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Video Highlights
2011 Session Staff and Presenters
We were very excited about our session staff as they represent some of the best sea kayak instructors and paddlers in Eastern Canada.
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Ray Boucher Ray is a teacher in Wawa, Ontario and spends his time hanging around Naturally Superior Adventures in the summer. He takes great pleasure in punching out early to go play in the Lake Superior surf. Ray is a PC Level 2 Instructor, and shamelessly steals any techniques that other instructors are willing to demonstrate. His favourite event at the Storm Gathering is the Dock Launch. |
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Gary Doran Gary Doran is the Head Sea Kayak Instructor/Guide and Programmer at Ocean River Sports in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He has been a sea kayak instructor and guide since 1996, and has paddled in the Queen Charlotte Islands, Vancouver Island, Baja, and the Great Lakes. Notable expeditions include Isla Angel de la Guarda, Baja, and Cape Scott, Van-couver Island. Gary is certified through Paddle Canada as a Sea Kayaking Level-4 Instructor and Level-3 Instructor Trainer. As well, he is certified through the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC as a Guide Trainer and Level Three Guide. He holds degrees in Education, Environmental Sci-ence, and Biology, and is an accredited Leave No Trace Trainer. |
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Tim Dyer Tim is a Level 3 Instructor Trainer with Paddle Canada and is a Guide Trainer with White Squall's Sea Kayak Guide School.. He is a Wilderness First Responder and has Swiftwater Rescue training. In winter, Tim is a coach with Cross Country Ski Canada and teaches in the Georgian Nordic Jackrabbit ski programme. His favourite thing to do is head into the backwoods with tipi and woodstove and find hills to climb and ski down. His other most favourite thing is to simply get out in wind, surf and waves with friends - especially when it's cold and winter is about to come. |
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Scott Ewart Scott's passion for paddling began at age 4 when he threw a full on temper tantrum because his parents stole his paddle after soaking the entire canoe and gleefully practicing reverse whirlpool strokes on route. He now spends countless hours as owner and operator taming the wild beast commonly known as 1000 Islands Kayaking. With a diverse background in whitewater, climbing, outdoor education, risk management and outdoor recreation product development with the ministry of tourism, it’s impressive that he still finds time to paddle almost anything that floats. Scott’s light hearted approach to paddling has been described as both challenging yet comforting for paddlers to push their skills to the next level. "As long as you are smiling, you are doing it right. Now do it harder." |
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Charlotte Jacklein Charlotte Jacklein has worked in Canada and abroad as a wilderness guide, youth program facilitator and environmental educator. Georgian Bay has a special place in Charlotte’s heart since spending her childhood summers exploring the 30,000 Islands in a tiny wooden sailing dinghy. Charlotte’s love for sea kayaking began while surf kayaking (and spending a lot of time swimming!) on Lake Erie with her high school outdoor club. Charlotte’s passion for travel and exploration has taken her across Canada, to Central America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Charlotte is a Paddle Canada Level 1 Sea Kayaking Instructor and Wilderness First Responder. Charlotte’s writing and photography has been featured in publications such as KANAWA, Sea Kayaker Magazine, Above & Beyond, and Pathways. |
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David Johnston David is a Paddle Canada Instructor who has been puttering around in a kayak for the past 15 years. He maintains the instructor resource website, paddlinginstructor.com. David also sits on the Paddle Canada Sea Kayak Program Development Committee. When not in a boat, he can be found running around Toronto playing with his young family. Dream future jobs include being a professional waterslide tester or a professional wrestling referee. |
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Graham Ketcheson Executive Director of Paddle Canada and Sea Kayak Instructor Trainer, Graham has been paddling/ guiding and teaching in the outdoors since 1993. He holds certs in Advanced Wilderness 1st Aid, Swiftwater Rescue, Bronze Cross lifesaving and is a CANSI Telemark Level 1 Ski Instructor. He has recently relocated with his partners in crime Adrienne and son Owen to Kingston, Ontario, at the confluence of the the Rideau Canal, St Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. |
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Costain Leonard Costain is one of Harbourfront Canoe and Kayak Centre’s Sea Kayaking and Canoeing Instructors. He’s been teaching for just over a decade, starting with the kid’s camps and is now teaching across the entire spectrum of our programs. On a recreational basis you can find him puttering about in a white water boat and more recently on a SUP. |
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Greg Mason By day Greg is the masked crusader leading the charge at the UNESCO designated Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve along with his trusty side kick Becky Pollock and their son Samuel. They have a great time hanging out on the Bay living in Parry Sound and working with great people to keep Georgian Bay beautiful. By night he's been known to paddle across the Sound with Tim D and friends in November gales. Greg loves to skim across rocks with his trusty Shadow (his other sidekick). |
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Erik Ogaard As the head instructor for Harbourfront Canoe & Kayak Centre, Erik has over 13 years experience in kayak and canoe instruction. He graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in Hospitality and Tourism, Business Management. When not on the water, he is a professional tradesman for the past 19 years painting, plastering and carpentry. If he was ever to take out a personal ad in the local paper, it would say, I'm most passionate about Sea Kayak Instruction and Instructor Training Development, Instructing to beginners, paddling with friends and awesome paddlers, Culinary Arts, "Foul-weather" paddling and long walks on the beach. |
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Christine Utas Has been working as a guide and instructor at White Squall for 4 years after graduating from Outdoor Adventure. She has her Level 3 Skills and is a Level 1 Instructor as well as several other outdoor certs. She always looks forward to letting loose and goofing around in waves with fellow paddlers at the end of the paddling season. |
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David Wells David is the founder and director of Naturally Superior Adventures and Rock Island Lodge located at the mouth of the mighty Michipicoten River on Lake Superior near Wawa. Check out our lake Superior webcam or company propaganda on Utube. As a Paddle Canada Instructor and Trainer, David enjoys teaching at all levels and playing in the Lake Superior Surf |
Siobhan Callaghan
Siobhan is tremendously fond of and connected to the great lakes, having grown up on the north shore of Lake Erie. She played in small boats, canoes, and sailboats from an early age while watching the lights of freighters on the horizon making their way through the great lakes to ports beyond. She was introduced to Georgian Bay at 17 while hiking with her Dad on the Bruce trail from Tobermory to Lion's Head.
Siobhan is a Paddle Canada Level 1 Instructor, an AECSKO guide, and trained in Advanced Wilderness 1st Aid.
Kayaking is Siobhan's passion but, when not out on the water, she dabbles in things like running, skiing (downhill and nordic), playing guitar, and painting t-shirts. Mostly she likes to hang out with her sweetie and the best dog on the planet: Rickards.
Siobhan is tremendously fond of and connected to the great lakes, having grown up on the north shore of Lake Erie. She played in small boats, canoes, and sailboats from an early age while watching the lights of freighters on the horizon making their way through the great lakes to ports beyond. She was introduced to Georgian Bay at 17 while hiking with her Dad on the Bruce trail from Tobermory to Lion's Head.
Siobhan is a Paddle Canada Level 1 Instructor, an AECSKO guide, and trained in Advanced Wilderness 1st Aid.
Kayaking is Siobhan's passion but, when not out on the water, she dabbles in things like running, skiing (downhill and nordic), playing guitar, and painting t-shirts. Mostly she likes to hang out with her sweetie and the best dog on the planet: Rickards.
Gathering Dates
The 2012 Georgian Bay Storm Gathering will take place October 11-14.
Random Photos
