Meet the staff of Spirit of the West Adventures

Meet the staff

Take a moment to meet the staff at Spirit of the West!

Our staff are simply exceptional and match the culture and spirit of our organization. They all have an amazing passion for kayaking British Columbia and for the killer whales in the BC water that make it such a great experience. Terms like self-reliance, adaptability, responsibility, confidence, and sense of humour all come to mine when describing their qualities. Considering that guides must perform in the multiple roles of wilderness guide, gourmet chef, role model and educator, it’s no surprise that they come from a wide variety of professions and backgrounds to each bring a unique and valued perspective to the way our business runs.

Our guides are extremely skilled in kayaking, back country travel, responsible environmental practices, high levels of first aid and safety procedures, continually upgrading training and striving to improve knowledge and skills. And all our staff are adventurers in their own right – traveling and wilderness tripping does not’t pause for us when the season’s over! Personal and training trips around the British Columbia coast and around the world keep us on top of our game. At the end of the day what we ensure is that every trip is as safe and memorable as can be, and that you will not be disappointed kayaking the British Columbia coast.

Danielle Ritter
Danielle brings joy and laughter to the Spirit of the West kitchen, not to mention her amazing talent in preparing tasty treats for all our guests. She lovingly prepares a packages food for nearly all our trips, amounting to around 6000 meals per season - no small task!!

Rick Snowdon – Rick brings his experience working as a guide trainer in Ecuador, community development project manager in the South Pacific and freelancer writer to his work as a guide with Spirit of the West.

Breanne Quesnel – A certified teacher, Breanne brings her passion for learning and outdoor education to the field as she guides your trip. Breanne has also guided whitewater and sea kayaking trips in Ontario while attending university in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Miray Campbell – Miray has been leading trips with Spirit of the West Adventures for over 6 years. She is now the lead guide on The Columbia III, better know as the Mothership. Miray is an accomplished musician as well as being our own killer whale expert.

Luke Hyatt – Hailing from the Queen Charlotte Islands, when Luke isn’t guiding for us he can be found assisting researchers in the field or maneuvering his paraglider high in the sky. Luke works with Miray on the Mothership.

Tracy Sinclair– Tracy wears many hats on Quadra Island. In a single day she could be serving you coffee in the morning, guiding you in the afternoon, and hosting you at the Heriot Bay Inn in the evenings. Tracy is proud owner of our sister operation Quadra Island Kayaks. In the winter she takes on the role of world adventure traveler, having just completed a cycle tour through Uganda.

Steve Schellenberg- applies his charm and talents guiding multi-day trips. He’s also an accomplished musician – if only we could bring a piano in a kayak! During the Canadian winter he spends his time guiding kayak tours in both New Zealand and Belize.

Dave Challen- has been an outdoor professional of all stripes for many years before joining Spirit of the West . With degrees in Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism and Geography as well as guiding and travel experience in several areas around Canada and around the world, Dave is a well rounded guide that brings depth to any trip. When not guiding he can be found tending his birch syrup stand in Northern Ontario.

Ali McTavish- Ali spends her winters enjoying the powder in the Squamish BC area and her summers on the ocean. With a degree in Environmental Science and a wide range of interests, she has worked in a variety of outdoor jobs in Canada and abroad including Chile and the USA. Currently she is attending teacher training.

James Pilkington- has a passion for all things living. The term biologist extraordinaire comes to mind when thinking about James and his incredible wealth of knowledge. He has degrees in Biology and Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism. When not kayaking he can be found volunteering with Whale Research projects at Cetacea Lab or helping share his enthusiasm at Bamfield Marine Science Center.

Meet the staff

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