Maddy Marquardt came to Outdoor Odysseys having grown up in Michigan and spent her summers paddling the lakes and rivers of Northern Michigan with her grandma. She did her undergraduate in Neuroscience at Michigan State University, served as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in Armenia, worked as a sea kayaking guide in the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior, and currently works winters as a freelance writer,  guiding and tackling long personal paddle trips in the summers.

What is your favorite place to paddle other than the San Juan Islands?

I learned to sea kayak on Lake Superior, and it’s probably forever going to be one of my favorite places to paddle. The Pictured Rocks are incredible, you could explore the Apostle Islands for years and still find more hidden sea caves, and Isle Royale National Park an incredible place to paddle.

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

Last summer, I spent 70 days with a few friends paddling from Bellingham, WA up the inside of Vancouver Island. Along the way we spent 20 or so days exploring Desolation Sound and the Discovery Islands. There, we saw orcas, humpback whales, bears, pacific white sided dolphins and more and got to paddle under more waterfalls than I could count. Exploring the Northern Desolation Sound area was easily one of the most incredible outdoor experiences I’ve ever had.