Meet the staff of Spirit of the West Adventures

Meet the staff

Take a moment to meet the staff at Spirit of the West!

Our staff are simply exceptional and match the culture and spirit of our organization. They all have an amazing passion for kayaking British Columbia and for the killer whales in the BC water that make it such a great experience. Terms like self-reliance, adaptability, responsibility, confidence, and sense of humour all come to mine when describing their qualities. Considering that guides must perform in the multiple roles of wilderness guide, gourmet chef, role model and educator, it’s no surprise that they come from a wide variety of professions and backgrounds to each bring a unique and valued perspective to the way our business runs.

Our guides are extremely skilled in kayaking, backcountry travel, responsible environmental practices, high levels of first aid and safety procedures, continually upgrading training and striving to improve knowledge and skills. And all our staff are adventurers in their own right – traveling and wilderness tripping doesn’t pause for us when the season’s over! Personal and training trips around the British Columbia coast and around the world keep us on top of our game. At the end of the day what we ensure is that every trip is as safe and memorable as can be, and that you will not be disappointed kayaking the British Columbia coast.

Danielle Ritter
Danielle brings joy and laughter to the Spirit of the West kitchen, not to mention her amazing talent in preparing tasty treats for all our guests. She lovingly prepares a packages food for nearly all our trips, amounting to around 6000 meals per season - no small task!!

Rick Snowdon – Rick brings his experience working as a guide trainer in Ecuador, community development project manager in the South Pacific and freelancer writer to his work as a guide with Spirit of the West.

Breanne Quesnel – A certified teacher, Breanne brings her passion for learning and outdoor education to the field as she guides your trip. Breanne has also guided whitewater and sea kayaking trips in Ontario while attending university in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Miray Campbell – Miray has been leading trips with Spirit of the West Adventures for over 5 years. She is now the lead guide on The columbia III. Miray is an accomplished musician as well as being our own killer whale expert.

Luke Hyatt – Hailing from the Queen Charlotte Islands, when Luke isn’t guiding for us he can be found assisting researchers in the field or manoeuvring his paraglider high in the sky. Luke works with Miray on the Mothership.

Tracy – There is no woman on Quadra Islan who wears more hats than Tracy. In a single day she could be serving you coffee in the morning, guiding you in the afternoon, and hosting you at the Heriot Bay Inn in the evenings. Tracy is also a world adventure traveler, having just completed a cycle tour through Uganda.

Leif – Leif grew up in Nanaimo before upgrading to come to Quadra and guide for Spirit of the West. With years of boating and paddling on the coast behind him, Leif is currently somewhere in the South Pacific for the off-season.

Steve – Steve applies his charm and talents guiding multi-day trips. He’s also an accomplished musician – if only we could bring a piano in a kayak!

Dave - Dave Challen has been an outdoor professional of all stripes for many years before joining Spirit of the West last season. With degrees in Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism and Geography as well as guiding and travel experience in several areas around Canada and around the world, Dave is a well rounded guide that brings depth to any trip. When not guiding he can be found tending his birch syrup stand in Northern Ontario.

Genevieve - Genevieve grew up on Vancouver Island before leaving to explore the rest of the country. Over the last ten years, she has worked as an outdoor instructor and guide in various locations across Canada. She has a degree in environmental science and is currently attending school in Quebec.

Meet the staff

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