As an "American Idol" auditioner, Scotty will have you belting out tunes from your kayak in no time!

“This one-day trip was a birthday present to my husband. We both loved it. It was my first time in a real kayak. Our guide, Scott, was very knowledgeable and fun … he was always singing! =0)

We saw a few bald eagles, paddled right through kelp beds (which was way cool!) and had salmon leaping out of the water all around us. Amazing! Our lunch, which Scott prepared, was awesome … fruit and vegetarian sandwich-fixings, with some mint oreos for dessert! I would definitely do this trip again … or maybe next time try the 3-day trip!”  Trip Advisor

Scotty hails from the quaint hamlet of Cumberland, Maine. After growing up hunting and fishing for his own food Scott sought out, “a bigger world” via a semester-long kayaking and backpacking NOLS course in Patagonia. He then attended Middlebury College in Vermont, where he sang a cappella and graduated with a Film and Media Studies degree.

His love for the outdoors was influenced from his years as a Boy Scout and then led to seven years of sea kayak guiding (A Registered Maine Guide since 2009) with Rippleffect, a youth development organization stationed on a lovely island off the coast of Maine. Scott has fused his loves for the outdoors and film by producing and editing videos for both Rippleffect and of course, Outdoor Odysseys. In the off season, Scott lives in New York City working as a boom operator/soundmixer on films and TV, but looks forward “to singing the the whole way back to the San Juan Islands next summer!”

“This was our second trip with OOK and we, again, had a fabulous time. Our adult sons joined us and also said they really enjoyed the trip. Chris and Tony were low key enough to keep the group relaxed but also fun. They were well versed naturalists along with being conservation and safety minded. We saw orcas, salmon jumping, seals, harbor porpoises, jelly fish, and most of all, beautiful weather! The food was delicious and it was fun to enjoy wine, appetizers and conversation while Chris and Tony prepared the meals! We would definitely go out with OOK again.”  2011 3 Day Tour

Chris grew up in Cleveland, and, lacking mountains (and non flammable water!) moved to Colorado for his undergraduate degree. He majored in running around in the mountains (although some call it biology!) and developed an unquenchable thirst for being outside. This led to a semester long mountaineering and sea kayaking course with NOLS in South America. When Chris returned to the states and compared paddling in the fjords of

"Chris issuing the clarion call to return to the kayaks!"

Patagonia to Calculus 3, he knew that being outside was going to be a big priority in any future endeavors.After graduation, he moved to the Olympic Peninsula and worked as an Environmental Educator at Olympic National Park. He worked in the Olympics for 3 years and fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. Here’s Chris: “Some people say it rains a lot…which is true.  But it is also home to world record tree sizes, the highest biomass levels on the planet and some of the richest marine life you can find anywhere.  Worth a little rain?  Check.” Currently, Chris is pursuing a Masters in Marine Biology in Bellingham Washington. “It has been a great opportunity to learn more about how the ecology of this area works – as well as explore new areas of the PNW.” Since starting his MS he has worked as a paddling and ski guide for the WWU outdoor center, a field Botanist for North Cascades National Park and most importantly….as a guide for Outdoor Odyssey.

“The guides – Tony and Scott were AMAZING and could not have been more friendly. They had me kayaking like a pro in no time. They made the most amazing food. The salmon pasta is to die for and the dutch oven apple crisp- YUM!  The orcas are truly spectacular and both Tony and Scott knew a wide range of knowledge on everything from the orcas, to the constellations, to the other marine and mammal life in and around San Juan.  I HIGHLY recommend this tour!” 2011 3 day tour

Tony is 31 and a third year guide with Outdoor Odysseys. He grew up in the foothills of the Wasatch mountains near Salt Lake City, Utah where he enjoyed outdoor activities year-round. Tony studied Geography (maps, not rocks!) at the University of Utah and later used these skills to assist with projects related to wildfire in Utah’s West Desert. He now spends his winters in Bend, Oregon coaching ski and snowboard programs.

The San Juan islands have made a deep impression on Tony’s personal and professional life through his experiences as a guide with Outdoor Odysseys. “There isn’t a day that goes by without encountering some kind of wildlife,” he says, “or witnessing a natural wonder like the snow-capped peaks of Mt. Baker or the mountains of the Olympic peninsula.” Tony loves the laid back pace of the San Juans and looks forward to returning the islands’ relative detachment from the hustled pace of the mainland.

When you’re on a trip with Tony you can be assured that at times he’ll be wholly focused on cooking some great outdoor cuisine. When he’s not tending to his latest Dutch oven masterpiece he loves to share stories about travel and adventure. Tony has been a certified scuba diver for over 15 years and has been diving in the Caribbean, Fiji, Belize, the Philippines, and the remote islands of the Azores. He is also certified as wilderness first responder (WFR).

“My husband and I had a fabulous time on the water. Our guide, Will, was awesome ! We felt completely safe and comfortable the entire day. Lunch was delicious, and the tour educational and beautiful. The amazing scenery and up-close view of sea life made our day perfect. The site of a Bald Eagle swooping over our boats as it hunted was the icing on the cake. That is definitely a sight you don’t see every day!” -  Trip Advisor

Will grew up in the great state of Maine where he was introduced to the outdoors at a young age. After attending college at the University of Maine, a tenuous stint in corporate sales (translation: “Boring!”) quickly led to a career managing an outdoor retailer specializing in paddling gear—a position which helped rekindle his love for kayaking and canoeing.

Will became a Registered Maine Guide in 2006 and decided to move to the Pacific Northwest in April of 2010.  He spent the past two summers guiding  for Outdoor Odysseys as well as helping in the office.  This year he looks forward to many more amazing trips in the San Juan Islands. Will also enjoys backpacking, skiing, snowboarding and most other outdoor pursuits.

Will’s comment on one of his 2010 tours…“My most memorable moment on the water was off the west side of San Juan Island.  My guests and I were rafted-up, watching Orca whales, when the entire pod turned in our direction.  One large male swam right towards us and then, about 30 feet away, dove and swam around us.  We watched the whales for almost an hour that day as they pursued salmon.  It was truly an amazing experience!”

Sarah began paddling on the calm waters of Lake Joy, a small lake nestled in the foothills of the North Cascades. After placing well in the Lake Joy Community Picnic Race at 10, she thought she may have reached the peak of her paddling career. Now she knows it had only just begun.

My Outdoor Odyssey’s trip exceeded my expectations in every possible way. Sarah, our guide, was so knowledgeable and informative. She was incredibly warm, welcoming, fun, laid back, and patient…the perfect type of personality for guiding. Plus, to top it all off, her cooking was out of this world (healthy, fresh and filling).  4 day 2011 tour

Sarah went to Western Washington University to study Geography and Environmental Education and graduated in 2005. Following graduation, she traveled in Ireland, Scotland and Germany, spent a summer guiding in Haines, Alaska, and taught outdoor education in the South Puget Sound.  In search of warmer waters she has continued heading south, spending a few seasons kayaking and teaching marine biology on Catalina Island in CA. Last winter she decided to give sailing a shot by purchasing a boat and sailing it from Los Angeles, CA to Loreto,  Baja California Sur with some friends. Impressed by the beauty of Baja, she returned for another winter but decided to trade in her 30 foot sailboat. This winter you might find her a little closer to the water, in a kayak.

As soon as spring comes to WA, Sarah returns home for another season on the water with Outdoor Odysseys. When not paddling during the summer, you can find her hanging with her family at Lake Joy or playing volleyball on the beach as the sun goes down.

A former school teacher, Clark combined his love of the outdoors and strong people skills to create Outdoor Odysseys in 1987. A native of Tacoma, Washington, Clark grew up on the shores of Puget Sound and the San Juans.

“Hi Clark – I called REI this AM and told them what a great job you did. Thanks for the special care and patience.” – Guest on 6 Day custom trip for REI Adventures

An avid paddler, he started whitewater kayaking in 1977 and sea kayaking in 1981. He has led trips for the Seattle Aquarium, The Whale Museum, REI Adventures and numerous corporations including Nike, Weyerhaueser and Microsoft. An inveterate traveler, he has walked the Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada, cycled through the British Isles and Ireland and worked on an archeological research project in the Negev desert in Israel. He spent two months the winter before last paddling, trekking and birding in New Zealand and Australia.

This will be Tom’s 10th year in the San Juan Islands and 8th year guiding for Outdoor Odysseys. He graduated from Lawrence University in 2003 with a Biology degree. After graduation Tom spent a year and a half overseas, traveling through India, working for an NGO in Nepal, and teaching elementary students science in the outdoor classroom of the Swiss Alps. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and love of the area, and of paddling, with novices and seasoned paddlers alike. The San Juans now hold a place in his heart and he can’t help but return year after year.

“I just wanted to let you know what a great time my sister and I had on our trip. It was above and beyond all of our expectations and that was due in no small part to our exceptional guide, Tom Murphy. He is an excellent guide, story teller, cook, paddler, leader, instructor and all around knowledge of the San Juans. We were blessed with excellent weather and a great group. I have no doubt I will return on another trip in the future. Thank you!” Guest on 3 Day San Juan Island Kayak Trip

In the winter, when not paddling on the ocean or the river he enjoys hiking for deep turns in Utah’s Wasatch, the Tetons and the Chugach. This summer, when he isn’t on the water, look for him having dinner on the beach with friends or chasing Suzie’s Mopeds up Bailer Hill on his bike.

Most amazing outdoor and or wildlife experience you’ve ever had?

“I would have to say that one of the most amazing wildlife experiences I have had in the San Juans was while we were packing up the boats after breakfast; a seagull with a broken wing had been pacing the shoreline all morning. As I was loading one of the boats I looked up and there was a bald eagle, talons extended, swooping in to snatch the seagull away. It was an amazing example of a predator prey interaction.”

Most amazing whale sighting?

“Last year on an overcast day I was leading a day trip with a family of three. The four of us were practically the only people on the west side of San Juan Island. We were paddling about a hundred feet off the shore to ride the tidal current. Two resident orcas looked as if they were going to pass between us and the shore but instead turned toward us. There was nowhere we could go and so we drifted in the current, rafted together, as the whales dove beneath our boats.”

Kaitlin Lorino will be spending her sixth summer in the San Juan Islands and fifth season working and kayaking for Outdoor Odysseys. She grew up in Wisconsin sailing around Lake Michigan and canoeing local rivers.  She attended the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and received a degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism focusing on experiential education and adventure programming.

After graduating, Kaitlin trained with NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) as a sea kayaking instructor. Besides paddling in the San Juans she has also kayaked in Baja, Mexico and the coast of Northern B.C. Canada.

“Thanks to Kaitlin for a great day on the water. She was so warm and friendly it helped the experience, immeasurably. She was very knowledgeable and we were lucky to have her as our guide. Kaitlin rocks!”

During the off-season Kaitlin lives in Glacier, WA. She works at Mount Baker Ski Resort as a rentals and ski/snowboard technician which, of course, allows her plenty of time to shred the powder on her snowboard and kinda’, sorta,’ slooowly make the switch back to, gasp!, Skis!

“I feel so lucky to share such an amazing place with my guests and to be a part of the O.O. Team! There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about the beautiful San Juans and all the amazing adventures that come with it.”

Laura’s first escapades on the water were in aluminum canoes on the Ozark waterways of Southern Missouri. Graduating from the University of Missouri in 2003 with a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, she loaded up her love for the outdoors in her pick-up and headed out in the most logical direction – West!

In between nursing stints in San Francisco and Seattle, she managed to travel for two years in Peru, China, India, Nepal, and Cambodia. Realizing that city life didn’t suit her, Laura traded her scrubs for the “uniform” of a guide ie. Chacos, spray skirt and PFD working in the San Juan Islands as a kayak guide for Outdoor Odysseys starting in 2008.

“I want to send a thank you to Laura for all the hard work, professionalism, the food, the expertise on the water, the knowledge passed on, and enthusiasm. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone desiring a kayak vacation!” – 3 Day Tour

So enchanting are the island that, Laura herself has “gone native,” and is currently living on San Juan Island through the winter, finding out what health care in a rural setting is all about. Laura will be back with us for her fifth season and is looking forward to sharing the magic calls of ravens and eagles, the breathing of orcas and star studded nights around campfires.

Happily, she can still boast that the worst medical disaster she has yet tended to on any kayaking excursion are just – blisters!