Joanna Stich

If you’re looking for a day trip within 1 hour from Vancouver, I got you covered. I recently had a photo-shoot in Port Moody which is approximately 35 minutes drive from downtown Vancouver, and I thought the area was super cute, so I decided to drag my husband with me and actively spend some time together.

We rented a double kayak from Rocky Point Kayak, which cost us $50 + Tax for 2 hours. All kayaks, paddles and life-vests are sanitized, and areas are clearly labelled where to collect and drop off the equipment to prevent “cross contamination”. The ocean front in Port Moody is quite shallow, therefore if you have never been kayaking before or are afraid of water this would be a suitable place to go to feel at ease. Majority of the water here is no more than knee deep & you can see straight through to the bottom.

2 Hours is plenty of time for you to explore the area, get the hang of the kayak and enjoy yourself. This part of the ocean is full of living organisms and I couldn’t believe it! Plenty of little fish, jellyfish of size that I have never seen before and lots of seals around. We noticed around 10, but I anticipate there are more further out. They are very friendly and pop their heads out every so often, however they kept their distance nonetheless.

The double kayak has (obviously) two seats, the person in front doesn’t have much of control over the kayak however the person in the back has 2 pedals which allow you to steer the kayak left or right to help with paddling directions. Our first kayak had broken pedals, we had to return it and hop into a second one, however that was not a problem at all and was rectified immediately.

As the water is so shallow, and there are very few boats around, it is safe to bring your mobile phone onto the kayak with you to get few photos. I had a waterproof case with me and I’d suggest to have a case for your mobile especially if you are the person in the back who steers the kayak as the person paddling in front of you may splash you with water. I was soaked thanks to my husband!

The company also rents out single kayaks, canoes and paddle boards. As the water is very very calm, this would be an ideal place to bring a beginner or a minor to learn balance on a paddle board.

There’s a lovely boathouse restaurant at the marina, where you can grab a cup of coffee or a bite to eat; take a walk on a pier or in the park if you would like to continue to stay active. For smaller children there is a playground as well as a “water playground” where during the hot summer days children can run around and splash!

During non-COVID times, there is a stage in the middle of the park for concert and outdoor events as well as an outdoor pool for public to use.