I have always had an unquenchable thirst for adventure, for wanderlust, the great outdoors and for the unknown. Growing up in rural Canada, I participated in Outward bound programs, spending extended trips in the Canadian wilderness. My family camped regularly, and I would often find myself out exploring the local woods, lakes and fields for hours on end.
In my teens, I started to snowboard and skate. Spending winter weekends on the slopes, I pushed myself to extreme limits, and became a snowboard instructor at the age of 16. I spent summer weeks visiting the neighbouring metropolitan areas in search of new street obstacles to skate. My peers and I, built and opened the only downtown district skatepark in my hometown.
At age 13, I started sailing on the tall ship St.Lawrence II, and my adventures continued. We circum navigated Lake Ontario many times, visiting most cities and towns on its shores. I became an officer onboard the ship and spent 5 years learning and teaching sailing, seamanship and navigation. My first big adventure was n 2000, when I sailed from Kingston Ontario to New York City and back.
At 18, I moved to the Canadian Rockies and continued to pursue snowboarding & skateboarding. My goal was to become a professional Snowboarder. While in Canmore, I became the Program Coordinator & Lead Instructor for the local Recreation Center’s ‘Summer Skateboard Camp’.
I also took up the sport of Rock Climbing. My rope handling and skills at being aloft on a Sailing Tall ship lent themselves well to my climbing career, and I progressed swiftly. By the end of my first season, I was leading 5.10+ Sport routes on a regular basis. By my mid twenties, I was lead climbing trails, 5.9+. I still climb wherever I travel, and if i cannot climb, i will hike to the top of a mountain, or sail on local waters. In 2017 I completed my motorcycle licensing and have taken to cross country motorcycle touring, its a great way to explore and very exhilarating!
I am an avid swimmer, and enjoy free diving, surfing and water sports. A few years ago I achieved my PADI open water scuba certification, and have enjoyed scuba diving ever since. The feeling of being in the underwater environment is like none-other. It is a weightless, quiet serenity and majestesty all combined in an otherworldly & death defying human activity.
For two years in NYC, I worked as a weekend guide for a ‘Outdoor Bound’, a manhattan based company specializing in tours for adults in the local New York Area. I would take groups for 5-13 people out on hikes, horseback rides, rock climbing trips, and camping trips on weekends.
My passion is to travel, teach, and guide others on new journeys. I would do this for free & for the simple pleasure of it all. Seeing other cultures, hearing other languages, tasting foreign foods, and finding myself in unknown circumstances and places makes me feel alive. The experience from traveling is like none other, it shapes us in ways we cannot express in words, it molds us into well rounded people, who see and understand humanity better as a whole. Traveling is very important to me, and i believe it’s important for all people to have the experience of other cultures and landscapes.
