Kayaking Skills Saturna Island has earned 35 five-star Google reviews from kayakers across Canada and beyond. Our students and tour guests share their experiences learning sea kayaking, taking Paddle Canada certified courses, and exploring the Gulf Islands by kayak with instructors Fred Shadian and Ruth Daber on Saturna Island, BC.
Our reviewers come from Vancouver, Calgary, Victoria, and as far as Colorado and beyond. They consistently highlight Fred and Ruth's patient teaching style, deep local knowledge of Saturna Island waters, and ability to build confidence in paddlers of all ages and skill levels.
Whether you are taking your first kayaking lesson, working toward Paddle Canada certification, or joining a guided sea kayak tour of the Southern Gulf Islands, we invite you to read what our guests have to say.
Google Reviews — Kayaking Skills Saturna Island
Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Our family enjoyed an extraordinary experience on the Kayaking Skills Saturna tour, which was made even more special by having relatives visiting from Ireland. The tour was designed to accommodate participants of all kayaking skill levels, ensuring that everyone felt comfortable and included. Ruth, our guide, was exceptionally knowledgeable and provided expert instruction throughout the tour. Her guidance helped each participant feel safe and confident while on the water, regardless of previous kayaking experience. The kayak dock at Lyall Harbour offered a variety of possible destinations for our adventure. On the day of the tour, Ruth chose a route based on the weather conditions. We paddled around Payne Point, passed Crocker Point, and explored the south shore of Saturna. The weather was ideal, with clear skies and calm water, allowing us to fully appreciate the stunning scenery. This kayaking tour provided an unforgettable experience for our family. It is highly recommended for both beginners and seasoned kayakers who are seeking an unforgettable paddling adventure.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had a great time on the Level 1 skills course with Ruth! She was friendly, encouraging, and made learning enjoyable and empowering. Really appreciated how flexible they were with our schedule, and we left feeling inspired and excited to take another course in the future. Highly recommend!Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had the pleasure of completing our level 1 skills course with Ruth last week and we had a great time! Ruth and Fred were extremely flexible and accommodating and able to offer a training that worked with our schedule. Ruth was also so patient with us while we practiced our wet exits. We couldn’t have asked for a better instructor. Thanks again Ruth and Fred! We will be back!Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great afternoon Kayaking with Fred, perfect way to explore the local islands and beaches! The office and cafe are located right next to the BC Ferry terminal, perfect location. Thanks again, hope to see you on the water soon!Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Fred and Ruth are great. Generous, friendly, caring, and knowledgeable. I look forward to paddling with Fred again.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Highly recommended! I took a Paddle Canada Sea Kayaking Skills Level 1 with Fred and he was truly mazing with us. I was quite a beginner at kayaking, English is not my first language, and he took the time for us to acquire every aspect of the Level 1. I had a great time discovering this wild and peaceful island too. Thanks a lot Ruth and Fred for this experience. I'm gonna try to find asap a time to come back and improve my sea kayaking skills with you.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Highly recommend renting a kayak here. My wife and I are fairly new to kayaking and Fred took the time to show us the routes that are safe and still had lots to see. Fred also took extra time to show us some basic boat skills. The dock is very close to ferry terminal, so the location is perfect.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had an amazing time! Fred went above and beyond to ensure we'd have an excellent experience. Fred took some amazing photos of our group, and suggested a great route. Thank you, Fred! We hope to visit again sometime soon :)Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Fred is an amazing teacher! We went on a tour with him, and he gave us tips and tricks and built our confidence. We felt so comfortable that we went out on our own the next day. Not only that, he’s super friendly and lovely. Highly recommend Kayaking Skills. The cafe his partner runs is also delicious. Such a great experience!Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My 8yo granddaughter was worried about an upcoming 4H outing that would require her to kayak so I arranged for Fred to give her a lesson (the adults paddled along). As the lesson began worries escalated, tears were shed, but Fred handled it all very professionally and gracefully. At one point she ran aground and it seemed that all gained confidence might be lost. He remained calm and taught her how to deal with the situation; he even took her back later to "the scene of the crime" to prove that she could handle it. In less that 2 hours, he turned an anxious little girl into a kayak-confident one. She is now looking forward to her 4H outing. A huge "THANKS" to Fred!Load moreGoogle rating score: 5.0 of 5, based on 35 reviews
"What Our Guests Say — Google Reviews"
Paul Kernan — North Vancouver, BC ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Our family enjoyed an extraordinary experience on the Kayaking Skills Saturna tour, which was made even more special by having relatives visiting from Ireland. The tour was designed to accommodate participants of all kayaking skill levels, ensuring that everyone felt comfortable and included. Ruth, our guide, was exceptionally knowledgeable and provided expert instruction throughout the tour. Her guidance helped each participant feel safe and confident while on the water, regardless of previous kayaking experience. The kayak dock at Lyall Harbour offered a variety of possible destinations for our adventure. We paddled around Payne Point, passed Crocker Point, and explored the south shore of Saturna. This kayaking tour provided an unforgettable experience for our family. Highly recommended for both beginners and seasoned kayakers seeking an unforgettable paddling adventure.”
Lisa Ngo — Local Guide ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“We had the pleasure of completing our Level 1 skills course with Ruth last week and we had a great time! Ruth and Fred were extremely flexible and accommodating and able to offer a training that worked with our schedule. Ruth was also so patient with us while we practiced our wet exits. We couldn’t have asked for a better instructor. Thanks again Ruth and Fred! We will be back!”
Me L — Local Guide ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Highly recommended! I took a Paddle Canada Sea Kayaking Skills Level 1 with Fred and he was truly amazing with us. I was quite a beginner at kayaking, English is not my first language, and he took the time for us to acquire every aspect of the Level 1. I had a great time discovering this wild and peaceful island too. Thanks a lot Ruth and Fred for this experience. I’m gonna try to find a time to come back and improve my sea kayaking skills.”
Selby Wilkinson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“We did the Scenic Saturna by Sea Kayak tour with Fred and Ruth and had an incredible time! The tour took us along the most stunning rock cliffs where we saw some of the famous Saturna goats! On the way back we were kayaking as the sun set behind us, truly a special experience. Fred and Ruth were so welcoming and made us feel very comfortable on the water. I would highly recommend the tour, it was the highlight of our trip.”
Emmely Reijken ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“We visited Ruth and Fred for a 3 day and 2 nights kayaking, camping and hiking trip. Ruth and Fred are great kayak instructors and we felt super safe kayaking with these two. We learned a lot about paddle stroke techniques, seaweeds and wildlife around Saturna. We saw orcas, eagles, otters and seals. They also provided super delicious and fresh food. We recommend a trip with Ruth and Fred and would love to visit them again.”
Tyler — Local Guide ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“We had such a great experience with Fred! One of us had never sea kayaked before, and thanks to Fred’s tips, her form was unmatched by the end of the paddling journey. Fred gave us tips on where to go, and was just super friendly and wonderful. He even gave us complimentary dry bags to use during the paddle! 11/10”