Sea Kayak Level 3 Instructor Dubrovnik

Advice
#1

Hello all,

I am organising a short sea kayak expedition to Dubrovnik, Croatia in June 09 for 8 novice paddlers :slight_smile: However in order to secure funding we have to go with an instructor who is BCU Level 3 Instructor qualified… Does anyone know of a suitable guide? Thanks very much in advance!

#2

BCU/ACA
BCU calls them “Coach 3”, I think, but you can probably check it here: www.bcu.org or here www.bcuna.com



ACA has similar ranking systems, for anything open water you need at least ACA L4 Open Water Coastal Kayaking, www.americancanoe.org

#3

L3 is common BCU parlance
For coaches L(evel) # discipline is common BCU terminology, e.g. L3 Sea.



The recomendation to check the BCUNA site is good.



There are a goodly number of L3s, a decent hadnful of L4s and 3 L5s in North america.

#4

my bad NM

#5

Jim kennedey of Atlantic Sea Kayaking

– Last Updated: Mar-06-09 1:40 AM EST –

Jim Kennedy of Atlantic Sea Kayaking in Ireland probably fits the bill, and he already does some trips in Croatia.
http://www.atlanticseakayaking.com/

I recently did a trip with him in Baja, Mexico, along with taking one of the classes he taught at the Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium. Great guy.

#6

Will ACA certified inst not do?

#7

bear in mind
instructors and guides are often different. some can do both, but not always. a BCU coach is going to be a tremendous technical paddler, and highly competent on the water. whether or not she’s a good guide is a different story, and what qualities you want in a guide? where i live, there are instructors and a large and diverse sea kayak guiding industry (world’s largest) and most guides are not instructors and most instructors are not guides, as they are different skill sets. if client care, camp cooking and interpretive skills are on your agenda, a dedicated guide may be your better choice. all depends on what kind of leadership experience you’re looking for.

#8

Maine Guides
A number of the BCU coaches I know are also certified Maine Guides. So, you might wish to check out Tom Bergh at Maine Island Kayak Company (MIKCo), Mark Schoon or Mel Rice at Carpe Diem Kayak, John Carmody or Steve Maynard at Sea Cliff Kayakers. All are both BCU coaches and Maine Guides.

#9

Why have him coss the atlantic?
Wouldn’t it be less expensive to get someone from Europe? I would have asked Ali Donald, best paddler I ever met and really great guy:

http://www.irelandwestseakayaking.com/?page_id=5

Although he’s not that great at updating his web page.