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/