Are we guaranteed to see dolphins?

No, but we almost always see them. Over the past fifteen years the percentage of tours where dolphins have been sighted has averaged about 90%. The reason for this lies in the fact that the dolphins seem to congregate near Cape Henry at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay to feed and use as a nursing ground for new born calves. In addition the mating season peaks during the summer months of July and August creating the perfect opportunity to view them in large numbers at the time of year when they are the most playful.

Do you need any experience?

No, the majority of our clients have never been kayaking before. We use sit-on-top kayaks which allows almost anyone of any age or ability an opportunity to participate. Sit-on-top kayaks are stable, lightweight, and easy to paddle. The most important feature however is the fact that you are not situated inside the kayak like you would be in a traditional sea kayak which requires more advanced training to use.

The kayak tour of First Landing State Park is generally easier than the Kayak Dolphin Tour as conditions such as swell, wind and tides have a much greater effect in the open ocean. Thus, the ocean tour requires more paddling strength and endurance on most days.

Should we use single or double kayaks?

It depends. Single kayaks allow you as an individual the freedom to paddle at your own pace and direction. Double kayaks allow you the opportunity to paddle with a partner giving you twice the paddling power, especially on the dolphin tour in the ocean where wind and currents can be a factor. Paddling with a partner is also nice if you plan on taking pictures. While one person is paddling, the other person can concentrate on shooting photos of the dolphins and other wildlife.

What happens if it rains? (bad weather)

Chesapean Outdoors’ staff watches the weather carefully online every day as well as making observations in the field to determine when a tour should be cancelled due to inclement weather. Generally if it is a light rain and there is no evidence of thunder or lightning, the tour will typically depart as scheduled. We reserve the right, however, to cancel the tour if there is evidence that more sever weather could be moving into the area. If the tour is cancelled to poor weather then customers can reschedule their tour. If they are not able to reschedule their tour (i.e.-because they are leaving town) then Chesapean Outdoors will refund those customers.

Will I get sea sick kayaking on the ocean?

If you are prone to motion sickness or know that you get sea sick fairly easy, then you may want to take Dramamine the night before or morning of the kayak tour. Most people, however, do not take anything to prevent getting sea sick and do just fine. The up and down motion is minimal compared to what you might experience on say, an offshore fishing charter boat.

What kind of wildlife will we see on our kayak tour?

The kayak dolphin tour is self explanatory- the focus of our tour being the bottlenose dolphins that migrate here in large numbers every summer. We also consistently see brown pelicans, ospreys, and many varieties of gulls, terns, and sandpipers. And on occasion we observe sea turtles and cow nose rays. Depending on what time of year you do the tour at First Landing, you are likely to see a variety of bird species as well as some reptiles and mammals.