About Us:
We are a locally owned and operated family business. We bring our values of sustainability and stewardship into all of our kayak adventures. We operate seasonally, from May through September— offering day, evening and overnight trips as well as kayak rentals.
We branched from Misty Isles Adventures at the end of 2018, and have been in business as Cortes Kayaks since. Our first season as Cortes Kayaks was 2019, and although the pandemic presented unique challenges, we rose to meet them.
We're so grateful to live, work and play in the unceded territories of the toq qaymɩxʷ (Klahoose), ɬəʔamɛn qaymɩxʷ (Tla’amin), ʔop qaymɩxʷ (Homalco) Nations. On our tours, we try to detangle the narratives of "untouched wilderness" that are often dominant within tourism and instead present this area as a lived in, and peopled place as it has been since time immemorial. Our adventures centre around local history, geology, marine biology and many stories of life on a rural island. We focus on providing excellent tours that give opportunities to connect deeply with ecology, with each other and with ourselves.
We believe in regenerative tourism, and that is why we are adding a 3% community impact fee to every booking starting in 2023. This community impact fee will be reinvested into the island by creating programming for the Cortes community and local youth.
We have an amazing team of guides who are all committed to the long term sustainability of the island. We appreciate the experience and commitment that our team brings to our tours. We couldn’t do it without them!
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Meet our team!
Photo by: Ben Grayzel
Kai Harvey
Owner of Cortes Kayaks, Kayak Guide and Naturalist
I have a deep love and appreciation for the sea and the natural world. I grew up on Cortes, spending most of my time in the forest or on the water. I started working as a kayak guide after highschool and I loved it! In 2018, the local kayaking company was for sale, so I took the leap and started this company. Although I am now running the business side of things, I still love to guide our trips. My favourite part about guiding is facilitating a space for people to connect with ecology and experience the islands from the water. I graduated from Quest university with a bachelor of arts and sciences specializing in ecology. My interests include botany, ethnoecology, marine biology, politics, and art. In my free time I love to read, do art, travel and of course, kayak.
Oliver Ellingsen
Owner of Cortes Kayaks.
I grew up on Cortes and have always enjoyed spending time on the water. I mostly do the background work but occasionally will deliver kayaks by boat, teach rescue lessons and do kayak repairs for our business, Cortes Kayaks.
Jasmine Hillier
Kayak Guide, Naturalist and Yoga teacher
I am fortunate to have lived much of my life near the Ocean, in Newfoundland and on Vancouver Island. I have learned the ocean is to be respected.. but thoroughly enjoyed! Through kayak guiding I would like to help others experience the greatness of the world beyond the shore. I like to have fun wild crafting, foraging, cooking, snorkelling, dancing, and hanging out with friends and family.
Jolaine Boucher
Kayak guide and Yoga Teacher
I am from the East Coast of Canada but have found my home on Cortes Island in the Spring of 2016. I'm an outdoor enthusiast on land and water. I pushed my love for the outdoors to a new level when she completed the Adventure Sport Certificate from Thompson Rivers University in the Spring of 2017. This led me to raft guiding in BC's interior as well as kayaking the coast. Apart from joining me on the water, you'll find me hiking in the back country or on a yoga mat. As a yoga teacher and student of life, I strongly believe in the therapeutic values nature and the water have to offer.
Tosh Harvey
Naturalist Guide and Photographer
I grew up on Cortes and have always loved exploring the ocean. I am very passionate about botany and the local edible plants of BC. I enjoy all outdoor activities, especially mountain biking, hiking, long-distance swimming, sailing and of course, kayaking. There is no place that gives me more joy than being out on the water.
Forrest Berman-Hatch
Kayak guide, naturalist and archaeologist
I grew up on Cortes, exploring its beaches, woods and surrounding waters. My parents taught me to kayak and snorkel as a child, and it launched a lifelong fascination with marine and intertidal ecology. I am also passionate about conservation, politics, archaeology and the social history of this coastline. These interests led me to study environmental anthropology and political ecology at the University of British Columbia. I graduated in 2023. Beyond my core interests I am also fascinated by rocks, glaciers and sea-level fluctuations. My first season as a sea kayak guide was in 2018. Beyond guiding I have worked as a commercial tree planter, archaeologist and researcher looking at climate adaptation in coastal communities. I have met many interesting people on kayak tours, and I consider myself unbelievably lucky to be on the ocean with our clients and call it work.
Serene Aston
Kayak Guide
I was raised on Quadra island and spent some of my childhood learning and exploring on Cortes. Being out on the water or in the forests brings me such peace and awe for this island environment.
When not on the water, I enjoy rock climbing, painting local landscapes or animals, and gardening.
After completing the Canadian outdoor leadership training at Strathcona park lodge this spring, I am excited to return to Cortes as a kayak guide August of 2024!
Asha Harvey
Kayak Guide
I grew up on Cortes and always have loved kayaking and spending time on the water. I have a deep love for nature and the waters of Cortes. I feel very grateful to have grown up here because I truly believe this is one of the most beautiful areas of the world! Some of my interests are yoga, hiking, reading, art, botany, herbalism and sports. I received my kayak guiding certification in the spring of 2021, so this is my first season guiding, and I’m so excited to get out on the water!