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Tour Guides & Educators

Why Choose Sea Quest

Our Sea Kayaking Tour Guides & Educators

The most important resource you have in the field is your kayak guide. That’s why we’ve taken a major step beyond ordinary kayak tour companies in selecting and training our guides. Our expedition leaders are chosen not only for their extensive experience in outdoor instruction, but also for their comprehensive knowledge of natural history. Our guided sea kayaking tours feature guides with academic credentials and often publications in their field of study. Sea Quest guides are committed to provide you with the best experience possible – you will find them knowledgeable, enthusiastic, patient, reliable, and above all, fun!

I don’t have enough praise for your guides, they made the kayak trip! Their joy and enthusiasm, wit and intelligence, and superior people skills surpass any guided trip I’ve taken before – diving trips, Outward Bound, all of them.

Anne Norton, Wasilla, AK

Meet Some of our Kayak Guides

Maya Taranow (Left)

  • Student
  • WFR Certified
  • Cook
  • Kayak Guide

Martine Springer (Right)

  • Nickname: Orca Goddess
  • 30+ years experience including Baja
  • Mountaineer
  • Kayak Guide

Jonathan Parent

  • Sailor
  • Fisherman
  • Freediver
  • Talented Naturalist
  • Singer
  • Guitar
  • Kayak Guide

Sandy Chancey – Legacy Guide

  • Tracker
  • Survival Trainer
  • Ski Instructor
  • Kayak Guide In San Juan Islands
  • Retired

Matt Syzymanowicz

  • Expedition Leader
  • Guide Trainer
  • Adventures in Baja, Mexico to Alaska

Sam Vittarti

  • Farmer
  • Naturalist
  • Cancer Survivor
  • Health Nut
  • Cook

Ben Henkel

  • Outdoor Lover
  • Naturalist
  • Expedition Leader
  • Guide Trainer
  • Office Manager
  • Owner

Keep in touch with your guide via our Facebook page where you can post messages and photos to them and keep up with recent Sea Quest news.

We Will Take Care of You Like Family on Your Guided Sea Kayaking Tour With Sea Quest!

Your safety and well-being is our most important goal. Our kayak guides are experienced in making our guided sea kayaking tours exciting and stimulating, yet with a very low risk factor. Their professional training and judgment, combined with careful preparation assures this. In addition, every kayak guide carries a VHF radio and cellphone to summon assistance should it be needed. It can also help in the event one of your loved ones at home wishes to contact you.

One of the pleasures of guiding sea kayaking trips is getting to know a variety of people, all of whom enjoy the outdoors and moving lightly through it. It’s a great way to make new friends.

Ben (Operator/Owner) with parents Laura and Steve

Our Kayak Guides Qualifications

Pete (Guide) Training at Cattle Pass

Our San Juan Island kayaking guides are primarily biologists and environmental scientists. They will make sure that you see the most and learn as much as your curiosity demands. Our guides are gifted naturalists, teachers, camp cooks, and trip leaders who have dedicated themselves to continually improve their skills. Our sea kayak guides undergo the most rigorous and lengthy training program of any kayak outfitter on San Juan Island. In addition to the previous experience they bring, our guides must spend two full weeks in our own intensive kayak guide school. Most other outfitters in this region spend only one to three days (if any) in preparing their kayak guides for this demanding occupation.

Read this blog article written by a kayak guide and office staffer to find out what our guides do on their days off!

Kayak Guide Jobs & Office Positions

We now have sea kayak guide jobs and office positions open for the San Juan Island kayaking season, spring through fall. Please click the link above for details if you are interested in applying and be sure to contact us soon!