SEA KAYAK DEVON - Key Persons
Anton started kayaking on the sea as a teenager on an old fiberglass sit on top that his dad picked up in a second hand shop and restored. He then started working at various outdoor centers across the UK and trained to become an instructor in many outdoor sports including both kayaking and canoeing.
In 2004 Anton moved to London to manage a government funded youth project aimed at training young people to become instructors themselves in kayaking, canoeing and climbing; it was here that he trained to become a British Canoeing level 3 Sea Kayak coach.
Since then he's paddled all over the UK including Anglesey, Cornwall, Isle of Skye, to name but a few and some big tidal crossings like Jersey to the isle of Sark. Anton has worked as an instructor in China, Australia and in the United Arab Emirates where he worked for a year leading military groups on multi day kayaking and mountain walking expeditions.
Anton has also enjoyed a lot of White Water paddling in the UK but his biggest achievement was the Sun Koshi river in Nepal which was an 8 day expedition traveling 240km paddling one of the worlds highest volume rivers.
Ben has Irish origins but grew up in the adventure playground of the far North of Scotland. He started kayaking seriously in 1993 and has led many exciting expeditions around the world, from an unsupported kayak crossing of the Irish Sea to wilderness journeys on extreme white water rivers in the Himalayas. Ben has worked year round, full time, as an outdoor leader/coach since 1997 and holds the highest British leader qualification in both sea and river kayak.
Ben grew up on the sea and is also a sailing instructor and holds a commercial boat masters licence. He spent 10 years running a survival training centre on a remote uninhabited island in the north west of Scotland teaching people how to live off the land as well as kayaking, mountaineering and expedition skills.
During the winter months he runs a ski school (Momentum Snowsports) in the famous French resort of Courchevel, he also holds the highest level of ski instructor qualification.
He has a fun and friendly character and an infectious enthusiasm for the great outdoors!
Job Titles:
- British Canoeing Level 3 Coach
- Coach & Guide
- Freelance Coach & Guide
Clayton grew up on the South Devon coast and has been kayaking since his early teens. He first became interested in outdoor leadership from the age of around 14 after going on a school trip and has since worked at outdoor centres in Devon, Wales and Ireland.
As well as kayaking he is also a keen mountaineer, surfer and cyclist and has travelled around Europe, America, Morocco and the Canary Islands to pursue these activities.
He loves wildlife and nature and finds sea kayaking to be a great way of enjoying these things close up.
Clayton is a qualified British Canoeing Level 3 coach, 4 star Surf kayak and Sea Kayak leader.
David loves nothing better than helping people discover the fabulous coastline, river estuaries and natural world here in his South Devon backyard.
Elisabeth started canoeing in her teens in the Lake District during summer holidays, paddling on Lake Coniston. Later at Bristol Polytechnic she joined Bristol Canoe Club and started getting seriously into white water kayaking.
Eventually her profession as a sculptor and artist led her to a move further south to Brixham. It was here, through the Ibex Canoe Club, that Elisabeth discovered a passion for sea kayaking, participating in many club trips and also getting into coaching as a way of putting something back into the sport.
Elisabeth has paddled white water on many of the UK's best rivers, as well as some of the French Alps classics.
Her sea kayaking has taken her from Devon and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, through North Wales and Scotland, and all the way to New Zealand. Some of her more notable achievements include a crossing to Lundy Island and back, kayaking the entire Devon and Cornish coastline, circumnavigating Anglesey in two days, and exploring the stunning Isles of Scilly.
Ian has worked in the South West of England, South and North Wales in outdoor education centres since 2006 and has freelanced in most of the UK and abroad
His passion for the outdoors is contagious and he has picked up a vast array of qualifications along the way, including Mountain Instructor Award (MIA), LCLA L1, MIAS L3, RYA SI, RYA PI,
Job Titles:
- Chief
- Coach
- Chief Instructor & Guide
James was born in Torbay and grew up exploring the diverse coastline, varied rivers and rugged moorland that the area has to offer.
His kayaking adventures, over the last 20 years, have led him to France, Italy, New Zealand, and most parts of the UK, including the Isles of Scilly, North Wales and Scotland.
He has also paddled the entire Devon and Cornish coastline, both North and South, as well as completing a solo crossing from Lands End to the Isles of Scilly.
When James is not sea kayaking, he can be found indulging in his other outdoor passions, which include; white water kayaking, climbing, surfing and coasteering.
The one and only, fantastic Kay is our head chef. If you've managed to join us for a catered overnight wild camp it's Kay's delicious food that you'll be eating! Kay worked for many years as head chef at an exclusive survival and expedition centre on a remote Scottish island so she knows just what a hungry adventurer needs. You will be completely amazed by the incredible food she prepares and we are sure you will never forget her home baked chocolate brownies!
Job Titles:
- Coach & Guide
- Freelance Coach & Guide
Lee is a former Royal Marines Commando with a background of white water and Kayak marathon racing. He has completed the gruelling Devizes to Westminster race four times. He also paddled as part of the Queens Diamond Jubilee pageant on the Thames in Sea Kayaks, and this is where Lee believes his Sea Kayak obsession began. Lee then paddled the English Channel as part of the 350th anniversary of the Royal Marines and continues to support paddle sports in the military.
Lee is an ISKGA Advanced Guide and BC Advanced Sea Leader as well as a level 3 Sea Kayak Coach, Personal Performance Provider and Sea Leader provider.
A passionate wildlife enthusiast Lee is a strong advocate of the leave no trace policy and provides informative and fun alternative culinary and fire lighting experiences from a Sea Kayak.
Lee has guided on expeditions in Norway, France, Cyprus, and the UK
Job Titles:
- Coach & Guide
- Freelance Coach & Guide
Lizzy is originally from Scotland and she has paddled all over the West Coast and many of the most famous Scottish rivers. She has also led many expeditions in the French Alps and worked for 2 seasons leading trips down the beautiful, hot gorges of the Ardeche. She loves organising trips so she can share her knowledge and passion with others and her friendly confident coaching style will help you have a very memorable day out exploring the coast.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Instructor
- Coach & Guide
Lou loves nothing more than to be out on the water. With 15 years of kayaking experience which has taken her to paddle across the UK and abroad, she has enjoyed multiple trips to Scotland, Slovenia and the French Alps. In fact, she now only goes on kayaking holidays! For Lou, kayaking is a year-round sport and after sea kayaking all spring and summer, she paddles whitewater through the winter.
She says, "it's always a joy to be assisting Ben or any one of his super coaches on a SKD trip. As with all of my kayaking days, there's invariably a moment when the thought crosses my mind, "there's nowhere I'd rather be!" " When she's not in a kayak, Lou is a professional classical musician.
Job Titles:
- Coach & Guide
- Freelance Coach & Guide
Paul is one of the UK's top coaches and has been involved with British Canoeing for many years. He has run expeditions and training courses all over the world.
As well as Co Founding our sister company Sea Kayak Dorset, Paul steps in as an external assessor to help us deliver our higher level British Canoeing qualifications.
I joined the Sea Kayak Devon team in 2017, starting as the Bookings Assistant, after that progressing on to Bookings Manager and now Centre Manager.
Growing up in Devon I have a love of the outdoors, adventure and travel. Whilst working for adventure sports providers in New Zealand I found my passion in the outdoor activity industry. However Devon life called me back home where I now live with my young family. When not in the office, I'm out enjoying Devon life with my husband, twin daughters and Bryn the dog.
Susie loves nothing better than helping people discover the fabulous coastline, river estuaries and natural world here in her South Devon backyard.
Susie and David run weaving workshop set in a 15th century FarmHouse orchard. They grow flax from seed in their orchard which they harvest and process for Susie to hand spin into linen. They then colour the hanks of linen using natural dyes and Susie weaves them into her contemporary woven linen artwork and cushions.
Susie is a guiding assistant with many years experience Sea kayaking around the South Devon Coastline.
Job Titles:
- Coach
- Coach & Guide
- Freelance Coach & Guide
Tom is a hugley experienced coach and a real expert at helping you get the most out of your kayaking. As well as this he has an incredible knowledge of the the wild environment and will amaze you with many fascinating facts about the plants and animals you'll discover while out on the water. If you're on a family trip his infectious enthusiasm for getting emerged in the natural environment will keep your kids entertained for hours! In the winter months Tom works for a prestigious ski school in Courchevel in the French Alps and he is one of only a few hundred British ski instructors to hold the highest international level of ski instructor qualification.