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About Us
Inspiring Adventures Our Company Our
Crew
Inspiring
Adventures Since 1993, Sea Kayak Adventures has created simply outstanding
sea kayaking trips and incredible wildlife encounters for outdoor-minded
travelers by offering not only fun and excitement, but also inspiring
adventures designed to rejuvenate your body and spirit. We're all about getting
away from everything, learning new things, observing wildlife, meeting great
people and introducing you to a new way of travel. So that you can experience
the dream vacation you deserve, we emphasize unparalleled customer service,
superb sea kayaking and whale watching destinations, and unbeatable support and
camaraderie from each of our SKA guides. We serve gourmet meals and provide all
the equipment needed.
"The trip went way
beyond my expectations. It was so great. Everything about it is a wonderful
memory - the nature is just spectacular, the guides were great fun and very
knowledgeable, the camping and kayaking equipment were superb and the food -
were we really on a camping trip?" -- Vanja Dukic, Sea of Cortez
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Terry Prichard and Nancy Mertz
Prichard, Sea Kayak Adventures Founders |
Our
Company
Sea Kayak Adventures,
Inc is actually three companies - we are fully licensed and permitted by the
Mexican and Canadian governments to operate in their waters. We maintain
offices in these countries, pay all the required fees and taxes; and we are
committed to the hiring, training and development of local personnel. Our
office in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, USA handles your reservations and takes care of
you before and after your trip.
In 1993 Terry Prichard
and Nancy Mertz, after working as sea kayak guides for many years in Baja and
the Pacific Northwest, created Sea Kayak Adventures. We wanted to share our
love of nature and exciting work with others in our own way. Meeting great
people, kayaking close to whales, sleeping under the stars. Being intimate with
nature. It's an incredible experience.
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Laurie started working
for us Nov 2005 and is an integral part of our team. She is the cheery person
who answers most of our incoming phone calls, and goes above and beyond to see
that every aspect of your pre-trip planning goes without a
hitch. |
We operate at all times
with environmental ethics in mind. We hire local guides as well as guides from
Canada and USA on each tour in Mexico and put as much money as we can into the
local economy of our destinations. We were the first company to design and
implement porta potties for double kayaks, which is now standard in the
industry in Loreto. We run mostly self-supported tours (ie no motorboat
support) thus rely on the greater carrying capacity of double kayaks. Some of
our tours are motorboat-supported - ie a motorboat goes along, usually going
ahead to camp each day with the camp gear, which can carry more amenities than
a self-supported trip. We have 1-2 single kayaks on each trip for guests to
rotate into (we do not guarantee exclusive use of single kayaks). Our guides
are eager to help you learn and develop your paddling skills.
"I especially liked the
special touches: voluminous instructions, directions & advice prior to the
trip, reservations for additional nights, new kayaking equipment, and
flexibility in kayaking itinerary and activities". -- Pat Hollyday, Sea of
Cortez
Our Crew
"Our guides were truly
responsible for making this trip so exceptional. They were fun and adventurous
and their enthusiasm was irresistible. We could not have been in more competent
and assured hands". -- Margery Ricards, Johnstone Strait
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Cesareo "Charo"
Castro Charo grew up fishing and whale watching in Magdalena Bay. He
has been kayak guiding since 1997 and enjoys sharing his vast knowledge of
whales, birds and flora of Baja. He guides our sea kayaking expeditions in the
Sea of Cortez and is also our camp manager/naturalist in our Mag Bay Whale
Watching Camp. Charo is a graduate of the RARE program which is an eco-tourism
and guide training program for Mexicans. He also works for
Grupo
Tortuguero with sea turtle conservation. SKA guide since
2005. |
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Alex Magana
Ruiz Alex, a native of Guadalajara, Mexico, now lives in Loreto where
he has been a whale watching and sea kayak guide and logistics coordinator for
SKA. He personifies guest service and adds panache to our tours. He also
runs his own business selling day tours in Loreto and is a wonderful artist and
photographer. His website will be up soon. SKA since
2002 |
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Paola Aguilar
A vital part of our operation in our Loreto office is the sunny capable
presence of Paola. She truly holds the Loreto operation together behind
the scenes, gracefully handling most of the details such as national park
permits, trip food shopping and a million other critical details. She is a also
a teacher at the university in Loreto and plans to go on to graduate school in
literature. |
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Vladimir de la Toba
Valladolid Vlady is our most promising up-and-coming young Mexican
guide, who already has his 3 Star British Canoe Union kayak rating. He grew up
fishing, boating and body surfing on Baja's Pacific coast, and knows the ocean
and the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) intimately. In summers, he works for
Grupo Tortuguero, educating fishermen about not killing sea turtles and other
important species in their fishing bycatch. He is eager to practice his English
and show visitors the natural wildlife he loves. |
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Lorena Pedrin
Lorena is our senior Mexican woman trip leader, capable and calm, she loves
introducing visitors to the Baja California that she is passionate about. She
did a summer for us in BC Canada as well in 2008, so ask her about any of our
tours. She truly has a "can do" attitude. |
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Ramon Murillo
Ramon can trace his roots to generations of fishermen in the Loreto area, and
his knowledge of the Sea of Cortez and its weather is boundless. We are truly
honored to have him provide motorboat support on some of our Sea of Cortez
tours in Baja (called pangas in Baja California). He is a master panga captain,
with many amazing stories of the high seas to relate. |
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Serina Bain
Serina hails from Vancouver Island BC Canada and would win the "most infectious
laugh" and "most energetic" awards. She is a patient teacher, as well as
confident capable trip leader, impressing folks of all ages with her knowledge
and enthusiasm about kayaking and the areas we visit. An integral part of our
team in both Mexico and BC Canada since 2006. |
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Lennie
Allison Lennie, from Vancouver Island BC Canada, is always smiling. His
upbeat and "can do" attitude and sense of humor makes him a favorite leader
with our guests. Lennie has led kayak tours and kayaked extensively all over
Vancouver Island for many years, and can handle anything that comes his way.
SKA guide in Mexico since 2006. |
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Lexie Owen A
world traveller, and film festival and folk music festival manager in her spare
time, Lexie hails from Vancouver Island and is a top notch trip leader in BC
Canada. Lexie is a born teacher, and her passion is sharing natural history
with others. We are honored to have her on our team, and we so enjoy her
boundless, good-natured energy. |
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Cara Andre
Cara is full of fun, yet don't let her silly side fool you - she is a skilled
paddler, (who paddled around Vancouver Island in two stints June 2008 and June
2009), as well as a tirelessly hard working certified BC Canada sea kayak
guide, a certified personal trainer and Muay Thai martial arts/rock
climbing/skiing devotee. We are delighted to have her on our team.
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Dan
Pichette Dan Pichette is a BC certified lead kayak guide with extensive
first aid knowledge. Previously a river guide, Dan has spent the last 3 summers
guiding anywhere from the Canadian Rockies to the remote south end of the Gwaii
Haanas National Park in the Queen Charlotte Islands. He has an outstanding
passion for the outdoors, is an excellent cook, with the utmost in positive
energy. In the winters he can be found on the frozen form of water ski
patrolling at his local hill of Nelson BC. |
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Mike
Brown Mike is a new addition to our team and is excited to be working on
the BC coast. He is a graduate of the COLT program at Strathcona Park Lodge and
is a BC certified guide, he also has a diploma in Ecotourism studies.
Originally from Saskatchewan, and having lived in England for several years,
Mike is a now a resident of Vancouver Island. He has explored many parts of the
island, from alpine to coastline. He is skilled with many facets of backcountry
travel and is looking forward to developing into an experienced trip
leader. |
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Laura Shaw
Born in Ontario, Canada, Laura spent many summers paddling in Algonquin Park
and Temagami. In 2000, she embarked on a 5.5 month canoe expedition across
Canada to raise awareness of the landscape and people of Canada's Boreal
forest. Laura has also worked at Strathcona Park lodge and many other outdoor
education centers and schools in B.C. and Ontario. Passionate about
experiential and environmental education, Laura now holds a Masters Degree in
Environmental Education and Communications through Royal RoadsUniversity and is
the lead academic instructor of the Adventure Tourism Business Operations
program at the College of the Rockies in Golden, B.C. When she's not hiking in
the mountains or paddling, Laura is likely to be found tending to her vegetable
garden or strumming her guitar. |
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Manuel
Gonzalez is a marine biologist, guiding for us while planing to get a
Master's degree. He is a holder of two of the Mexican records in free diving,
with future plans to work as a free diver instructor and combine it with kayak
guiding. He is very interested in ecologic developments and sustainable
projects for the future of the Baja California peninsula. A true
extrovert, he loves learning about others and teaching guests about Mexican
culture and natural history. |
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Pablo Lobera
is a marine biologist, who has worked on projects researching and protecting
sea turtles, and loves to lead birding tours. Ask him how to tell a male
from female crab - he is a wealth of knowledge. |
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Edgar Escobar
is a marine biologist, NOLS graduate (USA-based National Outdoor Leadership
School) and sea kayak guide who has many kayak tours under his belt. We love
his enthusiasm, passion for teaching and deep love of music from around the
world. |
We are truly fortunate to have local experts who are
proud of and passionate about their beautiful Baja California Sur and Vancouver
Island, British Columbia Canada. They love to share natural and cultural
history with guests and are gifted in helping guests feel at home in the
wilderness.
Former SKA guide Hayley
Shephard to be the first person to solo paddle around South
Georgia Island to save albatross Jan 2009 - click on her name to find out how
to save the albatross.
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