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Why Choose Crystal Seas?
Our previous guests (scroll
down) say it all. Many of our guests have either signed up among other tours to
kayak San Juan Island with us before or were referred to us by a friend. We take great pride in this and are always making sure that this level of commitment remains the same.

Our team of employees
are
some of the best in the business (get acquainted with our staff
below). We at Crystal Seas want to distinguish ourselves among tour
companies and the kind of tours offered. We are able to do this with
quality staff. This is why we invest a lot in our staff, from the people
who reply to your emails, mail and phone calls to those that organize
the tours and maintain equipment, not to mention the smiling faces that
you see on the water. We challenge them to outdo themselves and reward
them for their commitment and excellence. This is how we maintain one of
the lowest levels of employee turnover in the field, and if you are one
of the many guests who return year after year to
kayak the Pacific Northwest
or to kayak
South Florida, you’ll probably encounter some of the same
pleasant personalities which continue to make up the Crystal Seas team.
The safety of our guests (scroll down)
and employees is the
main factor which governs all of our activities. We are
a well established organization with a spotless safety
record and do everything possible to maintain this
status from the basics of personal flotation devices to
guides trained in water rescue, first-aid and
cardiopulmonary resuscitation to a full-time office
which can support and coordinate in times of need. In
addition our guides have full authority to re-route or
cancel a tour when the conditions aren’t safe.
We are always looking for ways to improve our
tours and ensure the highest quality possible. One of
the many ways which we do this is by using the very best
equipment and gear for what we offer.
We run our tours in most beautiful
areas we can find.
For example, kayaking the
San Juans is an amazing and
one of a kind experience. Crystal Seas run three hour
and full day tours there from the picturesque west side
of San Juan Island. We feel this is the prime kayaking
destination on San Juan Island for scenery, wildlife and
overall kayaking experience, including
killer whale kayaking.
The west side of San Juan Island is the only area in the
San Juan Islands where you will have a decent chance of
witnessing members of the resident J, K and L pods of
orca whales. You’ll have the chance to catch them when
you sign up for our
kayak orca
tour.
Small groups and a low participant to guide
ratio, normally 6 to 1 or less, give our trips a
personal touch. This allows our guides to focus on our
guests individual needs and desires, therefore providing
them with a superior kayaking experience.
Many of our guests find that getting to and from our
launch sites isn’t always that easy. For this reason we provide complimentary transportation
from various
central locations.
The Crystal
Seas
Team
We feel that our staff
greatly reflects on our company and simply spoken, our
staff is fantastic. We take great pleasure in knowing
that we have one of the most experienced teams in the
kayaking industry and continuously work at educating and
challenging ourselves to higher levels. We know what we
do inside and out and it shows, from the exquisite meals
that we prepare on our multi-day camping expeditions to
accommodating a guest whose travel plans have gone awry.
Our staff consists of
friendly outdoor enthusiasts, each one bringing a unique
flavor to the team. Every year we are happy to see our
past guides return and excited to bring new faces on
board. Many of our employees are graduated college
students who have majored in the sciences. We seek out
only the best, most qualified individuals who display
the same leadership, integrity and enthusiasm for which
our company was founded upon. Many of our guests return
year after year and we see this as a reflection of our
wonderful staff.
Johannes -
Johannes first sat in
the seat of a kayak when he was five years old with his
father along the shores of San Juan Island. He
started guiding tours at the young age of nineteen.
What started as a summer job, turned into a fulltime
career. With an eye towards commitment and
quality, he has been a significant factor in making
Crystal Seas Kayaking what it is today.
Today you will find Johannes planning
tours for our guests or guiding a trip along the
west-side of San Juan Island. You can still sense
his commitment to providing our guests with the highest
quality kayak tours imaginable. Mail keeps pouring into
the office addressed to Johannes, reminding us of how
‘top rate’
Crystal Seas has become.
Tim - A
Colorado
native and a Crystal Seas legend,
Tim has been with us since 2001. He
pioneered
our
Everglades and Maine programs.
Not only will he show you the ins and outs of all the
wildlife surrounding you, but with his white water
skills and gear savvy, you'll return from a trip with
him with the confidence to paddle anything.
Mark - Mark began guiding for Crystal Seas
in 2002 as a summer job while he was going to college to
obtain a degree in music. Also a Colorado native,
Mark has grown up in the outdoors, paddling river rapids
in the warm months and skiing in the winter.
Nowadays when he is not guiding on the water in Maine,
you can find him skiing competitively around North
America.
John
Fyrqvist
- A San Juan Island native and third year kayak guide,
John graduated at the top of his high school class and
won first place in the Regional Ocean Sciences Bowl
"Orca Bowl" in 2004 and 2005, and won second place in
the National Ocean Sciences Bowl. Nowadays he is a
student at The
University of Notre Dame.
During the summer you will enjoy his knowledge and fun
personality on the water.
John Gossom
- Growing up in the San Juan Islands sparked Johns love
for the great outdoors. He prefers kayaking,
backpacking, canoeing, trekking and diving around the
world when he is not at college finishing his degree in
Chemistry. His sense of adventure makes trips with
John fun and entertaining. This is his third year
guiding tours in the San Juan Islands.
James - An avid outdoorsman and third
year kayak guide, James spent time backpacking, sailing
and sea kayaking along Baja's Peninsula to complete his
degree with the National Outdoor Leadership School and
also has received his certificate as a Wilderness First
Responder. James' fun and colorful
personality will keep you laughing while on the water or
biking.
Katie - Katie came to Crystal Seas as a
Biologist and Marine Science Instructor. Her love
of teaching makes her trips interesting and her
energetic personality keeps her trips fun. She is
great at pointing things out that you might miss along
the way. This is Katie's second year guiding
kayaking and bicycling tours.
Danny - Danny the All American Kayak Guide!
He grew up in the San Juan Islands, playing sports,
coaching, volunteering, and creating the strong work
ethic that he has today. Danny recently took a
quarter off of college to cycle Australia's east
coast. This is his second year guiding kayak tours
in the San Juan Islands.
Carrie -
Carrie grew up canoeing and kayaking on the lakes and rivers around her
home town in Maine. She became a registered Maine Sea Kayaking Guide in
the spring of 2004 and graduated from Denison University in 2006. She
has also been kayaking in New Zealand, Australia, Bermuda, and the
Florida Everglades (where she guides for Crystal Seas during the
winter). In the summer you can find her guiding bike and kayak
trips in the San Juan's as well as on Mount Desert Island in Maine.
Angie -
Angie grew up in the San Juan Islands and is the
friendly
face in the office at Crystal
Seas in Friday Harbor.
She'll help you choose which tour is best for you
through e-mail and phone calls
and give you advise about where to dine and stay.
She truly loves helping you plan
your vacation.
Safety
First…
The
safety of our guests is of the utmost importance.
Between the equipment chosen for your use, the
first-aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, thorough on-
and off-water safety training that all of our guides
have received and the safety equipment that we use, you
as a guest will feel safe and comfortable while out on
the water with us.
Quality
Equipment…
We pride
ourselves in using the highest quality equipment, gear
and supplies in all aspects of our company. We enjoy and
are proud of what we do and this attitude can be seen in
all of the fine details of our tours. For these reasons
we are always looking for better, stronger, lighter,
more efficient and more comfortable gear to make our
trips better and more enjoyable for you.
Spreading
the Word…
We have been
reviewed in many forms of media ranging from television
to newspapers and magazines and most importantly by our
guests. We take these reviews very seriously and are
always adjusting and modifying what we do based on what
our guests have to say. Below you will find various
quotes and a list of various critiques.
We've been
favorably reviewed by:
Outside
Magazine: Family Vacation Guide
Oprah
KTTV / Fox
Television Los Angeles
Seattle
Times Newspaper
Eddie Bauer
Newspaper for Eddie Bauer Associates
Family Fun
Magazine
Hidden Pacific NW
Fodor's Berkely Guide
USA Weekend Magazine
Lonely Planet Pacific Northwest
Washington Handbook Moon Travel Publications
Essential San Juan Islands Guide
Boatless in
Seattle
Disney's
Wild Animal Kingdom
Here are a
few guest comments:
"I just got back from a 4
day Everglades trip with Dave K. as our
guide, and I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed
it. It is no exaggeration to say it was the perfect
trip. Just the right amount of challenge,
adventure, and relaxation. Dave did everything in
his power to make it a great trip for everyone,
including making a real effort to find the different
types of wildlife everyone wanted to see. I really
felt that he molded the trip to accommodate the
wishes of the group. He also seemed to have a
really good ability to judge the physical abilities
of the group and suited the paddling for everyone’s
comfort. We were also blessed to have an extremely
compatible group considering we were all strangers
with various levels of ability and experience. The
food was amazing. Every night we were so surprised
to see what Dave could concoct with a 2-burner camp
stove, a couple of pots and a couple skillets. We
certainly did not sacrifice anything where dining
was concerned! Your company runs a really well
organized and efficient trip, and Dave is a
fantastic guide. I would
definitely recommend your group to anyone who asked,
and I look forward to traveling with Crystal Seas in
the future. Thanks again for a great adventure!"
-Lisa Mazzocchi
"We just wanted
to tell you how wonderful our Everglades tour was. Pete
is an excellent guide: knowledgeable, funny, a great
cook, and all around good guy. He went over and above in
his efforts to make our experience exciting and
interesting. Thanks and we will surely be looking
forward to some of your other tours in other locations
in the future."
-Sandy and Gary Holstei
"I
was
referred by a previous guest who said you have the best
guides, they were right."
-April Bucholz
"Hard not to
have a perfect trip…beautiful weather, gorgeous islands,
fun group and guides, delicious eats, wonderful
atmosphere… exhilarating. Just what I needed before
beginning medical school! You guys have an awesome
company! I’ll be back!" -Kerri Zimmerman
"This was a
great trip you guys are terrific. We'll be back." -Anne Scalapino
"Jake made
the trip worthwhile, educational & fun." -Lee Dixon
"Thank you. Mike was great. We really enjoyed ourselves!"
-The Gavan Family
"I thought the tour was perfect. Mike was Great." -Jon Strasman
"Perfect!" -Keeton Gamwell
"Excellent! It was such a great experience! Jake was
friendly, fun & informative!" -Kathy Watkins
"Your guide (Ryan) was great. I've taken a lot of guided
tours and he was one of the best."
-Lonnieta Payne
"Ready to buy one tomorrow." -Willow Atwood
"This was a blast! Little more salt on the kelp!" -Brett
"This was a very enjoyable experience!" -Jim Jackson
"Had a blast! Will come again." -Julie O'Brian
Dear Crystal Seas,
My fianceé and I would like to thank you for an awesome
experience among the 3 pods of orcas we fortunately came
across. Our guide was excellent, the equipment was in
great condition and the sunset was splendid!"
-Sincerely, Rob Barth
Hi!
I was out in Washington last week and went on one of
your kayaking trips on Monday the 14th. I just wanted to
tell you what a great time I had. Mike and Jake were
our guides and they did an excellent job. They answered
every question I asked (and I asked a lot of questions),
and they were really friendly. The next time I'm out
there, I will definitely go kayaking with you guys
again. I liked it so much that I am looking for places
out here in Boston to take kayaking lessons. I'm hoping
to find a place that will teach me how to use a single
kayak; I think it would be more challenging. So, thanks
I had a blast. Kayaking was definitely the highlight of
my vacation. Sincerely,
-Alycia Thornton
Dear Johannes & Ryan,
Tracy and I want to thank you both for a wonderful
kayaking adventure. What could have been an expensive
and disastrous day turned out to be an exciting and
memorable trip to Friday Harbor and its waters. Your
commitment to customer service is rare and very, very
much appreciated. In addition to being accommodating,
you were pleasant. Thank you! And good luck in all that
you endeavor.
Nancy"
Johannes:
Thanks again for an excellent kayak trip on the evening
of July 8. What a spectacular show the whales gave. It
is something Julie and I will never forget. We were so
pumped up when we got home we took our kids to see "Free
Willy 2." Keep up the good work. Julie and I really
enjoy kayaking on your tours. The small group size is
the way to go and your attitude about sitting quietly
and letting the whales come to us is commendable. We
will be back.
Take care.
Dear Johannes,
Judy and I had a great time out at the San Juans. The
highlight of our stay was the kayaking tour we took with
you back on May 6. You may be interested to know that
the other couple on the trip had such a good time that
when they returned to Portsmouth, NH they went out and
bought a couple of sea kayaks. I have some friends that
will be visiting San Juan later this summer and I
recommended they take the tour with you.
Yours Truly,
Rick Haltmaier
We wanted to say a special thank you for excellent
customer service. As one team member said, "I expected
to be cold and wet, but my feet never even got wet."
Guides were knowledgeable, attentive and obviously enjoy
their work!
Thanks,
The ATT Wireless Team Building Group
Dear Crystal Seas Kayaking,
Our kayaking trip was an awesome and unforgettable
experience. Our 17 yr old son is so envious and hoping
to kayak with you in the near future.
Yours truly,
Caroline Preusch
Dear Johannes, Sea kayaking in the San Juans
was terrific! You made it especially fun because of your
knowledge of the wildlife I'd really like to come back
and do a trip over several days.
Keep me posted,
Linda Laurent
Giving Back...
Crystal Seas supports many charities by making donations to causes
we feel are important. Here are some of the foundations that
we are happy to contribute to:
Soundwatch/Whale
Museum
http://www.whale-museum.org/programs/soundwatch/soundwatch.html
Wolf Hollow Rehabilitation Center
http://www.wolfhollowwildlife.org/
Washington Environmental Council
http://www.wecprotects.org/Home/
Conservation Northwest
http://www.conservationnw.org/
The Homelessness Project
http://www.thpinfo.org/
UNICEF
http://www.unicef.org/
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/hm_lls
Three Loaves Fund http://www.pilgrim-uganda.org/
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