Ketchikan Sea Kayaking: Eagle Island from Port

You paddle a tandem kayak through Tongass National Forest instead of watching it from a boat.

Sea kayak tour from Ketchikan port to Eagle Island in Tongass National Forest, with van pickup, guide, equipment and safety briefing included. The paddle takes three and a half hours through protected waters where bald eagles, humpback whales, orca whales and starfish are common. Children from age 8 are welcome; maximum height 6'6" and weight 230 pounds.

Step-by-step itinerary

Kayak to Eagle Island in Ketchikan

• Van ride to Clover Pass
• Safety briefing and kayak introduction
• Paddle to Eagle Island
• Explore Tongass National Forest waters

The Experience

The van picks you up at the cruise port and drives to Clover Pass on Ketchikan's north end, where the waterfront facility sits ready. Your guide walks you through the tandem kayak, shows you the safety basics, and sends you out into protected waters that stay calm enough to actually paddle instead of fight the current. The whole setup—kayak, paddle, life jacket, spray skirt—is there waiting.

From Clover Pass you paddle toward Eagle Island through the Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the US. The water is sheltered, which is the whole point: it lets you move without wrestling the ocean, and it's where the wildlife actually shows up. Bald eagles, humpback whales, orca whales and starfish are what the operator lists as sightings, though what you see depends on the season and the day. The tranquil setting is what the guide's job is to help you notice—not to narrate it, but to be there when something moves.

Three and a half hours is the full time from pickup to drop-off. You'll need at least a moderate level of fitness to paddle that long, and the tandem kayak means you're sharing the work with a partner or the guide. Kids as young as 8 can go; the height and weight limits are 6'6" and 230 pounds per person. The van brings you back to the port when it's done, so you're back aboard with time to spare before departure.

What’s included

• Professional guide leading the paddle.
• tandem sea kayak, paddle, life jacket and spray skirt for each paddler.
• safety briefing before departure.
• van pickup from the cruise port and return drop-off.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Southeast Exposure Zipline & Kayaks

Is this one for you?Paddle through Clover Pass's protected waters where wildlife actually appears—tandem kayaks keep you moving without fighting the ocean, so you spend your port hours exploring instead of watching from a boat.

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Top questions

Can I kayak alone or do I have to share the tandem kayak?

The tour uses tandem kayaks, so you'll paddle with a partner or with the guide. This setup keeps the pace steady and the boat stable in the protected waters of Clover Pass.

What wildlife am I likely to see on the paddle to Eagle Island?

Bald eagles, humpback whales, orca whales and Alaskan starfish are the wildlife the operator lists for this route. What you actually see depends on the season and the day, but the sheltered waters of Tongass National Forest are where these animals are most likely to appear.

Is the van pickup from the cruise port included, or do I have to get to Clover Pass myself?

Port pickup and drop-off are included. The van takes you from the cruise terminal to Clover Pass at the north end of Ketchikan, and brings you back to the port when the paddle is finished.

How fit do I need to be to paddle for three and a half hours?

The operator asks for at least a moderate level of physical fitness. You're paddling a tandem kayak, so the work is shared, but the duration and the paddling itself require steady effort over the full three and a half hours.

Can my eight-year-old come on this kayak tour?

Children from age 8 are welcome on the tour. The tandem kayak means they'll paddle with you or the guide, and the protected waters of Clover Pass are calm enough for younger paddlers to manage safely with instruction.