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About Crystal Seas
The Crystal
Seas
Team
Founded in 1993
We feel that our staff
greatly reflects on our company and simply spoken, our
staff is fantastic. We take great pleasure in knowing
that we have one of the most experienced teams in the
kayaking industry and continuously work at educating and challenging ourselves to higher levels. We know what we
do inside and out and it shows, from the exquisite meals
that we prepare on our multi-day camping expeditions to
accommodating a guest whose travel plans have gone awry.
Our staff consists of
friendly outdoor enthusiasts, each one bringing a unique
flavor to the team. Many of our employees are graduated college
students who majored in science
and also share a passion for recreation and travel. We seek out
only the best, most qualified individuals who display
the same leadership, integrity and enthusiasm for which
our company was founded upon. Many of our
guides return
year after year and we see this as a reflection of our
wonderful team.
We feel it is important to hire local
staff and to give back
to the community through donations, supporting our
schools and sports programs, supporting wildlife programs,
local farmers and just helping out folks in need. The
Crystal Seas staff is a big family who love to work hard
and play hard. Our guides are the heartbeat of
Crystal Seas and we could not have a better team of
committed and enthusiastic people.
Johannes
(18 years with CSK) - Founder/Owner - His first time to kayak in orca
waters was when he was five years old with his father
along the shores of San Juan Island. He began guiding
tours at the young age of nineteen. What started as a
summer job, turned into a lifetime career. Today you
will find Johannes planning tours for our guests or
guiding a trip along the west-side of San Juan Island.
You will always sense his commitment to providing our
guests with the highest quality kayak and bicycling
tours imaginable. Mail keeps pouring into the office
addressed to Johannes, reminding us of how ‘top rate’
Crystal Seas has become. Johannes is on the San Juan
Island Parks Commission, the San Juan County Marine Resources
Committee and active with the San Juan Island Kayak
Association. |
Tim
(10 years
with CSK) - Everglades branch co-founder - Tim just loves to mess
about in boats. He is not only a sea kayaker, he
is also a canoeist, a sailor, and an oars man. Tim
has kayaked in 18 states including Hawaii and Alaska, 6
Mexican states, and 3 Canadian provinces. During the summer
evenings you
can find Tim kayaking
San Juans west side, and during the
winter you can catch him guiding in Florida's Everglades. Tim also
works during the summer aboard the 'Odyssey'
as a first mate and
naturalist with
San Juan Excursions Whale Watching and Wildlife Cruises. When Tim gets some down
time he usually can be found river kayaking or skiing in
Colorado or surf kayaking in Mexico.
Tim would love to spend some time on
the water with you. As Tim always says, "See you on the
water". |
Sarah (5 years with CSK)
- Senior Guide- Sarah's special
ability to teach and keep things fun make her a favorite
on our family tours. Sarah has traveled all over the
world to places such as South America, the Middle East,
Europe (where she kayaked the Greek Isles) and Central America
and is currently earning her Masters Degree in Environmental
Education. She is an expert in astronomy and Spanish as
well. She loves to
kayak
San Juan Island and guides our Inn to Inn tours and
helps train new guides. |
Carrie
(4 years with CSK)
- Senior Guide - grew up canoeing and kayaking on the lakes and rivers in Maine. She became a registered Maine Sea Kayaking Guide in
the spring of 2004 and graduated from Denison University in 2006. She
has also been sea kayaking in New Zealand, Australia,
Bermuda, and guided tours in the Florida Everglades.
Carrie trains our new guides and is a guide
for our bike and kayak combo
vacations
with Crystal Seas
and TerraTrek
in the San Juan Islands where she permanently calls home. |
Kelly
(4 years with CSK) - Senior Guide - Kelly's degree in
biology and great personality is why she receives fan mail all summer long
from guests who adore her. She has sea kayaked in
many places around the world including the Galapagos
Islands. She also paddled 350 miles of river from
Ashville to Charleston. Kelly is an expert kayak camping guide
and is certified as a Wilderness First Responder.
Her laid back personality makes trips with her fun,
interesting and memorable. She also helps train guides
and does behind the scenes work with Crystal Seas. When
she is not in a kayak, you might find her climbing
a rock wall or teaching ecology to children. |
Angie (11 years with CSK) -
Office manager/Owner - Angie grew up in the San Juan
Islands and loves living here because of all the wildlife she
gets to see just on a simple drive to town! She loves to explore the world and has been
to Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Central America, Germany and
Thailand. She is the friendly
face in the office at Crystal Seas in Friday Harbor. She'll help
you choose which tour is best for you through e-mail and phone
calls and give you advice about where to dine and stay.
She has been
sea
kayaking San Juan Islands west side since 1992
and is happy to help you plan a trip for your family. |
Adam
(4 years with CSK) -
This Eagle Scout is
our all American Kayak Guide! He grew up in
the San Juan Islands and loves boats, to play
sports, to volunteer, and has a strong work ethic
that we truly appreciate.
Guests enjoy Adams' adorable and fun personality as well as his
knowledge about the eco-system. |
Matt (3 Years with CSK)
- Matt grew up on
the southern coast of San Juan Island and loves sharing his knowledge of the
local ecology with his guests. When he is not guiding kayaking tours, Matt works
for San Juan Excursions Whale Watching Cruises. He is currently a
student at McKenna College in California and plays baseball for his
school. |
JP
(2 years with CSK) - JP grew up
in North Carolina paddling the
shores of the East Coast. He received his bachelors degree
in Wilderness Leadership. He guides multi-day
tours during the summer in the San Juan Islands and gets
to kayak
south Florida guiding Everglades tours during the winter.
JP's attention to detail and effort are constantly praised by
our guests through e-mails and letters. His
knowledge and ability make tours with JP fun and adventurous. |
Albert (2 years with CSK) - This San Juan
Island native is studying Environmental Engineering at Colorado University where he is part of the
club kayak team. He has studied marine biology and is a seasoned
naturalist to the San Juan Islands. Albert guides our inn to inn and
camping tours as
well as our day tours.
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Jordan (2 years with CSK) - Jordan is part of
San Juan Island history with his family being some of the first pioneers
dating back to the late 1800's. He is following in his
grandfathers' footsteps (Charlie) who was the county's lead expert on
bald eagles from 1963-1991. Jordan is currently studying
Environmental Science at Huxley College of the Environment at Western
Washington University. When he is not guiding tours, he plays sports on
and off the water.
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Above: The original Crystal Seas Kayaking team.
Photo taken during the mid 1990's. Mike, Ryan,
Jake & Johannes
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