about us

So who are we and how did we end up so obsessed with kayaking?

Dave got started paddling in 1995 after moving to the DC area from Pittsburgh. His first kayak was a plastic purple Perception Spectrum S! He spent his first few years exploring the quiet waters of Jug Bay and Triadelphia Reservoir before tackling more ambitious objectives.

In 1997 Dave joined and started paddling with the Chesapeake Paddlers Association (CPA) through which he was introduced to rolling, open water and advanced skills. From there he never looked back. Dave became an ACA certified coastal kayak instructor in 2002 and received open water certification in 2006.

Dave's white water involvement began in 1998 and soon he was running class five rapids on the Gauley River in West Virginia. As white water boats shrank in size Dave took up play boating and can now most often be found at the Center or Maryland Chutes depending on the water levels.

Cyndi began paddling in 2000 and bought her first kayak in March of 2001. From there her learning curve was nearly vertical. She took her boat down to CPA's annual skills clinic at Lake Anna that April, met Dave there, and hasn't looked back since. Her passion for kayaking and introducing others to the sport led to ACA certifications in 2002 and an open water certification in 2006. As a staff instructor for Potomac Paddlesports since 2002, Cyndi encourages countless individuals to get in a boat and explore their surroundings.

In 2006, after a shoulder injury forced her to take a break from whitewater, Cyndi started scouting for a new kayaking challenge. Five years of trying to keep up with Dave had resulted in good speed and endurance so racing seemed a logical place to start. Since then racing has become her primary focus and she has competed in, and won many of, the largest races on the east coast.

Finally, multi-day kayak trips are a passion for both Cyndi and Dave. Dave caught the bug on a week long exploratory trip to the Lofoten area of Norway. Cyndi's always loved the outdoors and spent time backpacking and bike camping in the Sierra Nevada mountains and along the coast of California. Transferring that love to the water and a kayak was a logical extension. Together they've explored waters from Canada to Florida and most places on the east coast in between. Next up? A trip to Newfoundland to explore the coast during the summer of 2010.

Check out our kayaking resumes for more details about us.