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What We Do
What We Do
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John Gray's SeaCanoe is special for two reasons.
First, operations form our personal statement in favor of creativity,
quality and delivering unique nature anybody can enjoy in comfort and
safety.
It's also our platform for environmental activism. For a quarter -century
we've been "Clean Air, Clean Water" and "Natural History by Sea Kayak Since
1983". Quite frankly, sea kayaking brings you as close to both marine and
terrestrial Nature as humans can get - and our goal is enhancing your
environmental awareness by delivering a unique and unforgettable experience.
We started in Hawai'i with ultra-tough high-quality inflatable kayaks,
excellent for inter-island air travel, downwind paddling and safety in
Hawai'i rough seas and challenging beach landings. Our sea caving journey
started in Hawai'i, where we actually inventing the Tidal Technology that
allows entry into a low-lying cave in Ha'upu Bay are on the Moloka'i Coast.
Hawai'i caves are created by high surf, so ceilings are high and water
confused. We refined the art in Thailand, where limestone tidal nape cave
ceilings are often defined by the high tide line, and sharp limestone is
carpeted with oysters.
We do the paddling in caves. Even experienced paddlers are first-timers in
each cave, and it's unfair and dangerous to expect you to navigate the
tight, sharp, irregular, low-ceiling caves on your own. I capsized once when
a competitor boat hit me in total darkness, and it wasn't fun. I knew the
cave, where I was, and what to do - and still got some scrapes. It's a big
risk we are unwilling to take.
The caves are so spectacular, and the SOTARs so comfortable, you should just
relax and enjoy the "time machine" - many guests say they "go back min time"
after traversing limestone caverns in kayaks, departing the real world and
finding a lost world behind the cave.
You've probably heard about the world famous cliff-lined lagoons behind the
caves. We regard them as World Treasures, not mere money making machines.
Despite their desecration by our High Volume, Low Quality copy-cats, we
still regard the Hongs as Sacred and go in the afternoon with
environmentally-trained staff who share our conservation ethic.
These are special places - you should know their story. While others rush in
for five minutes to see the pretty rocks and feed the macaques an unnatural
diet, we spend 30 minutes or more in each Hong (depending upon the tides)
explaining their formation and eco-system.
South Thailand's Marine Limestone makes for exceptional sea kayaking. It's
warm, and the coral filled waters are crystal clear - except for Phang Nga
Bay and mangrove swamps. All trips start with Phang Nga's Caves and Hongs,
then head across the top of the Bay, and down into the Gulf of Phuket on the
Krabi side of the Bay. The Mini-expeditions gives a good overview of the
Bay, but it's easy to take 5-6 days to hit all the high spots - most so
remote you rarely see other Farang.
We run one-week trips in Ranong (Burma border) or Tarutao (Malaysia border).
In the spirit of real sea kayaking, we beach camp on some of the most
stunning sites on the Planet, complete with our world famous fresh cooked
meal plan. If you really wish to sleep under a roof any level from bungalow
to 5-star can be arranged on Phang Nga Bay Private Charters.
The caves and hongs are spectacular beyond the imagination, but we also
kayak some of the most dramatic islands and coastlines in the Tropics - not
only Thailand and Vietnam, but Hawai'i, Fiji and Tahiti by charter. We have
three other exploratories in the works, - near Fiji, in SE Asia and the
Indian Ocean - all Tropical dreams.
Environmental awareness starts with the kids, so we take local schools and
environmental clubs on day trips, and international schools on overnighters.
We even give on-board lectures to groups including the Phuket Environmental
Club and Indo-China Media Memorial Fund "new generation" journalists. Be
they longtail boat day trips or one-week camp-outs, accurate natural science
is our theme in a learning by fun style.
We've even done corporate groups from a handful to 120 in an "Instant City"
campground.
On the environmental side, we keep pushing the envelope. Off our trips we
work closely with the prestigious Thailand Environmental Institute on
everything from National Park management to architectural preservation and
water quality. We guest lecture in several different Thailand Universities,
run educational trips, write and present academic papers on sustainable
tourism, and take 10-12 interns a year. Our "Gray Area" Phuket Gazette
environmental column is widely read, and we do numerous video shoots each
year along with print stories, including a recent Phuket Bulletin cover
story.
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