About Us:

We are a locally owned and operated family business, rooted in care for the island’s ecosystems and the communities they sustain.

Operating seasonally from May through September, we provide guided kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) tours, as well as kayak and SUP rentals. Our adventures explore ecology, marine biology, geology, Indigenous stewardship, social history, and the many facets of life on a rural island. We aim to create experiences that foster meaningful connections - with the living environment, with each other, and with ourselves.

Cortes Kayaks is now owned and operated by our family, carrying forward the vision of founder Kai Harvey. Kai has been an invaluable mentor through the transition and continues to share her expertise on the water as a guide.

We are grateful to live, work, and play in the unceded territories of the Klahoose, Tla’amin, and Homalco Nations.

Our team of guides shares a profound commitment to the ongoing stewardship of the islands, bringing knowledge, passion, and dedication to every adventure.

Jordan Best

Owner, Kayak and SUP Guide

Amidst the waters and wild peaks of coastal BC, I’ve spent my adult life in motion - paddling remote shorelines, hiking ridgelines, skiing deep into the backcountry and chasing the wind on my kiteboard. I hold a Master’s in Environmental Management and nearly two decades of experience developing and managing provincial recycling systems across a diverse range of industries. I’ve now shifted my focus to operating Cortes Kayaks, a natural extension of that work that combines environmental stewardship, hands-on exploration and immersion in the island’s living systems.

Blending ecology and social history with a love of human-powered adventure, I aim to create guided experiences that are both engaging and meaningful. As an owner and guide, I help guests build comfort, awareness and independence on the water, empowering them to engage more fully with the landscape. Off the water, I can be found tending my ever-growing flock of chickens, tackling building projects, experimenting with cider and combing the tide line with my kids.

Miriam Best

Owner, Guest Experience & Operations

My husband and I are proud to be the new owners of Cortes Kayaks, and we feel incredibly grateful to continue a business that connects people to the beauty of this coastline. For us, this is the start of an exciting new family adventure.

While my background is in medical administration, these days I spend my time coordinating bookings, organizing the behind-the-scenes details, delivering rentals, and connecting with our guests. I love being part of the experience, from that very first inquiry to watching kayaks head out onto the water.

As a mama of two young children, I’m passionate about fostering a love of the outdoors and building a business rooted in community and connection. I understand how meaningful time outside can be, and our hope is that every guest leaves with memories that last long after their paddle ends.

Kai Harvey

Kayak Guide and Naturalist

Kai has a deep love for the sea and the natural world. Raised on Cortes Island, she spent much of her childhood in the forest and on the water, developing a strong connection to land and sea. While studying political ecology at university, Kai also became a certified guide through the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC (SKGABC). With over a decade of experience kayak guiding and operating a tourism business, Kai continues to offer place-based experiences that invite people to connect deeply with the ecosystems around them—and with themselves. She weaves together her background in political ecology and creative facilitation, creating thoughtful, inclusive spaces for learning, reflection, and relationship-building in nature. All of Kai’s work is grounded in an ongoing commitment to reconciliation and respect for Indigenous lands, knowledge, and governance. Kai enjoys bushwhacking, gardening, fermenting foods, and eating salt and vinegar chips.

Jasmine Hillier

Kayak Guide 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

Kayak Guide

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.

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.