Packing for Your Nova Scotia Sea Kayak Trip
Posted by Scott McCormack on
When it comes to packing for a multiday sea kayak trip, there is a lot of gear to bring. If you're planning your own self-guided adventure, you’ll need to plan how to set up a backcountry kitchen, bedroom and living space! When packing for a trip guided by Cape LaHave Adventures, your packing list becomes much shorter, as all food, camping and safety gear is provided. That means you only have to worry about the 'clothes' and 'personal' categories on the list below. Check out the multiday sea kayak trips we offer!
Here's an overview of everything that goes into our kayaks, that we plan and prepare in advance. If you're planning your own Nova Scotia multiday sea kayak adventure, we hope this list is helpful!
Food
The recipe for any good trip starts with good food. Arguably one the best part of a sea kayaking trip is the fact that you can enjoy fresh food in the backcountry. Unlike a backpack, fresh fruit and veggies won’t weigh your boat down, and if there’s anything that can make a meal better, it’s fresh veggies. Fresh avocado on chilli…game changer!
It's also important to consider people’s preferences. For example, we contact people before our guided kayak trips to discuss any dietary restrictions they may have and what kinds of food they prefer.
It’s also helpful to lay out your food before you go. We separate all food into breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks when we pack to ensure we have everything we need.
The final step to packing food for kayaking is waterproofing! Nothing is worse than opening your day 7 oatmeal and realizing it’s been hydrated since day 2. Waterproofing food is best done with small, durable ziplock-style bags, which are then packed in durable stuff sacks to protect these bags.
If you're joining us for one of our foodie-friendly Glamping trips or our classic LaHave Islands Experience, your guides will do all of these preparations before you arrive - but if you're planning your own self-guided trip, don't neglect these preparations as food is one of the best parts of backcountry tripping!
Kitchen
Now, to cook that good food you packed, you need a good kitchen. A good camp stove is a must for heating water and meals, and a good bowl and utensils go a long way in making your experience feel a little more luxurious. Add a kitchen sink (your biggest pot will work), a scrubbie and some biodegradable soap, and you’ve got yourself a fully functional backcountry kitchen.
It's also important to consider how to serve food so it doesn’t get sandy on those beautiful beach campsites. We like to use collapsible backcountry tables on our trips, but something as simple as a picnic blanket could do the trick.
Shelter
Nova Scotia’s coastline is a very dynamic environment when it comes to weather, and having good shelter is key to a safe and happy trip. A sturdy and waterproof tent is important on windy and rainy nights and will leave you bug bite-free on the calm ones. The other crucial part of your shelter is your insulators – sleeping bag and pad. Depending on the time of year, the warmth they provide can vary, but it is always essential to bring a bag and a pad to keep you warm and cozy at night. These don’t need to be lightweight, but they need to be compressible so they can fit in your kayak while leaving room for all your other gear. Typically, these are packed in a stuff sack/drybag to get them compressed and dry.
I also always bring a tarp with me – a great emergency shelter or dry place to cook and hang on a wet day.
Water
There is nothing more important than fresh water, especially on the ocean. One of the biggest considerations when packing for your trip is how much drinking water you have to bring with you and if you can fill up along the way. You should budget at least 3-4L per person per day. Make sure you bring both water bottles and dromedaries like these. Before your trip, make sure you can research where you can resupply, whether that be from a natural source or a local well.
First Aid
Whether a short or long trip, it is always important to pack your first aid kit & any medicines people on the trip may need. Before a multiday trip it is always a good idea to go back through your kit to make sure you have everything before you leave.
All of our guides are trained in Advanced Wilderness First Aid, as a minimum. It's a really great idea to get some training if you are doing self-guided adventures in the backcountry, so you know how to respond in a medical emergency when the hospital access can be delayed. We also ask our participants for their medical information in advance. If you're going on a trip with someone, it's important to understand their medical history so you are well prepared in case anything arises.
Clothes
Paddling Clothes, Camp Clothes and Sleep Clothes.
3 outfits are all you really need, whether for 3 nights or 8, plus some rain gear. Depending on the time of year of your trip, the warmth each of these sets provide may vary.
Your paddling clothes should be athletic blends like merino, fleece, or polypropylene layers, NOT COTTON, and be able to get wet. Its important to dress for the water temperature. If you’re paddling in the shoulder season, you will want a wetsuit or drysuit. We rent both wetsuits and drysuits, so take a look!
Your Camp clothes should be comfy and warm. Pants and a sweater are always a good idea for cool summer and spring nights.
Your sleep clothes should be comfortable to sleep in but also able to turn into paddling clothes if your other clothes get wet, especially in the shoulder season. So, think athletic blends like merino, fleece or polypropylene layers.
Personal
Things for you! That you probably shouldn’t share…
- Sun protection – Hat/buff, Sunscreen, Sunglasses and SPF lip balm
- Toiletries/Toothbrush
- Headlamp
- Watch
Kayaking Gear/Safety Equipment
Probably the most important piece of gear for a kayaking trip is your kayak and the associated gear! When packing this, it’s essential to have all the safety equipment required by Transport Canada (PFD, Bailer, Buoyant Heaving Line, Whistle, Paddle). It’s also strongly recommended to have navigation equipment like a chart, compass, and GPS of some sort.
Our kayak rentals come with all the Transport Canada required items.
Leave No Trace
Once you're out there, it's important to practice Leave No Trace principles. A lot of this requires planning in advance how you will deal with your waste BEFORE you leave. Whether this means packing out that extra bit of leftover food or your dirty toilet paper, it’s all equally important to keeping our wild spaces wild.
There's lots to know about how to live well camping and kayaking on the coast, and Nova Scotia offers such great possibilities for sea kayak multiday tripping! If you're keen to gain more confidence in organizing your own multiday sea kayak adventures, check out our 5 day Multiday Primer course, as well as our Paddle Canada Level 2 Sea Kayak Skills course.
Here is our complete packing list!
Food
· Breakfast
· Lunch
· Dinner
· Snacks
There are some other great resources online specifically to help you pack food.
Kitchen
· Stove and fuel
· Pots and pot grabber
· Utensils
· Dishes and cups
· Stove repair kit
Water
· Water treatment and filters
· Dromedaries
· Water bottles
Shelter
· Tent
· Sleeping bag
· Sleeping pad
· Tarp
· Lightweight cord
· Camping gear repair kit
Clothes
· Shoes for padding (Tevas, neoprene booties)
· Shoes for camp (comfy/stable shoes)
· Socks
· Underwear
· Pants or shorts
· Wicking base layers
· Short sleeved tops
· Light long sleeve for sun protection
· Fleece
· insulating top/jacket
· Warm pants
· Drysuit/wetsuit
· Paddling jacket
· Sun hat and warm hat
· Rain pants and rain jacket
· Swimsuit/rash guard
Personal
· Toothbrush and toiletries
· Personal medications
· Phone or communication device
· Earplugs
· Stuff sacks
· Binoculars
· Camera
· Bug spray or bug jacket
