What happens when you combine your passion for the water with an opportunity to learn interesting information, meet like-minded people, see new things, and be an inquisitive champion of nature? For one, it’s a stellar opportunity for a good workout, but it’s also what can happen when you participate in an eco-tour.
If you haven’t heard of this fun and exciting way to learn about the world from a different perspective, The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) defines ecotourism as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserve the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education.”
Since the majority of these tours include visiting fragile environments and natural habitats, many of them are conducted by self-propelled boats so as not to disturb the precious ecosystem of the subject matter. Many of them provide the boat, but some invite paddlers with their own equipment to follow along.
Eco-tours exist all over the world and cover a wide range of interesting subjects. So, how can you find an eco-tour near you or in a location you’d like to visit? It’s generally as easy as doing an online search. However, Girl Paddlers did a little research for you and picked out a few of our favorite locations with different eco-environments.
Coastal Kayak Tours – Bar Harbor, Maine
When a company has been in existence for a long time, you know the product they offer must be good. That’s certainly the case with Coastal Kayaking Tours. They’ve been introducing paddlers to the water-view perspective of Bar Harbor since 1982—longer than any other outfitter on the East Coast.
Their two biggest keys to success? Personalized customer service and FUN! They offer a variety of tours so there’s something for everyone—from the most experienced paddlers to families with kids as young as eight-years-old. There are 4-hour half-day tours (for paddlers 12 and up); 2.5-hour sunset tours; 2.5-hour harbor tours; a 4-hour family half-day tour; and private/group tours. They also offer bike rentals if you want to check out Bar Harbor from the ground level. And once you’ve worked up a good appetite, make your way down to Beal’s Lobster Pier for seafood straight off the lobster boats. It’s hard to imagine a more perfect day.
Shored Up – Hampton, Virginia
Established in 1610, Hampton claims to be the oldest continuously occupied English settlement in the United States (even though Jamestown was established in 1607, the settlement was abandoned in 1699). Confederate troops set fire to Hampton in 1861, and many believe the resurgence of the town was primarily due to the abundance of the local seafood industry.
Shored Up takes paddlers on a historic tour of the Hampton River to discuss how oysters were primarily responsible for the town’s comeback and the importance of the oyster not only as a commodity, but also as a contributor to the Chesapeake Bay’s ecosystem. On some tours, you’ll actually get to sample fresh oysters on the half shell at the end of the paddle.
Ocean Connectors – San Diego, California
San Diego is known as one of the most temperate climates in the United States, so what better place to go paddling year-round? Ocean Connectors offers many different eco-tours in and around San Diego, including a 2-hour kayaking tour through the Chula Vista Wildlife Preserve in South San Diego Bay; and a Wildin’ Mission Bay kayaking and SUP (and more) to learn about the unique history of Mission Bay and its ecosystem—a great tour for beginner and expert paddlers alike.
Part of the proceeds from every tour go to the company’s youth education programs, so you’re learning and making a positive impact at the same time!
Green Wisdom – Glacial Lakes and Rivers Region, Midwest
Green Wisdom offers several unique eco-tours around the waters of Wisconsin and Minnesota. You can join a planned tour or contact them for a specially designed tour just for you and your group. Their Plants and Paddling Kayak Eco-Tour includes a day on the water (approximately 6 hours), viewing plans in the ecosystem from the vantage point of a kayak. Half-way through the paddle, you’ll visit a floating bog to identify native orchids and unusual carnivorous plants such as the Pitcher Plant and sacred Sundew.
Unlimited Options
Obviously, we’re just scratching the surface of options here. There are literally hundreds of eco-tour programs across the United States and around the world (we hear some of the tours in the Galapagos Islands are amazing). So pick your destination, do a little research on what’s available in that area, then plan your trip. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for future Girl Paddlers retreats as well!
If you have already been on an incredible eco-tour that you’d like to share with the Girl Paddlers community, please leave us a comment below. We’d love to hear more about your adventure, and it will help other readers discover even more ways to enjoy their time out on the water.
