We’re a merry band of paddling professionals, teachers and guides, that are committed to providing you with a fun and well run river experience.
Mary DeRiemer
At one time Mary was a nurse working in labor and delivery. Then she started kayaking. Before very many months had passed, she moved her kayak to North Carolina and began to teach with the NOC. She is amazing at helping paddlers move beyond perceived limitations, coaching with the empathy of one who’s been there. “I know that as a paddler, you can do anything I can do. My goal is to help you know that.” By creating a fear-free and open learning environment, she coaches in a way that grows self-confidence. Mary is certified at the highest level by the ACA (American Canoe Association) as an Instructor Trainer Educator for white water kayaking.
Sami Hawkins
If you’ve ever been on the water with Sami, you’ve experienced her infectious joy in sharing the river. Not one to be left out, she chased her big brother to the river life and started kayaking in 2011. While at Chico State the next year, Sami came to our attention as a participant in an ACA Instructor Course. She started teaching in 2014 and we snatched her up in 2017. She began her DAK career teaching and guiding on the Rogue and later on joined us on the Owyhee, Main, Middle Fork Salmon, and Grand Canyon. In 2018, it was Bhutan as well. Sami is certified by the ACA as an Instructor Trainer for whitewater kayaking and packrafting. This expands her already impressive qualifications as a Wilderness Medicine and River Rescue instructor for Sierra Rescue. When not showing you down the river, Sami can be found paddling for fun, mountain biking, climbing, or ski patrolling at her local Mountain. Perhaps you’ll see her practicing her handstand on a beach during a break somewhere!
Phil DeRiemer
Thinking he would try guiding for a year or two (while he planned his next career move) Phil discovered the joy of combining kayaking and teaching. His students appreciate his ability to motivate and instill confidence while weaving his good humor into a day on the river. “Whether it’s working on the roll, improving technique or facing new challenges, I really enjoy helping paddlers break through to the next level.” He is known for his fun teaching style and his clean, straightforward explanations.
Phil has made it a point to avoid a more “traditional” career path so he can work outdoors. He’s been a product designer for a number of outdoor companies including Kokatat and Patagonia, tried his hand at editorial photography, and surveyed the desert for gopherus agassizzi.
Jason McClure
Jason grew up paddling canoes on the rivers of the Ozark’s, which led him to kayaking. In the early 2000s, he moved to North Carolina and began teaching kayaking and guiding adventure travel trips; and paddling around the globe. His journey has taken him to rivers all over the U.S. and beyond, with significant time spent paddling and guiding in Ecuador. With years of experience on the water, He has developed a true passion for not just paddling rivers, but also for sharing the adventure through guiding and instruction.
Mark Kieran
Mark’s single-minded focus on whitewater sports and his ability to find joy in even the mildest of rivers are a testament to his love of paddling. He was introduced to kayaking in 1990 by his father, also an avid paddler. In 2021, Mark left a desk job and began instructing as a way to share his river perspective with a wider audience, becoming an ACA certified whitewater kayak instructor. He’s currently hooked on racing/competition, downriver play, steep creeking, and multi-day expeditions. There are no other aspects of river time he doesn’t embrace. On the water, Mark’s adherence to best practices and sound safety principles set the scene for properly goofing off and paddling all day. Yes, Mark wants to stop for a while at that wave over there.
Hailey Thompson
Hailey is the sort of guide who consistently brings the sunshine and stoke with her to the river, and backs it up with plenty of experience – she has been paddling whitewater for over 20 years! She grew up in a whitewater family and began competing on the US National Slalom Team when she was just a teenager. For about a decade after she left competitive paddling, she served on active duty in the Coast Guard, and her organizational/logistics/emergency management skills really showcase that experience. Her vast knowledge of whitewater and technique, paired with her clear and calm communication style, make her a joy to paddle with and learn from on all types of whitewater.
Thinley Tobden
(River Guide: Bhutan)
We’ve worked a good many trips with Thinley since our first meeting in 2008. We feel like proud parents at times, having watched him grow to become both a solid paddler and a superb kayak guide. Thinley is hard working and heads up both on and off the water.
He lives in the Punakha Valley, not far from his good friend and fellow guide, Chencho.
Chencho
(River Guide: Bhutan)
Quiet and polite, Chencho is always ready to help on land or the river, from a raft or a kayak. Along with Thinley, he manages the rafting operations for our outfitter in Bhutan.
Chencho lives in Punakha Valley along the banks of the Mo Chu (Mother River) with his wife and three daughters.