Welcome to Shaka Kayaks, North Shore Oahu's premiere eco-kayak tour company featuring clear bottom kayaks. We invite you to spend some time with us exploring the hidden jewels of Oahu's North Shore. Come along on a guided ocean kayak tour that departs from the world famous Turtle Bay Resort. See first hand the marine life as your clear bottom kayak glides over tropical fish, colorful coral reefs and turtles. Learn about the local flora and fauna from your expert guide. Step back into history inside of a real WWII bunker. Relax with refreshments on one of the most beautiful secluded beaches in all of Oahu. Explore the trails behind Kawela Bay looking for the giant "Lost" Banyan Tree. Search for buried treasure for the keiki. Enjoy a chance encounter with a spinner dolphin, humpback whale, Hawaiian monk seal or even a movie star. Experience the thrill of the newest kayak sport in the world Stand Up Kayaking invented by your tour guides. Whether you are a first time visitor or a local kama'aina there is something new for everyone to see. And remember our motto...
"Take only pictures, leave only a wake "
Our Location
Turtle Bay Resort
Shaka Kayaks is located in Hawai’i on the fabled North Shore of Oahu at
the beautiful Turtle Bay Resort. Turtle Bay Resort is a 5 star resort only
45 minutes from the hustle of Honolulu but a world apart. With over 4
miles of untouched shoreline where you can easily find your own private beach it
is a direct contrast to Waikiki that is less than 2 miles long and sometimes
hard to find a place to put your towel down. One of the best and
environmentally friendly ways to reach these secluded beaches is by kayak.
Kawela Bay is the highlight of the kayak tour. As there is no public beach
access, most locals don’t even know about this beautiful gem of True Hawai’i
which is the location for several movie and TV shows. Other resort
activities include two landscaped pools, two championship golf courses, a
surfing school, helicopter tours, horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking
trails, 10 tennis courts, a world class spa, gourmet dining, snorkeling and
guided sea kayak tours. Turtle Bay Resort is the only true luxury
full-service resort on the breathtaking North Shore of Oahu. They are True
Hawai’i.
Your Guides
Captain Scott Sundby
Captain Scott is both the owner and founder of Shaka Kayaks. Captain Scott first visited Oahu when he was 8 years old and it changed his life. He did his first open water scuba dive here at age 9 and became a certified diver at age 10. Continuing his love of the ocean, he vowed never to live more than walking distance to the ocean and 30 years later he has kept this promise. At age 15, Captain Scott became the youngest ever certified PADI dive master and at 18 the youngest PADI instructor certified in Australia.
Captain Scott focused his education on water safety and became a Florida state Emergency Medical Technician and a PADI Medic First Aid and CPR instructor. At age 21 he received his US Coast Guard captain’s license and for the next 15 years he kept his childhood vow by living on the ocean on a variety of boats around the world. While living in Mexico for 8 years, Captain Scott did field research on manta rays. He authored and taught the very first course on manta rays and fought to get and keep these beautiful creatures protected.
Captain Scott relocated to Palau where he learned about kayak eco tours from the experts there. While there he met the love of his life Sarah, and after getting married in South Africa they delivered a live aboard dive boat from Palau to Belize. During the next year they continued on an adventure trip around the world filming wildlife, and when they came to Oahu they decided to stop and make it their home. They have been living for 8 years now at Turtle Bay exploring the untouched shoreline. Captain Scott started Shaka Kayaks with the interest of protecting one of Oahu’s last untouched areas of True Hawai'i by offering environmentally friendly eco-tours that "take only pictures and leave only footprints in the sand."
Drew Wilkinson
Drew is an experienced waterman in activities such as surfing, kayaking and swimming through underwater caves. He grew up in Florida where he attended Florida State University and received a degree in environmental education. After 2 years of teaching high school environmental science, Drew decided it was time to follow his dreams and moved out to Hawaii. On the Big Island he volunteered for the Hawksbill Sea Turtle Recovery Project before moving to the North Shore of Oahu. He enjoys eating breakfast foods late into the night and getting barreled at the crack of dawn. Furthermore, he is an adamant reduce, reuse, recycler and can often be seen picking up trash in random places. Drew is also a scuba diver and Red Cross certified lifeguard instructor with a passion for eating mangoes and salsa dancing. Drew also writes for several online magazines and you can check out his latest article at http://www.alohaupdate.com/2011/08/16/top-3-places-to-see-green-sea-turtles-on-the-north-shore-of-oahu/.
*** BREAKING NEWS *** Congratulations Drew on a top 3 finish in the annual Da Hui Sunset Beach to Waimea Bay paddleboard race!
Ryan Hailstone
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Ryan is an ocean waterman from the southeast side of Oahu. He went to school on Oahu from pre-school until he graduated from Kapiolani Community College. Although he spent most of his life in school, he believes he received his best education traveling. He has explored the world traveling to Central America, Indonesia, and Australia. When he is not guiding Kayak tours, he is in search for epic waves, paddling miles across the sea, underwater rock running at Waimea Bay, or bodysurfing the whomping shorebreak at Ke Iki or Sandy Beach. He is a professional bodysurfer, winner of the Sandy Beach bodysurf contest and a regular contestant at the Pipeline bodysurfing classic. He saved his money to move up to the North Shore to live just for the winter surfing season but fell in love with area, the community and the “hang loose” lifestyle. He now lives in Kawela Bay, just around the corner from where he works at Shaka Kayaks. Ryan is full of Aloha spirit, wearing a smile more than he wears his clothes. Ryan also just won 1st place at California's Battle of the Paddle a prestigious stand-up paddleboard contest.
Congratulations Ryan on being one of the best body surfers in the world and finishing in the top 5 of the Pipeline Bodysurfing Classic this year!
Sian Howell
Sian was born in South Africa and has spent most of her life on the pacific islands of Guam and Hawaii. Growing up she has been surrounded by ocean and loves living the island and ocean lifestyle, which has led to a great passion for the outdoors and the ocean. She has done Outrigger Canoe Paddling for 5 years, 4 of which was part of her high school team. Surfing is one of her favorite hobbies, along with kayaking! She enjoyed several years of Junior Life guarding at Ehukai Pipeline and loves the beach and snorkeling the north shore. Ever since she was a kid living in Guam she has loved hiking and has been to many spectacular places all around the world. After graduating high school from Kahuku High, she spent 6 months traveling around Europe, and now currently attends Hawaii Healing Arts College for Massage Therapy.
Zoe Pastorfield-Li
Zoe is a water lover who moved to Oahu from Queens, New York, to surf bigger, snow-free waves. She has lived in Panama and China, and has taken extended solo trips to different parts of the world, starting in Peru at age 15. Out of the water, she loves working with youths, making art and eating from the garden. In addition to Shaka Kayaks, Zoe works for the Locally Managed Marine Area Network, which helps local communities in the Indo-Pacific manage their nearshore environment by returning to traditional practices of sustainability. Working at Shaka Kayaks is a dream come true and she is stoked to share Kawela Bay with you.
