Intro to Sea Kayaking Overnight
Joy - Proficiency - Discovery
Wake up to sunrise over a wild, uninhabited island, where the only footprints in the sand are yours.
Hammock's Beach $300 May 29-30, 2026
June 22-23, 2026
There's something primal about pushing off from shore with everything you need packed into your kayak—knowing that for the next two days, the only thing between you and a wild coastline is your paddle and a little determination.
Threshold to Adventure
What separates confident sea kayakers from nervous beginners isn't years of experience—it's the right skills, practiced deliberately, in real conditions. This trip builds that foundation.
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You'll learn what the pros know: how to pack a kayak so helps instead of hinders your progress. How to read a tide chart so you work with the ocean, not against it. How camping in sand can be enjoyable.
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By the time we paddle back to the mainland, you'll have the knowledge to plan your own coastal adventures. The kind where you can look at a chart, check the tides, and make good decisions about when and where to go.
What You'll Learn
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Over two days of hands-on practice in real conditions, you'll master:
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Gear Selection for Sea Kayaking - What to bring, what to leave behind, and why it matters when you're miles from shore
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Loading a Sea Kayak - Packing is like 3D Tetris. Get it wrong and your boat handles like a drunk whale. Get it right and you'll glide.
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Reading Tide Charts - The ocean moves on a schedule. Learn to read it and you'll never fight the current again.
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Marine Chart Navigation - Maps for the sea require different skills than trail maps. You'll learn to read them like a captain.
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Beach Camping Mastery - Sleeping on sand requires different wisdom than sleeping in forest.
Why paddle with us?
Ali started leading sea kayaking expeditions in 2009. Since then, she has thousands of miles of leadership experience under her blades- over 2 thousands miles along the coast of North Carolina alone. She has also led sea kayaking trips along the coast of the Musandam Peninsula of Northern Oman, taught kayaking in Hong Kong and created a sea kayaking expedition leader training program for Absolute Adventure in UAE.
She has also been a wilderness first responder since 2010 and has extensive experience managing risks and medical issues in remote places all over the world.
What to expect
We will meet on the porch of the ranger station at Hammock's Beach State Park. After getting to know each other, we'll do a short gear shake down to ensure everyone has what they need.
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You'll be issued a kayak, life jacket, paddle and dry bags- and the adventure begins: you'll learn to pack your kayak properly. This isn't just throwing stuff in hatches—it's about weight distribution, balance to make sure your boat moves efficiently through the water.
Then we launch together and paddle as a tight group through the sound toward Bear Island.
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The water here is temperamental—sometimes glass-smooth, sometimes choppy and challenging. But here's the thing- we chose this spot for a reason. It is the perfect learning ground for beginners. Sometimes we will paddle through choppy conditions, against the wind or against the tide, which is both challenging and exhilarating. Choppy sections are short and usually shallow, and the marsh provides lots of places to stop and rest.
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We alter the itinerary to make paddling as safe and easy as possible, but we are paddling in an inherently volatile environment. Please read the info under 'physical fitness requirements' below.
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Your Wild Island Home
We camp on the ocean side of Bear Island, nestled in the dunes. Depending on our site, it's anywhere from a quarter-mile to three-quarters of a mile walk from where we beach the kayaks—which sounds like nothing until you're hauling gear through sand.
This is primitive camping. No running water. No bathrooms at the campsite. Just you, the dunes, the ocean, and the biggest sky you've seen in months.
During tourist season, there are lifeguards and a snack shack about a quarter-mile to a mile away. But at night? Just us and the wild.
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The Realities of Open Water
Let's be honest about what sea kayaking demands.
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This isn't like hiking where you can take a break when you're tired. Once you're on open water, you're committed until you reach a safe place to land. Sometimes that means pushing through choppy conditions or paddling against wind or tide when your body is begging for a break.
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It can feel like being on a treadmill you can't step off—and that's both challenging and exhilarating.
The water doesn't care about your fitness level or your comfort. It moves on its own schedule, and you have to be ready to meet it.
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Can You Handle It?
Honestly? Probably yes. This trip is beginner-friendly, with short exposed sections and plenty of places to rest. But you need to meet these requirements:
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Swim and tread water - Because water is wet and boats occasionally flip
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Upper body strength - Enough to exit a pool in the deep end without a ladder (this is what it takes to get back in a kayak with help if you flip)
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Core strength - At least 5 pushups and 10 sit-ups
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Fit in the boat - If you're taller than 6'5", you won't fit. Weight limit is 250lbs plus gear
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Mental toughness - The ability to keep paddling when you'd rather stop
Thinking these are no problem? You're totally ready.
Gear you'll need
We will send a very detailed gear list via email once you register, and will have a zoom call to answer any questions. ​
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If you have the basic equipment for backpacking, you have what you need for sea kayaking. This time, you won't need the backpack, just the stuff you would normally put in it. While weight does not matter as much in sea kayaking, size does. Our gear needs to be able to physically fit through the hatch openings of the boat. This is why backpacking gear is better suited than car camping gear.
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-low profile, backpacking style tent with rain fly that goes to the ground
-30-50 degree synthetic sleeping bag
-sleeping pad
-clothes (the gear list will outline specifics)
-paddling shoes or sandals
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If you do not have your own tent, we have a couple of tents for rent. Please email us for availability.
Gear We Provide
Boats, PFD's & Paddles
We provide the sea kayaks, life jackets and paddles. Our kayaks are the Wilderness Systems Tsunami 145. Our life jackets and paddles are a varied assortment of brands and models in a range of sizes to accommodate different sized paddlers. You are absolutely welcome to bring your own kayak, so long as it fits the following standards:
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14 foot minimum length
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Sit-inside kayaks must have hatches and at minimum two bulkheads
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You must have a spray skirt that fits your kayak
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Sit-on-tops are ok if they have adequate bow and stern storage
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Dry Bags
Packing a sea kayak is like a game of Tetris. All our gear will be packed into dry bags, and then shoved through hatch openings to fill the hatches. Like Tetris, it is easier to fit everything if it is packed into several smaller bags instead of a couple of large bags. We will provide several dry bags for you to organize your gear.
Food & Cooking
We provide meals and the stoves to cook them on. Please bring your own bowl, mug and utensils.
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Safety & Rescue
We carry the equipment to rescue and tow paddlers who either flip or need assistance. These items include bilge pumps, paddle floats, deck slings, tow lines and sponges. We also carry a large, group sized first aid kit. Read more about our safety standards and risk management here