater Kayak Club photos and videos of this beautiful bucket list island experience.
Some of the stunning Pacific Northwest wildlife and views we observed included:
Clear, glass-like saltwater and a cool morning breeze,
The massive, faded outline of the Olympic Mountains in the distance,
We observed a harbor seal, sea cucumbers, jellyfish, and LOTS of water birds,
And paddled along a beautiful bull kelp forest.
Family kayaking is one of our favorite Pacific Northwest activities.
About Deception Pass State Park
One of Washington State’s most popular parks, Deception Pass welcomes over 1 million visitors and residents to its trails and beaches annually. The state park includes two islands, connected by a series of beautiful bridges, and is a favorite spot to enjoy panoramic views, beautiful sunsets, rugged ocean cliffs and beaches, and old growth forests. There are also several campgrounds in the park. You can download a Deception Pass State Park park brochure here.
Safety note for kayakers: there are some gnarly, dangerous, and unpredictable waters in Deception Pass State Park. Don’t kayak without doing your research, having the proper skill level, and talking to local experts about where to paddle (and where not to paddle). We did not kayak under the famous bridge, so this article will not cover that stretch of water.
The view from atop Deception Pass State Park bridge. We did not paddle this route.
Discover Pass parking information
You must display a valid Discover Pass when parking at Deception State Park (there’s a $99 fee if you don’t). You can purchase your pass on-site or in advance. A day pass costs $10 and an annual pass is $30. If you get an annual pass, it works in all Washington State Parks for the year!
Pro tip: Bring exact cash in dollar bills. We noticed some of the machines were broken for credit card usage.
Bowman Bay
Our guided kayaking tour launched from Bowman Bay, a beautiful calm water bay in Deception Pass State Park. From there, our sea kayaking adventure followed around Coffin Rocks, Gull Rooks, and Rosario Head, to the Rosario Beach and Tidepools area, and then back to Bowman Bay beach. We also enjoyed expansive views of Fidalgo Island.
If you have your own sea kayak, you can launch from this bay put-in as well. Be sure to watch the weather, follow sea kayak safety (wear a PFD), and abide by all Deception Pass State Park rules and guidelines for visitors. When in doubt, call up Anacortes Kayak Tours.
This is a map poster hanging at Anacortes Kayak Tours in Bowman Bay.
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Deception Pass State Park kayaking tour information and 2024 review
Our tour was led by an amazing guide, Cora, of Anacortes Kayak Tours. They have a little kayak shop right at Bowman Bay in Deception Pass State Park.
Always in my happy place on the water.
Our Viator tour with Anacortes Kayak Tours
This is the exact tour that we booked and experienced this week: Kayaking in Deception Pass State Park on Viator. The total cost of our (unsponsored) kayak trip for 4 people (2 adults, 2 kids) for the early bird tour was USD $198.
All gear was included (kayaks, paddles, life jackets, spray skirts) and an expert guide on our small-group tour (it was only us!). Note this did not include the Discovery Pass parking fee.
For anyone wanting to enjoy the same tour we did, remember that they’re offered only seasonally April-September. Our guide was Cora, and she was amazing.
View of our kayaks at Bowman Beach before our guided calm water paddling experience.
Kayak tour highlights
Our 1.5-hour paddling tour in Bowman Bay was an incredible time for our whole family. There were few people out on the water at 9am. Most of the early morning water was glass-like and so serene. We glided, paddled, and steered easily in our tandem sea kayaks.
We spotted many jellyfish (including babies). Glided alongside rocks where bursts of orange dotted the shallow waters – they were sea cucumbers! One another amazing highlight was a curious harbor seal popping up from the water’s surface to watch us for a few minutes.
Our guide shared that other wildlife in the area include bald eagle and even basking shark! So keep your eyes peeled. And don’t worry, basking shark may be intimidating-looking, but they eat plankton. If luck is in your favor, could also see orcas or sea lions while paddling Bowman Bay.
Paddling around Bowman Bay in tandem sea kayaks.
Bull kelp is an incredible annual seaweed! It grows at an astonishing rate every day – sometimes as much as a foot or two in length! It can grow up to 100 feet in total each summer.
For the whole family, though, the big highlight of this paddle was experiencing the beauty and vitality of a wild bull kelp forest.
Recent Spring 2024 Skagit County marine studies show that this seems to be a healthy population of kelp – which is great news, as it’s a critical habitant for salmon, invertebrates, sea otters, and juvenile rockfish.
Bull kelp in this area is also important to many Indigenous communities, including the Samish Indian Nation. Learn more interesting facts about bull kelp here.
About Flatwater Kayak Club
Flatwater Kayak Club is a leading digital platform dedicated to supporting beginner and intermediate kayakers in the Pacific Northwest. Our company founder, a former writer for The National Geographic Channel and current ACA member, guides our mission with her passion for kayaking, nature, and storytelling.
