- Great for Families!
- Best for 10+
- Half Day
Don’t have the time or the energy for the full day hike and paddle to Caines Head? Paddle out and we pick you up in the water taxi!
Quick Details
Relax and Enjoy a trip across the Bay to the Cove of your guide’s choosing
Hop on the water taxi and travel east, sightseeing for whales and porpoises on the way, then arrive and start paddling among sheer cliffs that climb straight out of the ocean in Resurrection Bay. Take in the sights of the cascading waterfalls, river and sea otters playing in terminal salmon streams, the sneaky local harbor seals, and more on this half-day guided kayak tour with Miller’s Landing!
The Locations
Humpy Cove
Located closer to the mouth of Resurrection Bay, Humpy Cove is truly unique from cliffs that become coated in waterfalls in the rain, crystal clear water, rock gardens and migrating sea jellies looking for their next snack. This easy paddle is one of our guide’s favorites! So don’t be surprised if you find yourself in Humpy, scouring the cliffs in search of sea urchins, or paddling under a waterfall after a good rain.
Thumb Cove
This is cove sheltered from the wind and waves and braced by three gorgeous Alpine Glaciers, hanging in the mountains. Bald eagles, sea lions, and sea otters hunt prey, and experience berry picking in the fall, and more! This is a great introductory Resurrection Bay kayak tour with the benefit of sightseeing and getting away from the wind and chop — it’s generally very calm!
Why let the guide choose?
Let’s face it, Humpy and Thumb Cove are both great, but depending on the weather, tides, season, or recent wildlife activity each cove has time to shine. So, we have our guides choose the cove to help ensure the best experience for this shorter trip.
 Meeting Time |
 Ending Time |
 Meeting Place |
| 7, 9, 11 am, and 1pm We have four departure times. Plan to arrive a half-hour before the water taxi departs. |
7 am Trip: Get back between 10:45 and 11:30 am 9 am Trip: Get back between 12:45 and 1:30 pm 11 am Trip: Get back between 2:45 and 3:30 pm 1 pm Trip: Get back between 4:45 and 5 pm |
Meet at the main office, 13880 Beach Drive Seward, AK. Check in early to meet your guide and even enjoy a cup of coffee on our porch that overlooks the water |
 Age Requirements |
 Difficulty |
 What to Bring |
| We require a minimum age of 8 years old to take this trip | This kayak trip takes place on calm waters in a protected bay, so it’s good for newer paddlers, be ready spend 2 hours on the water paddling | Warm synthetic/wool layers Shoes that could get wet Rain gear Snacks Water bottle |
More Information
- The price includes 45 minutes to an hour of water taxi time and watching for wildlife!
- The paddle in Humpy Cove is an hour and a half to two hours long depending on conditions and your guide. The total trip length is approximately four hours long.
- On this trip, you will visit Thumb Cove OR Humpy Cove
- All kayaking gear and instructions provided
- Gratuities are not included in the original sale price. A suggested 20% guide tip is greatly appreciated! (Suggested tip $15 to $25/person)
- Please note: All participants paddle tandem kayaks. This paddle is appropriate for children aged 8 and over
- This trip requires at least three people to go out at 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.
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This is a great quick trip, it starts with a water taxi ride to the east side of Resurrection bay to one of the two coves, Humpy of Thumb. Keep your eyes peeled for porpoises, harbor seals or bald eagles along the way, and enjoy the gorgeous views of the Bay.
From There, we paddle in one of two protected coves where you can expect to see waterfalls cascading down sheer mountainsides, basalt rock formations, sea stars, various sea birds, salmon streams, and the gorgeous flora that makes up this temperate rainforest.
On the ride back, keep your eyes peeled for whales, Dall’s porpoises, sea otters, and majestic sea lions to name just a few. Join us on this full-day kayak trip from Seward to see all the beauty of Resurrection Bay and the great wildlife watching available here.
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The water taxi ride generally takes 30 minutes depending on the weather, tides, and if we see any wildlife. While the water is usually calm, it can sometimes get bumpy if the weather comes in. We always do our best to make the ride comfortable, but we can’t control the weather!
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On our full-day and half-day trips, we provide all kayaking and other necessary gear. Be sure to check the quick details to see if the trip supplies food or not, and let us know about any dietary restrictions.
We will supply kayaks, light carbon/fibreglass paddles, pogies for your hands, PFDs, spraydecks to keep your legs warm, splash gear when necessary, as well as a guide. Our guides are equipt with safety gear, first aid kits, marine radios/ spot beacons and a boatload of information they are ready to share with you!
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- A $10 cancellation fee is imposed for all reservations canceled.
- Cancellations must be received by email only to [email protected]. The cancellation notice date is the date the email was received at reservations@millerslandingak.com. Phone cancellations will not be accepted.
- Cancellations received by email 30 days prior to the first day of the reservation are charged a $10 cancellation fee and you will receive a refund of 90% of the total amount of the reservation.
- Cancellations received by email 15 to 29 days prior to the first day of the reservation are charged a $10 cancellation charge and you will receive a 75% refund of the total amount of the reservation.
- Cancellations received by email 14 days to zero days prior to arrival are charged a $10 cancellation fee and you will receive a 50% refund only if we are able to rebook your camping, cabin, fishing, kayaking, water taxi, shuttle, lunch, or activity. If we are not able to rebook your reservation, then no refunds will be issued and you will also be charged a $10 cancellation fee to your credit card.
- In some situations, a raincheck worth 75% of your reservation may be issued at the discretion of Miller’s Landing management instead of the applicable cancellation charge. If this option appeals to you, please suggest this at the time of cancellation. Rainchecks are good for one year and may be used for activities, camping, or lodging owned by Miller’s Landing or towards the cost of hats, T-shirts, gifts, etc. sold in the Miller’s Landing store or items sold online. For items purchased online, the customer is expected to pay for the cost of postage. Rainchecks may NOT be transferred to another person.
- A 100% refund will be issued for any activity that was canceled due to weather by Miller’s Landing. Miller’s Landing reserves the right to determine weather cancellations. Rain does not constitute a cancellation.
Please note: Miller’s Landing encourages only guaranteed prepaid reservations. Unlike many other states, Alaska has a very short tourist season, which can make it difficult for us to rebook when we have cancellations without ample notice.
If you are booking a charter and lodging and your charter, water taxi, or kayaking is canceled due to weather, you are still responsible for the lodging or camping reservations and the normal cancellation policy applies. All of our activities are possible during rain, so rain does not constitute a cancellation. Miller’s Landing is not responsible for vehicle break downs, personal emergencies, flight delays, health issues or other unforeseen hardships. We will try very hard to work with you, but the cancellation policy will need to be applied if we cannot issue a raincheck or find an alternative solution that appeals to both parties.
Please understand that Miller’s Landing also incurs a hefty financial merchant fee from our bank for the cost of charging your credit card and again for the cost of refunding it, and there is also a cost involved for the time involved in processing and refunding your reservation in employee costs. Our goal when taking your reservation is to have a solid, guaranteed prepaid reservation. We strongly discourage the practice of making reservations without having an airline ticket or making tentative reservations. Thank you for your understanding.
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Our Guides come from all different backgrounds; from being ski instructors, snowmobile guides, wranglers, or passionate outdoor enthusiasts. Everyone comes from a customer service-rich background with a passion for interpretation, protecting the outdoors and safety. Our team is trained for two weeks to refine their skills together and learn all they need to know to safely guide our clients. We instruct and certify our guides as ACA II kayakers, practice cold water rescue techniques, and require that all guides have an up-to-date Wilderness First Responder Certification. Learn more about our training process by reading our blog from the 2022 training session!
Check it out here: Kayak Guide Training Summer 2022 | Miller’s Landing (millerslandingak.com)
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Spend a summer outdoors and in the Stunning Kenai Fjords National Park and Resurrection Bay, teaching, guiding, and enjoying all the amazing experiences Alaska have to offer. Miller’s Landing is a family-run business that started operations shortly after Kenai Fjords National Park was established in 1980 and the tourism industry began to form in Seward. We work hard to provide every guest with a memorable experience, with a focus on safety, education, stewardship, and fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment.
We begin our hiring process in the winter, between December and January, and suggest you apply in December. Our training begins May 1st and the season runs until September 15th. We ask that guides are able to attend training and can stay until at least mid-August.
Learn more about our requirements and the hiring process here: Kayak Instructor / Guide | Miller’s Landing in Seward Alaska (millerslandingak.com)