Come to the Champlain Valley and paddle with us.
Our kayak tours start in June and run through October 15th.
Most of our trips this year are located near our home base, in the Champlain Valley of New York and Vermont. This includes the eastern Adirondacks and the west central region of Vermont.
We have a variety of kayak trips around the Champlain Valley, on rivers, lakes, And ponds.
Sea Kayak trips on Lake Champlain and Lake George.
On Lake Champlain We have a number of trips, starting at different locations. Usually around Whitehall, Ticonderoga, and Westport, New York. But occasionally starting anywhere from Whitehall to Champlain New York and Burlington, Vermont.
We paddle through history as we travel down the lake.
Lake Champlain was a main avenue of commerce before Samuel de Champlain paddled down the lake in 1609.
Native people had traveled these waters (Bitawbagok to the Abenaki) for as long as can be remembered.
Our tour on the southern part of Lake Champlain passes by Fort Ticonderoga, built by the French in 1755 to 1758.
This was the Fort Carillon built at the mouth of the La Chute River to protect New France from Britain.
On the other side of the lake we will pass Mt. Independence, which in 1775, 1776 and 1777 played a part in the American Revolution.
We travel past a variety of wildlife habitat. Often we see many birds,including everything from waterfowl and shorebirds to sparrows and warblers. Occasionally we even see a Bald Eagle.
Lake George
was the original route of travel between the Hudson River and Lake Champlain for native americans.
Samuel de Champlain noted the lake in his journal on July 3, 1609.
In 1646, the missionary Isaac Jogues (the first european to see the lake} named it Lac du Saint-Sacrement.
Lake George was on the boundary of New France to the north and the British colonies to the south.
During the French and Indian War in 1755, William Johnson renamed the lake "Lake George" for King George II of England. He built fort William Henry on the south end of the lake.
The same year the french built Fort Carillon {Ticonderoga}, near the north end of the lake where the La Chute River enters Lake Champlain.
We start our Lake George Tour with a paddling and safety lesson, before launching our boats.
We then paddle down the lake passing Rogers Rock named for Major Robert Rogers who commanded the Rangers for the British during the French and Indian War.
In the middle of the day we will stop for a swim and a picnic lunch.
Then continue our paddle in the afternoon back up the lake.
We keep our tours small with no more than six tandem kayaks and your Guide. This insures the quality of your trip.
We have other Kayak trips on Quiet waters.
Some of our trips down rivers and streams are a good introduction to paddling for families with children.
We have a variety of different trips around the Champlain Valley.
Our trip on Dead Creek near Vergennes Vermont is a family favorite.
Click on the link for Dead Creek for more information on this trip.
Our tandem Current Design Sea Kayaks are stable and accommodate most people.
Each participant under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult. The minimum age for children is 10 years old. All children must be at least 4 ft. 8 in. tall to paddle our Sea Kayaks. (We have other trips on quiet waters for families with younger children.)
No Kayak experience is necessary. Anyone with average upper-body strength can paddle a kayak.
What you need to bring
Appropriate outdoor clothing for Kayaking:
We suggest that you dress in layers. By dressing in layers you can adjust your clothing to stay comfortable throughout the tour.
Extra layers are stored in the kayak until you need them.
Light quick-drying trousers or shorts (like a swim suit).
Blue jeans are not recommended because the heavy cotton absorbs a lot of water and they take forever to dry out.
A quick drying shirt.
Fleece or vest for warmth.
Jacket, or windbreaker for your top layer.
A pair of sneakers you don't mind getting wet. Or water shoes.
Sun protection
Hat, sun glasses, sun screen.Other useful items
2 Bottles of water
and or juice to drink
Snacks
Binoculars
Water-proof camera
Cost of the half-day group tour is $80 per Person.
$10 Discount per person for groups of more than six people booked in advance.
Private tours are also available.
For Reservations
Call 802-897-7500
We recommend that you call well in advance to reserve your tour.
We usually are all out on tours during the day.
Please leave a message and we will call you back as soon as we return.
We will accept you for a tour in the morning if there is room available.
Group size is limited to insure the quality of our trips.
Once the tour is full, you will have to join the next available tour.
We accept personal checks or cash for payment.
At this time we are not set up to take credit cards.
Cancellations
Please call us for cancellations and refunds.
Contact Us
By phone 802-897-7500
Please leave a message. We are usually out guiding a trip.
By E-mail
By Mail
Abenaki Outfitters & Guide ServiceP.O. Box 283
Shoreham, VT. 05770-0283
For safety we may limit, postpone or cancel a trip due to severe weather conditions.
All customers must sign a waiver of liability before participating in our outdoor activities.
At some times of the year (usually in the Fall) we are guiding extended trips, in Maine or the Adirondacks.
These paddling, hiking, hunting or fishing trips frequently are in areas where even cell phones will not work.
Therefore we may not be able to reply until we return.
Some places that we paddle on Lake Champlain.
Bluff Point Lighthouse on Valcour Island.
Paddling around Valcour Island on Lake Champlain.
