Recap: Our 10th Adventure – Sea Kayaking the San Juan Islands

Earlier this month, we celebrated a milestone with our 10th Type3Life adventure. From September 15–20, a group of men set out into the Pacific Northwest to kayak through the wild and beautiful San Juan Islands.

The trip began with a seaplane flight into Friday Harbor, an arrival that set the tone for the epic week ahead. From there, we eased into the experience with a “glamping” stay at Lakedale Lodge and an excursion to the summit of Mount Constitution, where we could take in the entire archipelago from its highest point. A yoga and breathwork session helped us ground and steady ourselves before launching into the true heart of the adventure.

Over the next four days and three nights, we paddled from San Juan Island to Jones Island, on to Stuart Island, where we circumnavigated both Stuart and Johns Islands, before returning back to San Juan. The journey brought with it every kind of challenge and reward: open-water channel crossings with fast-moving tides, bull kelp forests that stretched out like underwater jungles, and remote island hikes through lush Garry Oak and conifer forests. Each day ended with sunsets that seemed almost too perfect to be real, shared laughter over incredible meals, and the kind of conversations that only happen when you strip life back to its essentials.

Wildlife was with us at nearly every turn, harbor porpoise and seals surfacing alongside our kayaks, Steller sea lions barking from rocky outcrops, bald eagles soaring above, and herons wading through the shallows. On the islands, we came across black-tailed and fallow deer, and even mouflon sheep that reminded us just how wild and unique these places really are. Our partners at San Juan Kayak Expeditions outfitted us perfectly, and our guides, Maddy and Cooper, not only kept us safe and well-fed but pulled together a route that balanced challenge with wonder in a way only seasoned guides can.

As we closed out this trip and began our journey home, many of us reflected on the significance of what we’d just shared. Ten adventures into Type3Life, we took stock of why these experiences matter so deeply, why men keep showing up, and why the bonds formed in these places stay with us long after the gear is packed away.

Why These Trips Matter

At first glance, Type3Life might look like it’s just about adventure, pushing limits, testing yourself in nature, checking off bucket-list challenges. But that’s only part of it.

Every trip is designed with something deeper in mind: connection.

It’s not only about the challenge of paddling across a wind-swept channel or the satisfaction of climbing a mountain. It’s about the conversations that happen around the fire, the vulnerability that surfaces when the distractions of daily life fall away, and the strength that comes when men open up, not only about where they’re thriving, but also where they’re struggling.

This isn’t some woo-woo bullshit. It’s real, it’s necessary, and it’s missing from most men’s lives today.

If we’re going to reach our potential as men, as fathers, husbands, brothers, and leaders, we need to spend time in the company of other men. We need to learn to connect, to listen, to ask for advice, and to have the courage to be honest about where we are. That’s what these trips are about. That’s why we do this.

And that’s why this adventure, our 10th, was so powerful.

After the Adventure

One of the most important parts of Type3Life begins after we return home. These aren’t one-off experiences where everyone goes their separate ways once we return to our families. Each trip is a doorway into an ongoing brotherhood, a community of men who stay connected long after the adventure ends.

We engage regularly, continuing the conversations, the encouragement, and the accountability that start in the wild but are meant to carry over into everyday life. For many men, this is the first time they’ve had a space where they can both give and receive support from other men in an honest, no-bullshit way. That’s why we say these aren’t just trips, they’re an introduction into a community.

Ready for Your First Adventure?

If you’ve been following Type3Life for a while but haven’t joined us yet, consider this your nudge. These aren’t just trips, they’re catalysts for change. Every man who has stepped into one of these adventures has walked away with more than just memories; they’ve gained a community, new confidence, and a deeper sense of who they are.

Maybe you’ve been telling yourself you’ll join “someday.” Maybe you’ve been waiting for the timing to line up, or for the right trip to appear. Here’s the truth: there will never be a perfect time. Growth doesn’t happen when everything feels easy and convenient, it happens when you decide to step into something bigger than yourself.

Ten adventures in, we’ve seen firsthand how powerful this work is. The only thing missing now is you.

If you’re ready to stop watching from the sidelines and start building the kind of life and community you’ve been craving, then it’s time to take the leap.

Stay bold. Stay wild. Stay connected.

See you out there,

Sean and Paul – Type3Life