Mike Blake - Sea Peak Adventures
Mike lives and breathes everyday with a high-spirited love of the outdoors and he's always eager to share his passion with everyone around him. Following the seasons, Mike enjoys trekking across the spectacular world-class parks systems of Western Canada during the warmer months - skiing in the cooler ones - and has particular familiarity with the regions’ diverse wildlife, history and geography. Since 1995, he’s called the Comox Valley on beautiful Vancouver Island home. “There’s a special feeling in the air here.”
Mike is a certified ACMG Guide and seapeakadventures.com is his current project - offering tailor-made multi-sport wilderness adventure tours all across Western Canada to adventure seekers from around the globe.
Jan Neuspiel - Island Alpine Guides
Jan's guiding and teaching career has spanned more than 20 years and at least that many mountain ranges. Most of this time has been spent working and living in the Himalayas guiding climbing and trekking in Nepal (he speaks fluent Nepali) and running a helicopter skiing operation in India.
Jan has climbed and skied in BC's Coast Range, the Rockies, the interior ranges, all over the mountainous west of the USA, Europe, Alaska, the Canadian Arctic, the Himalayas and of course, in Vancouver Island's mountains.
For a number of years now, Jan has called the Island home. Jan says the unique beauty of these mountains has captured his heart and he looks forward to sharing these most special places with you. Jan brings his vast experience and dedicated professionalism plus a sense of fun to his work as a teacher and a guide.
Bio courtesy of Island Alpine Guides
Sean Balmer and Serena Rotter - Tree Island Kayaking
Husband and wife team, Sean Balmer and Serena Rotter, are the proud owners and guides for this unique sea kayak vacation company.
Both Sean and Serena started their careers guiding outdoor pursuits in the Canadian Rockies. Sean's love for the water drew him towards raft guiding and white water kayaking, while Serena conducted native based outdoor recreation programs for youth at risk. Wanting to add more diversity to their list of skills, they moved to Strathcona Park Lodge in 1995. Here they discovered a strong desire to share the beauty of Vancouver Island from an ocean vantage point.
While sea kayak guiding for other companies on Vancouver Island was fulfilling, Sean and Serena wanted the opportunity to guide trips together, allowing their style of guiding to be the most memorable part of their guest's vacation.
With over twenty years experience in outdoor pursuits, extensive knowledge of local flora and fauna, as well as native culture and history, Sean and Serena's guiding style is sure to capture your attention and feed your imagination with stories and facts directly relating to your surroundings. Combine their years of experience and high safety standards with traditional West Coast cooking, and they are confident that your sea kayaking vacation will be truly enlightening and unforgettable.
Bio courtesy of Tree Island Kayaking
Daniel Williams - Morningstar Marine
Daniel Williams has grown up on Vancouver Island and its exciting waters. He has travelled the entire BC coast as a fisheries observer with the commercial fishing fleet, works with various salmon enhancement groups gaining knowledge as a fisheries biologist/streamkeeper and worked extensively in the shellfish aquaculture industry.
Daniel's an experienced and certified commercial Master Skipper, Bachelor of Science biologist, and a certified fisheries technician with an extensive marine knowledge and historical perspective of local waters.
He is an avid student of marine environments and a certified scuba diver, and holds a deep love of the West Coast and its mysterious allure. Daniel is committed to sustainable and environmentally responsible eco-tourism practices. The Morningstar is his personal vessel, lovingly cared for and meticulously prepared for ocean voyage.
Bio courtesy of Morningstar Marine
