A Spa for Your Wild Soul
Join us for an incredible weekend of Empowerment, Adventure, and Connection!
July 27-30; August 24-27 2023
Women’s Transformational Kayak Journeys!!! We invite you to join us and learn why we call these kayak trips “a spa for your wild soul!”
Give yourself a treat for the mind, body and soul – connect with amazing women, walk in the woods, stick your toes in the sand, eat amazing whole foods, and revel in the beauty of our precious northwest waters.
After a lesson or refresher, we’ll paddle from Bainbridge Island to beautiful Blake Island, located across the Puget Sound from West Seattle, Washington.
These trips are truly a gift for our hearts and inner Selves. Blake Island is a protected state park, with both sandy beaches and 5 miles of trails in the woods. Deer walk through camp, Eagles fly overhead, Great Blue Herons wander the beach nearby…
We’ll look at the obstacles we’ve overcome in our lives, the way we can rise to challenges, and how to set aside things that hold us back. This trip is a beautiful rite of passage with loving, compassionate witnesses creating our success together and celebrating in beautifully fulfilling ways.
We will use talking circles, rituals in nature, expressive arts, time alone, creative practices, and so much more.
We hope you’ll join us!
WHEN: July 27-30 or Aug 24-27. Trips are four days and three nights (Thursday morning – Sunday afternoon).
WHO: All experience levels are welcome, including beginners!
WHAT: Maria and Spring and seasoned leaders and experienced mariners. They have been leading these trips for years and kayaking for more than 20. You will learn what to do before we go and we will stay together as we paddle.
Weekend Activities:
- Kayak packing demonstration & support
- Paddle stroke and body dynamics lesson
- Paddle about 3 miles from Bainbridge Island to beautiful Blake Island
- Enjoy amazing, healthy, whole food (but not TOO healthy – wine & chocolate are welcome!)
- Yoga on the beach
- Walk in the woods (there are various trail lengths)
- Creative writing, beach art, and other expressive activities
- Time alone, vision quest style, to integrate and connect with yourself
- Visit Tillicum Village on the island
- Share stories and guided activities to dig deep within ourselves
- Take time to nurture our Selves
- Laugh a lot!
INCLUDED: food, parking, camping costs, all classes and activities, lessons on kayak packing, paddling and proper body dynamics.
Kayak rentals are not included but we can help set up rentals with delivery and pick up – contact us for details.
SPACE IS LIMITED to 10 people per trip and they fill up fast!
Cost: $499 for four days and three nights.
SPECIALS:
Friends & Family: bring a friend or family member and you each receive $15 off.
Returning Friends: $20 off if you have joined us for a weekend before.
Only one discount per person please.
TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT & REGISTER:
-
- Registration for 2023 is open until trips are full (10 people)
- Text Maria to let her know you want to register and how you prefer to pay. 206 842-7706
- Pay in full or in 2 installments. $250 to secure your spot, $250 (or your balance) due June 1
- Check: make checks out to Journey For Purpose or Maria Cook, send to Maria Cook, 414 Madrona Way NE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
- VenMo: super easy, free app – send to @Spring-Courtright
- go to PayPal.com and send a payment to kayakmariacook@gmail.com
Cancellation Policy
We will run our Women’s Transformational Kayak Journey rain or shine, but if we deem the weather to make conditions inappropriate to cross to Blake Island, we will change activities and destinations.
If you find the date you registered for no longer works:
– Cancellation more than 60 days in advance: Full refund minus $50 administration fee
– Cancellation between 60 days and 30 days prior to departure date: Full refund minus $150 administration fee
– Cancellation within 30 days of tour or no-show: sorry, no refunds, unless spot is filled, then $100 administration fee
For more information: call/text Maria at 206 -842-7706 or e-mail us using the contact form on this website.
Check out this wonderful article about our trips HERE.
Maria’s notes from a past trip
FEEDBACK FROM TRIPS:
This “Transformational Women’s Paddle” MORE than transformed – it made friends of strangers, it brought us closer to Ma Nature’s amazing gifts, and it was filled with the magic of story-telling, belly laughs and very, VERY good food! Maria and Spring…your combined experience and passion for the outdoors shines a light for anyone wondering, “How can I jump in…?!?!”; thank you, THANK YOU! ~Kay Jensen 
HolyCow!! First time ever kayaking and it was amazing. Spring and Maria made me feel incredibly safe, secure, and inspired. The whole weekend was food for my soul and spirit. Can’t wait to do it again. ~Cheri Names
This was transformative indeed! I feel renewed, refreshed, and completely open in my heart center. I feel so grateful for the opportunity to learn from such amazing, wise women. ~Erinn J Hale
Great time of connecting to our known universe and touching the unknown. So comfortable and comforting. Paddling kayaks was such a great framework for bonding and sharing with friends and strangers, all now kindred spirits. ~Sally Kyte
I appreciated the open format of the weekend, and the organic nature of everyone helping out with tasks as needed. I felt in very safe hands throughout the weekend, from both a kayaking-safety standpoint and emotional-safety standpoint. The physical challenge of the first day was a great start to the weekend for me, leaving me feeling empowered and capable. I am holding gratitude and grace and a commitment to more adventures in my heart. So powerful to meet such incredible women of such diversity and depth. Your food was outstanding, your love and wonder were contagious. I look forward to joining you again on the water—and perhaps another weekend next year? ~Mary McCormick
Wonderful trip, I would not change a thing. Thank you Maria and Spring. ~Carol Mus
…the low key and very human experience of listening to others talk of their lives was quite moving. ~
Jane Trancho
Maria and Spring were born to lead these trips. Their collective kindness, patience and humor made for an outstanding weekend. Can’t wait to return!
This is my 2nd trip and I enjoyed every minute of both trips. I feel I have finally mastered how to paddle a kayak due to the patience and guidance of our fearless leaders who attack all problems with humor and in a nonjudgemental attitude.~ Kathleen O
I think Spring and Maria were great leaders in this group – their planning and organization was awesome and they were so much continual fun!
Our end-of-August Transformational Journey was a pilgrimage on every level. It began when I signed on, knowing this was something way out of my normal routine—I’m an introvert, an inexperienced kayaker, and haven’t camped in 20 years. But I trusted the experience and wisdom of Maria and Spring, With kayak packing tips from Spring the morning of our launch, and a few lessons on paddling technique, we were off, on one of those staggeringly beautiful Pacific NW days. Kayaking was pure pleasure. We saw seals, sea lions, jumping fish and even a couple of porpoises. My body and soul thanked me the entire way.
When we set up camp, the real surprises began—my fellow journeyers. Each woman gradually began to reveal herself at a soul level, with tears and laughter, with quirks and foibles, and all the masks of daily life gone. Over delicious meals, and relaxed circles, with stories, hikes, yoga on the beach and more, we grew to know each other, and ourselves in a way that is truly miraculous. What’s more, the presence of the Earth was always with us—in the sea, the summer wind, the land—and even the thieving raccoons. By the time we returned to our families and homes, we were renewed and newly sensitive to the beauty of this life and our fellow travelers in it.
If you are even a little bit curious and called to do something out of the ordinary, take this journey! It will change you—maybe a little, maybe a lot, but definitely for good. ~Althea P
I am so thrilled to have had this opportunity, not just a great adventure and an excuse to get outside, but a weekend full of amazing connection, incredible new friends, and- most importantly- a new- found sense of personal strength from the support of these incredible women! Much love and many thanks to Maria and Spring for this opportunity ~Hillary B
Maria and Spring are warm, welcoming and inviting to paddlers of all skill levels. And their attention to time spent together was transformative for me and for everyone else ~Ari L
In three days I have experienced joy, love, peace and a freedom that I had been missing for years. I am so grateful to Spring and Maria not only for what they offer but the beautiful people they bring into their fold. It’s unbelievable how quickly and closely we bonded, this coming from a loner and isolationist. I have more friends that I know will last a lifetime. From teenagers to the 70+s, we became one, we learned so much from each other. I have grown more in the last three days than in the last three years. Love to all my sisters always. ~Judy R