For a kayaker who is looking for a wilderness paddle in a unique environment, but is looking to trade some cold northern weather for a little tropical sun, a paddle in Baja's Sea of Cortez may be the adventure for you. About sixty miles north of La Paz you will find the 17 mile long Isla San Jose. It's an easy paddle out from the mainland and you'll find some awesome hiking when you get here. For this is known as a tropical thorn forest. It's a desert of unique and fragile cacti.

Christopher Columbus got it right when he named Costa Rica the rich coast. For it truly is rich both in life and experience. There are over fourteen hundred species of plant life in this hidden jewel of a tropical paradise. If you are an outdoor adventure enthusiast, there's hiking, spectacular white water rafting and kayaking. In just a short distance, if diving or snorkeling excites you, you can dive either the Caribbean or the Pacific.

Vancouver Island is hard to beat as a kayaker's dream destination. Some thirty miles off the coast of British Columbia has, in its 280 mile length, everything a paddler might want from coves, inlets and estuaries to open waters and a rugged Pacific coast. When you paddle these waters you'll see everything from whales and porpoise to migrating waterfowl. Campsites are abundant. And, with a little luck, you'll be able to catch and barbecue your dinner right on the same beach!