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Privacy Policy for High Points Kayaking

Effective Date: 09/2022
Last Updated: August 2026

 

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how High Points Kayaking ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you visit our website, utilize our online booking platforms, or participate in our guided kayaking activities. We are committed to protecting your privacy, securing your data, and handling your personal information responsibly.

 

2. Information We Collect

We collect information that helps us provide a safe and efficient experience for our tour participants.

Information You Provide Directly:

  • Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, and physical mailing address.

  • Service Booking Details: Appointment preferences, tour requests, group size, and special logistical instructions.

  • Waiver & Health Disclosures: Information provided via our participation waivers, including digital signatures, age verification, and mandatory disclosures regarding medical, physical, cognitive, or developmental conditions (such as autism or mobility impairments) necessary to ensure water safety.

  • Payment Information: Billing address and payment details. Please note that all transactions are processed securely through our third-party payment processors, and we do not store raw credit card details on our servers.

  • Communication Records: Messages, emails, phone logs, reviews, and feedback you provide directly to our team.

Information Collected Automatically:

  • Website Usage Data: Pages visited on our website, time spent on individual pages, and general site navigation patterns.

  • Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, and unique device identifiers.

  • Cookies and Tracking: We use cookies, tracking pixels, and similar technologies to improve site performance, analyze traffic, and optimize your overall booking experience.

 

3. How We Use Your Information

We utilize your personal and health information strictly to run safe, efficient operations:

  • Processing, managing, and fulfilling your kayak tour bookings and product orders.

  • Communicating critical trip details, appointment reminders, and follow-up safety notifications.

  • Reviewing necessary safety, medical, or developmental conditions prior to launch to accommodate participants safely or adjust tour guiding strategies.

  • Processing payments securely and protecting our business against fraudulent transactions.

  • Optimizing and improving our website navigation, customer service, and tour operations.

  • Sending promotional updates or marketing materials, strictly where you have provided explicit consent.

  • Complying with our legal, accounting, and insurance obligations.

 

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

High Points Kayaking will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We only share information under the following strict circumstances:

  • Trusted Service Providers: We share details with trusted third parties who handle critical operations on our behalf. These include secure payment gateways, email communication systems, online tour scheduling and booking software, and website analytics providers.

  • Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by local, state, or federal law, court order, or subpoena, or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect the safety of our guides, participants, or the general public.

  • Business Transfers: If High Points Kayaking undergoes a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, customer database records are typically considered a transferable business asset.

 

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies to retain your site preferences, analyze web traffic, and keep the booking funnel functioning smoothly. You can choose to restrict or disable cookies through your personal browser settings; however, disabling them may prevent certain interactive features of our online booking engine from working correctly.

 

6. Data Security

The security of your personal data—especially sensitive health and waiver disclosures—is a top priority. We employ industry-standard physical, electronic, and administrative safeguards, including Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption for transmitting web data, regular security evaluations, and strictly limiting internal access to sensitive participant files. However, please be advised that no transmission of data over the internet can be guaranteed as 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute data security. [1]

 

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to complete bookings, handle legal liabilities, or resolve operational disputes. To satisfy standard United States tax codes and commercial insurance requirements, customer information and signed legal waivers are generally retained in our secure archives for up to 7 years.

 

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you hold specific data rights regarding your information. You may request to:

  • Access the specific personal information we maintain about you.

  • Correct or update inaccurate data or outdated contact details.

  • Request the permanent deletion of your personal records from our databases (subject to our 7-year legal data retention requirements).

  • Request a digital copy of the personal information we have collected on you.

  • Opt-out of marketing communications instantly by using the "unsubscribe" link in our emails.

To exercise any of these rights, please reach out to us using the contact information listed below.

 

9. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain direct links to external websites, local tourism blogs, or regional safety resources. High Points Kayaking holds no responsibility for the privacy practices, tracking tools, or content of external third-party sites. We strongly advise you to read the privacy statements of any external site you visit.

 

10. Children's Privacy

Our public website and online booking services are not directed at or intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children under 13 online. If we discover a child under 13 has submitted personal information to our site without verified parental consent, we will remove that data from our servers immediately. Minors participating in tours must have their information and waivers submitted directly by a parent or legal guardian.

 

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to modify this policy as regulations or tour operations evolve. Any material changes will be announced by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy, posting a prominent notice on our homepage, or emailing affected account holders directly.

 

12. Contact Information

For questions, privacy inquiries, or data requests regarding this policy, please contact our team directly:

High Points Kayaking

 

13. State-Specific Rights (California Residents)

California residents are granted specific data protection rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). This includes the right to request clear disclosure of what data we gather, how we utilize it, the right to opt-out of data sharing, and the right to delete collected information.

This privacy framework is structured to fulfill applicable United States federal and state commercial privacy laws. For formal legal evaluation or counsel regarding local compliance, please consult with a qualified attorney.

Terms of Service for High Points Kayaking

Effective Date: 09/2021
Last Updated: August 2026

 

1. Agreement to Terms

By accessing and using High Points Kayaking's website at www.highpointskayaking.com ("Website"), booking our guided excursions, renting equipment, or purchasing our products, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our Website or services. [1]

 

2. About Our Business

High Points Kayaking is a professional tour guide and equipment provider based in Summerville, South Carolina, primarily serving customers in Dorchester, Berkeley, and Charleston counties. We specialize in guided outdoor water activities—including Shark's Tooth Excursions, Sunrise Tours, and Guided Kayak Fishing—as well as selling retail items like excavation kits through our online shop. [1, 2]

 

3. Services and Guided Excursions

  • Booking & Availability: All tour bookings and rental reservations are subject to guide availability, equipment constraints, and final reservation confirmation.

  • Tour Modifications: Excursion itineraries, launch times, and water routes are highly subject to change based on weather, tidal charts, water currents, and active safety assessments. We reserve the right to alter or suspend any tour at any time to preserve participant safety. [1]

  • Safety Requirements: When booking an excursion, you are required to provide accurate approximate height and weight information. This ensures our team can prepare and assign the appropriate size kayak and Personal Flotation Device (PFD) for your tour. [1]

 

4. Product Sales (Excavation Kits and Merchandise)

  • Product Descriptions: We strive to ensure product images, descriptions, and specifications in our online shop are accurate. However, we cannot guarantee all retail product info is complete or entirely error-free.

  • Availability & Restrictions: Product availability is subject to change without notice. Custom or personalized retail orders may feature different handling timelines and are not eligible for standard returns unless verified as defective.

 

5. Booking, Payment, and Financial Terms

  • Reservations: All tours must be scheduled via our online website booking engine or by contacting our staff directly. A reservation is only confirmed once High Points Kayaking sends formal written confirmation.

  • Payment Terms: Full payment is required at the time of booking for all standard tours, rentals, and online store merchandise. All transaction pricing is processed in US dollars.

  • Commercial Accounts: For corporate events or custom large-group bookings, a deposit may be structured with the final balance due upon event completion. Invoices remaining unpaid past 30 days are subject to a 1.5% monthly service charge.

 

6. Cancellation and Refund Policy

  • Customer Cancellations: Customer-initiated cancellations must be finalized at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled tour launch time to avoid a cancellation fee. Same-day cancellations or customer no-shows are ineligible for standard refunds, though rescheduling may be permitted at our discretion.

  • Weather and Nature Cancellations: Kayaking is an outdoor activity subject to environmental changes. If High Points Kayaking cancels a tour due to high winds, severe lightning, dangerous currents, or extreme weather, you will be offered an alternative rescheduling date at no added cost. If rescheduling is completely impossible for your party, a refund will be issued.

  • Retail Returns: Unused merchandise and non-custom excavation kits in their original packaging can be returned within 30 days of purchase. The customer assumes responsibility for return shipping costs unless the underlying item is physically defective.

  • Refund Processing: Approved refunds are distributed directly back to your original payment method. Processing typically takes 5 to 10 business days to clear, depending on banking institutions.

 

7. Participant Responsibilities & Safety Rules

  • Accurate Information: You must provide accurate and complete personal data during booking. Providing intentionally false or misleading information may result in immediate service denial without a refund.

  • Mandatory Safety Disclosures: For the physical safety of the tour group, you must fill out our participation waiver completely and truthfully. You must disclose any known medical conditions, cognitive or developmental conditions (such as autism), or physical limitations that could impact your ability to self-rescue, follow verbal guide commands, or respond to an emergency.

  • Water Conduct: You must wear a properly fitted PFD at all times while on the water. Participants are required to follow all safety instructions provided by High Points Kayaking guides. Drifting away from the designated group, stepping out of a kayak in unauthorized water zones, or ignoring safety directives will result in immediate tour termination without a refund.

  • Right of Refusal: We reserve the absolute right to deny tour access or remove any participant from a trip if their conduct, physical condition, or unmanaged health factors pose an immediate safety risk to themselves, our guides, or other tour members.

 

8. Intellectual Property and Content

  • Company Content: All digital content hosted on our website—including text, graphics, logos, layouts, and photographic imagery—is the exclusive property of High Points Kayaking or our licensed partners. You may not copy, mirror, or distribute our content without explicit written consent.

  • Tour Photography & Social Media: As outlined in our waiver, High Points Kayaking frequently takes photos and video footage of our tour groups during excursions. We reserve the right to post these acquired images onto social media channels and other commercial business advertising outlets.

  • User-Submitted Content: Any public reviews, photos, or feedback you submit directly to our business platforms grant High Points Kayaking an uncompressed, perpetual license to use that content for marketing and testimonial purposes. [1, 2]

 

9. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

  • Service Disclaimers: We deliver our guided services with high professional skill and care, but we cannot guarantee specific outcomes (such as the exact number or size of shark teeth found during an excursion). Outdoor water environments are inherently volatile.

  • Limitation of Liability: To the maximum extent permitted under South Carolina law, the total collective liability of High Points Kayaking, its owners, and employees for any commercial claim shall not exceed the financial amount you paid for that specific tour or product. We are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, nor are we liable for delays or cancellations stemming from weather, wildlife encounters, or factors outside our direct control.

  • Indemnification: You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless High Points Kayaking, its owners, and staff from any financial claims, legal expenses, or damages arising out of your violation of these Terms or your negligent behavior during a tour. [1]

 

10. Privacy

Your privacy is very important to us. Please review our full Privacy Policy, which outlines how we collect, securely process, and protect your personal and health information. By using our website and services, you consent to our data practices.

 

11. Geographic Jurisdiction and Dispute Resolution

  • Governing Law: These Terms and all business operations shall be governed by, and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of South Carolina.

  • Local Resolution: We highly encourage you to contact our team directly at info@highpointskayaking.com to address any tour concerns or operational issues. Most misunderstandings can be solved quickly through open communication.

  • Legal Action & Venue: Any formal legal action, lawsuits, or proceedings arising under these Terms or from participation in our tours must be filed and adjudicated exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Dorchester County, Berkeley County, or Charleston County, South Carolina.

 

12. Severability

If any specific clause or provision of these Terms is deemed invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that section shall be severed, and the remaining provisions will continue to be valid, binding, and fully enforceable.

 

13. Contact Information

For any questions, concerns, or legal inquiries regarding these Terms of Service, please contact us directly:

High Points Kayaking

These Terms of Service are structured to meet commercial standards for a South Carolina outdoor tour operator. For specific legal evaluation or localized counsel, please consult with a qualified attorney.

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