High Tide Estuary Birding Paddle

A rare evening paddle through the hidden channels of the Campbell River Estuary, guided by Creek2Coast Paddlesports and Island Birding.

Some paddling experiences can't simply be scheduled for any Saturday afternoon.

For this one, we wait for the sun, moon, tides, and time of day to line up.

During the highest spring tides - when the gravitational pull of the sun and moon combine to produce exceptionally high water - the Campbell River Estuary transforms. Channels that are normally too shallow to paddle fill with water, opening passages through grasses, forests, and wetlands that feel a world away from the city nearby.

Our High Tide Estuary Birding Paddle is deliberately scheduled around the rare evenings when these 4-metre-plus tides coincide with the typically calmer conditions and beautiful light of late summer evenings.

Two Guides. Two Specialties. One Unique Experience.

This experience is a collaboration between Creek2Coast Paddlesports and Island Birding, combining professional kayak instruction and on-water leadership with dedicated birding expertise.

Adam Rosenbaum of Creek2Coast Paddlesports will lead the paddling side of the experience, providing the kayaks, equipment, instruction, route planning, and on-water safety. No previous kayaking experience is necessary.

Alongside him will be Juliette Saint Plancat, owner and tour operator of Island Birding.

Juliette's fascination with wildlife began during an extraordinary childhood spent travelling the world aboard her family's sailboat, crossing both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and encountering wildlife across vastly different ecosystems. After eventually settling on Vancouver Island, she pursued studies in ornithology and turned that lifelong fascination into Island Birding.

Juliette brings much more than the ability to identify a bird.

Her particular interest lies in recognizing patterns in bird physiology and behaviour and helping people notice the details in the natural world that are so easily overlooked. Her goal is to rekindle curiosity and help guests develop a deeper connection with the wildlife around them.

Learn more about Juliette and Island Birding

What We'll Explore

We'll launch in the early evening and follow the rising tide into the Campbell River Estuary, timing our paddle so that the highest water gives us access to its maze of back channels.

Along the way, Juliette will help us identify and interpret the birds we encounter, while Adam guides the group through the estuary and shares insight into the landscape, tides, history, and other wildlife around us.

Depending on the evening, we may encounter great blue herons, bald eagles, kingfishers, waterfowl, shorebirds and other coastal species, with the possibility of seals, river otters, beavers and other wildlife making an appearance as well.

Wildlife is wild, of course, so specific sightings can never be guaranteed - and that's part of the experience.

This isn't about checking as many species as possible off a list. It's about slowing down, getting into places that are rarely accessible by kayak, and seeing the estuary through the eyes of people who spend their lives paying attention to it.

What's Included

• Approximately 3 hours of guided paddling and birding
• Professional kayak guide and birding guide
• Premium sea kayak, paddle, PFD and paddling equipment
• Basic paddling instruction before launching
• Bird identification and interpretation throughout the experience
• Small group experience
• No previous kayaking or birding experience required

Why So Few Dates?

Because the estuary sets the schedule.

We specifically chose these evenings because 4-metre-plus spring tides coincide with the evening hours, giving us the combination of exceptionally high water, beautiful late-day light, and the opportunity for calmer paddling conditions.

We'll only run this experience when the tides give us the opportunity to do it properly.

Choose your preferred date above to reserve your spot. Space is limited.

A collaborative experience presented by Creek2Coast Paddlesports × Island Birding.