About Us
Baja Kayak Adventures Tours is family owned and operated by Pat, Ryan, and Hilary Masson, from Gabriola Island in BC, Canada. Ryan and Hilary Masson, our lead guides are fully trained and certified, with extensive paddling experience throughout Baja (and BC). As a family growing up on the coast we have fostered a natural love for the ocean and maritime recreation. We spend our free time together traveling, kayaking, sailing, camping, and hosting BBQs and dinner parties with our friends and family. The Masson family also operates Silva Bay Kayak Adventures during the summer months in British Columbia's beautiful Gulf Islands.
Our goal is to get people out on the water so they can experience and enjoy the amazingly diverse coastal-desert ecosystem - Baja and Mexico's Sea of Cortez. With our reasonable pricing we can customize a tour for any interest or budget. Baja Kayak Adventure Tours offers a wide range of kayaking tour options, both camping or villa based:
- Day Tours and Lessons
- Family Adventures
- Camping Expeditions
- Remote Baja Ranch Experiences
- Multi-sport 'get-aways' at an exclusive and remote Mexican villa
With this variety we can create an unforgettable experience for any interest or skill level.
Mexico's Sea of Cortez and Baja Peninsula
Mexico's Baja California is a 1300 kilometer peninsula of unique beauty and contrasts between desert and sea. The Sea of Cortez coastline is ideal for sea kayak exploration. The uninhabited islands, abundant marine and bird life, warm water and spectacular mountainous scenery combine to make this area a paddling paradise...
Read more about Baja and the Sea of Cortez in our blog.
Our Guides
Hilary Masson
Hilary Masson has an associates degree in Environmental Studies at Langara College in Vancouver, B.C. In 2003 she attended Hooksum Outdoor Leadership School, on north western Vancouver Island where she completed a month long certifications program covering a diverse range of outdoor leadership skills. From there she has guided on the coast of B.C. including Haida Gwaii - Queen Charlotte Islands, in the summer months. She is a certified Level II guide with Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC. In 2010 Hilary completed her Advanced Wilderness First Aid Certification with the Wilderness Medicine Institute in Spanish, at the National Outdoor Leadership School's Mexico campus.
Hilary was the regular “Paddle Meals” contributor to Wave Length Magazine where she shared her passion for camp cooking for 6 years. Hilary is fluent in Spanish, as she has spent 8 full winter seasons paddling in Baja Mexico. Hilary is also committed to giving back to the community where she lives in the winter, so she volunteers for the Bay of Loreto National Park putting on a wide variety of public stewardship events for locals. She also is a certified environmental educator with the Bio-regional Environmental Education Project funded by the San Diego Natural History Museum, and has completed various environmental education projects in Loreto.
Ryan Masson
Our lead guide, Ryan, has a diploma in Tourism, Parks, and Recreation Management. After College, Ryan spent two years in Whistler skiing and working as Food and Beverage Supervisor at the Four Seasons Resort. He has spent the last 6 years working as a full time kayak guide. Ryan is certified Level II Guide with the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC, and has a 3 star certification with the British Canoe and Kayak Union.
Ryan spends his summers as one of our lead Kayaking and Sailing guides with Silva Bay Kayak Adventures, our family's summer business in our home town of Gabriola Island. Last year Ryan crewed on a 46 foot sailboat for two months from Baja, Mexico crossing the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia. Ryan is also a board member on the Silva Bay Shipyard School, Canada's only full-time wooden boat building school. Ryan spends his free time sailing, hiking, surfing, playing music, and brewing beer.
Joel Lopez
Joel Lopez is our partner in business and comes from Guadalajara, Mexico and is the nephew of Peter and Anna Marcus (Founders and owners of Gabriola Cycle and Kayak). He brings to our partnership extensive knowledge from his years apprentice guiding in Baja, Mexico. Joel is an active member of the Loreto community and is well known and respected throughout. He has successfully completed Wilderness Medicine Institute's Advanced First Responder certification for First Aid, NOLS Advanced wilderness medicine, and has 3 Star Certification with the British Canoe and Kayak Union (www.bcu.org.uk).
