Candlebox Kayaking

Fantastic team of guides lead us around the Tusket Islands. Wonderful lunch on the beach. Beautiful scenery even with the fog. Great interpretive commentary too. Thanks Matt.

My husband and I wanted to try out Kayaking kind of on a whim. We were at the Islands Provincial Campground in Shelburne NS just chatting around the fire. We decided to see if there was a place close where we could go kayaking. We wanted to just be able to rent a kayak and paddle around but found instead Candlebox Kayaking in Shelburne. We booked our tour (90$ each and worth every penny) at around 8:30 pm. At 20 minutes to 9pm I got a phone call from Matt (the owner) confirming our tour and asking the standard questions. Then he said that they were going to feed (it’s a 3 hour tour) us so he asked about allergies. We were very surprised by this.The next morning we packed up and headed out to the location. From the provincial park it was only about a 5 minute drive. We arrived and Matt met us and knew us by name. We filled out the appropriate forms and were given our gear for the trip (Skirt, Life Jacket). We also metour guide Uli! She was fantastic and very helpful and knowledgeable. We were total beginners and she made us feel very comfortable and safe. In normal fashion she put us in a tandem kayak. It was very stable. She taught us about the different signals on the water and how to use our kayak paddles. Finally we were off. We paddled across the Shelburne Harbour to a small cove. Uli gave us a little history lesson about the area and we chatted along the way. My husband was very interested in know all about kayaks and techniques so Uli was able to customize our tour to our interests (it was only us on the tour). Uli told us that we had a bit of a choice. We could turn around or go a little further and land on a beach for lunch. We decided we were doing fine and wanted to go to the beach. The paddle to the beach was lovely. We got to see lots of different birds and learn more about Shelburne’s History and paddling techniques.Uli was great about helping us to land on the beach. We didn’t fall in once! Once landed Uli started to unpack the lunch…. We were more than a little surprised. We were expecting sandwiches and some water and maybe some fruit. We got SO much more than that! Uli unpacked a table and then proceeded to take out cheese, crackers, ham, grapes, veggies, hummus, jelly’s, coffee AND a whole homemade Poppy seed Cake! We were completely flabbergasted. All of the food was delicious especially the Cake! We chatted and ate on the beach and even had a visit from a friendly deer.Once we had had our fill and felt terrible for Not eating ALL of the food, we got back in the kayaks and headed back to the marina. Again we chatted and paddled. On the way back it was a little rougher and Uli made sure we were ok and understood how to paddle through the waves. She was so knowledgeable and spoke very passionately about kayaking. On our way in the marina there were quite a few sailboats leaving at the same time so Uli made sure we were safe the whole time and let us know when to go and when to stop. No problems in the end, we got back to the slip and we’re able to jet out of the kayak.If you are looking for a fun 3 hour tour then this is the place for you. Even if you are a beginner then you will be perfectly safe. Matt and Uli make great partners.Thank you Matt and Uli for such an amazing experience! It was truly the highlight of our trip!

Really amazing experience. The kayak trip wasn't to challenging just the right amount of distance. The kayak guide was super friendly and experienced, very professional and safety focused. We were given two options for lunch spots and the party choose the beach lunch option. The lunch set up was super cute, and unique. Loved all of the food options, very European style, even had dessert with two cake options. Highly recommend if you are doing a trip down to the south shore/ shelburne area. Matt even hooked us up with directions to some cool beaches.

Thank you Matt - wonderful overview and instruction. Our four guests from BC were so excited to explore Shelburne’s beautiful, scenic harbour and paddle past Island’s Park (the park was a perfect spot to explore and for a bathroom break). The double kayaks were so much fun for the girls to easily maneuver and share their experience with each other. The water was calm and scenery was exquisite.We will definitely come to you for kayaks again. We highly recommend Candlebox Kayaking for a unique and fun family, couple or friends morning, afternoon or evening. Thanks again,John & Donnalynn

While camping at The Islands, Candlebox had a few kayaks to rent on site. It was easy to book online and they had someone come out with life jackets, gear and to even give a lesson if you wish. Friendly staff and it was a great paddle.

Took part in their intermediate whitewater kayaking course, and had an absolute blast! The instructors were very knowledgeable and were awesome at coaching. Great group of guys who made the time on the river unforgettable. I would highly recommend them and am looking forward to paddling with them again!

Took a whitewater kayaking course with Matt and it was wonderful, quality instruction and gear. Made the experience very enjoyable. I would recomend to anyone

I have been on several courses and tours with Matt and Candlebox Kayaking. I just completed a three day, two night customized tour with friends, island hopping in Shelburne County.  Matt as usual exceeded our expectations. We had an amazing trip. The shoreline from Shelburne Harbour to Lockport was spectacular and we even saw a whale. He is safety conscious, and always checks to see how his guests are doing throughout the trip and will make accommodations when possible. Matt is professional, has a great sense of humour, loves to share his knowledge of the area and offer coaching tips if asked. Uli provided amazing meals and snacks during our island hopping tour, and we never went hungry! She is so friendly and funny, and also offers great coaching tips. I would recommend Candlebox Kayaking to anyone. I always have a great time!

I've gone on multiple tours with Candlebox Kayaking, and every trip has been top notch. Everything you need is provided. Plus you can tell that the guides are very enthusiastic about what they do, and are very helpful and knowledgeable. 5 stars!