Spirit
Bear Skippers & Guides
Naturalist,
entertainer, medic, historian, storyteller, and chef are among the
things we expect our guides and skippers to be. In truth, they are
much more. What you can expect from Northern Lights Expeditions'
sea kayaking guides and skippers is an acute attention to detail
and a capacity for inspiring fun, fostering camaraderie, and creating
the perfect vacation for you. They're strong leaders, encouraging
teachers, patient and great company. They're special people whose
infectious enthusiasm for people and the outdoors makes the difference
between a good trip and an extraordinary one.
Planning, organization
and preparation are essential foundations of any successful adventure.
But in the field, only great guides can ultimately make your trip
what you dream it can be. Our guides and skippers are hand-picked
and trained in the renowned Northern Lights ways of providing exceptional
service, from natural history to fine wilderness cuisine, to our
guests. Their diverse backgrounds and experience and their love
of the coastal wilderness help ensure your trip will be everything
it can be.
Here
is the core of the experienced guides and skippers on our staff
in 2006:
Skipper:
John
Manning
John Manning is
the Spirit Bear’s new skipper for 2006. John has operated
boats his whole life and fished for many years for salmon
from his own troller, a vessel very similar to the Spirit
Bear in its former life as a salmon troller. John was for
years the skipper of Melvin Belli’s private, historic
yacht, traveling from California to Alaska. Also an accomplished
writer, we’ll have a collection of John’s published
boating stories aboard, as well as, of course, the captain
himself. With this level of experience and expertise, you
can rest assured you’ll have a most relaxing, informative
and safe voyage.
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Guides:
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Ellery
Down
Ellery
will be with us for a fourth season. Ellery spends time sailing,
mountaineering and of course kayaking, and is now in college
in the mountains of BC working on a degree in Outdoor Recreation
Management. He will also be attending small craft repair school
in Victoria this summer.
“Excellent
guide! Very knowledgeable about the wildlife, great leadership
qualities, very concerned about the well-being & safety
of the guests. Excellent knowledge about kayaking, nature
etc. very organized, pleasant personality, very professional.”
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Cory
Garnder
Cory Gardner comes
over to Northern Lights after gaining valuable experience
through a season with another outfitter in our area. A graduate
of an excellent kayak guide program on Vancouver Island as
well as a full-time island resident, Cory has come to know
our paddling territory well, is excited to be joining our
staff, and is a very welcome addition.
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Samanta
Chu
Samanta
Chu traveled to British Columbia to gain experience in training
in as large a variety of outdoor, wilderness activities as
she could. Eventually, she will be returning to her role as
one of the leaders of the new field of adventure tourism in
Brazil. While she has a solid background in activities available
to her in Brazil, British Columbia offers ice climbing, mountain
rescue and of course sea kayaking like nowhere else. Her May,
2006, sea kayaking journey along the northern and central
coast of British Columbia, ending in our local waters, will
be a lifetime experience she can relate to our guests all
summer long.
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"Excellent – beyond my expectations. We really did have
the perfect setup. Late in the season, so virtually no other paddlers
or boaters, lots of wildlife and the boat was all ours! Every meal
was delicious, timely, well prepared, beautifully presented and
devoured! The field guide you sent helped in all ways. It is excellent
and very well done – much appreciated and a keepsake. What
more can I say? The trip was PERFECT! "
Marianne O'Connor, California
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