Cape Chignecto 3 Day Experience
Cape Chignecto 3 Day Experience
The Cape Chignecto Experience is the ultimate sea kayaking wilderness adventure as we paddle the whole length of the namesake provincial park, including rounding the dramatically exposed Cape Chignecto. Read More…
Cape Chignecto Experience Departures
Mid-June to mid-September from Advocate Harbour. You can pick your own dates as long as they are still available (check our overnight tours calendar at the bottom of this page and please note that we might have availability beyond the shown dates).
Group size
Minimum number is 2, max. 6. Please contact us for bookings of smaller or larger groups.
Duration
3 days. We meet at the office at 9 am on Day 1 and return around 2 pm on Day 3. The total distance paddled is about 26 km (16 mi), and is usually broken up as follows: Day 1 – 6 km (4 mi), Day 2 – 13 km (8 mi), Day 3 – 7 km (4 mi). 2 x lunch, 2 x breakfast and dinner, 1 x snack included.
Paddling time
About 2-5 hrs daily in stable yet sporty double sea kayaks, plus optional paddling time. Hiking opportunities at the camp coves.
Who is this for?
This trip is suitable for confident sea kayakers. The ocean conditions typically include moderate chop and some wind on this exposed coastline. This tour is not recommended for beginners, people who tend to be nervous in an ocean environment or who easily get seasick. The tour runs rain or shine. Minimum age is 12.
Adults – $899 CA + 15 % tax
Children under 16 – $749 CA + 15 % tax
(Prices are in Canadian Dollars. All meals and gear except for sleeping bags are included.)
“What a fabulous experience, not to be missed. The highlight of our trip.”
Bonnie McInnis, Hamilton, Ontario
in wild and rugged Nova Scotia
Itinerary
Day 1
We put in at the same spot as the day tour, but go further and paddle the park’s majestic coastline for 2-3 hrs until we reach the secluded bay of Seal Cove. Here, we’ll relax on the beach, have lunch, and set up camp. In the afternoon, you have the option of hiking up the escarpment to Green Point (1 h return) for magnificent vistas back to the Three Sisters and across the Bay to Fundy National Park, or you could go out kayaking again with your guide. You land again for dinner on the beach facing west – perfect for the sunset. The tides change the scenery dramatically, and it is splendid to spend a whole tidal cycle by the Bay – have the water almost lapping at your tent’s doorstep and wake up to a huge beach with quite a walk to the water’s edge.
Day 2
On the second day, we paddle further exploring Chignecto’s magnificent western shore. When the tide is right and the currents have eased off, we round the spectacularly exposed Cape Chignecto that gave the park its name. The coastline gets even more grand here, with Nova Scotia mainland’s highest cliffs, Devil’s Slide, and views of Isle Haute and Cape d’Or. We’re headed for Refugee Cove, named for the hide-out it provided for Acadians fleeing the English in 1755, for another night spent in a truly romantic setting. The picturesque cove is guarded by Old Sal, a bulky sea stack named after a local legend.
Day 3
On Day 3, we will paddle along more towering sheer cliffs, colourful rock faces, and interesting rock formations. Soon, the roofs and church towers of Advocate Harbour will come into view, and the red rocks that mark the southern park entrance are visible from afar. We’ll land happy and relaxed in West Advocate in the early afternoon.
“I couldn’t imagine experiencing the Bay of Fundy any other way!”
Good to know
Groups
The usual group size is 4 to 6. For a larger party or private tours, please contact us directly.
Safety
We provide double kayaks as the conditions on the Bay can change quickly, and the immense tides can create some extra challenges. The doubles are stable yet sporty, long sea kayaks that leave each paddler enough space to paddle even if they shouldn’t be in sync.
Gear
We provide all gear but sleeping bags. Guests can bring their own sleeping bag or rent one from us for a laundry fee of CA$ 20. We use the most comfortable sleeping pad on the market that still packs small enough to fit in a kayak, the award-winning NeoAir® Topo™ Luxe Sleeping Pad in size large (for adults). We also provide 2 medium sized dry bags for your personal gear and will provide a packing list. The tents can accommodate 2 persons comfortably, or a family of 3 with a smaller child. Single participants get their private tent, of course, and even when booking together you can ask for your own private tent, if you wish – based upon availability.
Tidal Range
The difference between high and low tide in the Bay of Fundy can be up to 52 vertical feet. Beaches that were covered by water at high tide get uncovered at low tide and become vast expanses of gravel. Depending on the point in the tidal cycle at which we launch and land our kayaks, the distance to the water’s edge or to our camp site at the top of the beach can be quite a hike. Expect to walk up to 1 km with your gear from your kayak to the camp site and vice versa, depending on the tides. The kayaks will have to be secured on top of the beach as well. To sum up, on this adventure, you will have to carry your gear longer distances than on a regular kayaking outing were no tides are present.
Payment & Cancellation policy
Full payment is due upon booking. For cancellations of up to 30 days before tour start, a refund of 90 % of the tour price after tax will be issued. For cancellations of 30 days or less, there will be no refund. We recommend a travel cancellation insurance. If NovaShores has to postpone the trip due to wind, we will try and switch you to alternative dates. If those dates cannot be accommodated, there will be a full refund less a 10 % handling fee.
Please note
Despite the place name ‘Seal Cove’, seal sightings are never guaranteed. This tour is not primarily about observing seals, even though we happily embrace every encounter.
How to use this calendar
This calendar gives you an idea of which overnight tours are running when. You can book onto an existing trip if there are enough spaces left for your party. You can also fill in the calendar gaps, which means you can choose your own dates as long as no other trip is interfering with those dates. We are usually not able to run parallel or overlapping trips, but it won't hurt checking with us. If certain dates are not available for online booking, please contact us per email, chat or phone.
Impressum
NovaShores Adventures
Anne Grabinsky
37 School Lane
Advocate Harbour, Nova Scotia
B0M 1A0
Canada
seakayak@novashores.com
1-902-392-2222 (local)*
1-866-638-4118 (toll free)*
Open Mon - Sun 8 am - 8 pm.
*Please note that our office is closed from early October to late May. Please reach us via email during those months, or book directly on our website.
