Jonathan Walpole

 

Profile

Kayaking Qualifications

BCU:

• Level 4 Sea Coach

• A1* Assessor

• Canoe Safety Test Assessor

• 5 Star Sea Award

ACA: Advanced Open Water Coastal Kayak Instructor

I was born in England in 1961. Now I live in Portland, Oregon, USA. I started paddling in 1991 in an open canoe, first on flat water, then on class II white water. In the early days I did a lot of multi-day open canoe trips on the wild and scenic rivers of Eastern Oregon and Washington, USA. In a quest to explore new rivers and survive the more challenging rapids that came with them I began white water kayaking in the mid 1990s. Around the same time I also started white water rafting. In raft or kayak I have run many of the rivers in Oregon and Washington up to and including class IV white water.

After 10 years of inland paddling I discovered, and became addicted to sea kayaking. In North America I have paddled on the Northern California and Oregon coasts, Columbia River Estuary and Gorge, Olympic Peninsular, San Juan Islands and Deception Pass in Washington, the Strait of Juan de Fuca including a crossing from Port Angeles (USA) to Victoria (Canada), the Brooks Peninsular on the Pacific coast of Vancouver Island, Canada, and Kachemak Bay and Prince William Sound in Alaska. In Europe, I have visited Anglesey, UK, several times to paddle in the tide races and overfalls of the Irish Sea. I have also kayaked the Strait of Gibraltar from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and crossed from Europe to Africa, and have done numerous trips in Norway, including the Sogn og Fjordane region on the West Coast (North Sea), the Lofoten Islands, including a passage through the maelstrom, and a tour in the Norwegian Sea near Tromso, at 70 degrees N. I have also paddled near Okarito on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island.

Outside of my kayaking, I enjoy cross country skiing, mountaineering, and hiking, and have been a professional level bicycle racer and coach. When I can't get outdoors, I spend much of my time doing research and teaching at Portland State University where I hold a Professorship in Computer Science.

 

Sea Kayaking UK sponsored paddlers have been selected for their expeditionary & kayaking skills. All are prepared to run courses on request having excellent seamanship and kayaking skills. They have the full support of Sea Kayaking UK and we would be glad to arrange tuition, lectures, etc.

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