Mike McDonald
* ACA Level 5 Advanced Open Water Instructor
* Wilderness First Responder
* Greenland (Traditional) Style Mentor
Mike teaches both contemporary and traditional paddling techniques. He first paddled canoes as a Canadian Boy Scout in the Algonquin Wilderness in Ontario. Later in life, he discovered the joy of the wilderness all over again by kayaking small creeks and rivers in Illinois and Wisconsin.
Kayaking, mentoring and guiding others for about twelve years, he first took training in whitewater kayaking through the ACA Pro school at the University of Minnesota’’s Outdoor Program and through Wisconsin’s Bear Paw programs and spent a good deal of his early kayaking years eddy hopping down whitewater rivers as well as paddling lazy creeks and streams.
He decided to try sea kayaking and has been enjoying rough water paddling, kayak surfing, and exploring beautiful shorelines ever since. Mike teaches both contemporary and Greenland styles at many of the sea kayak symposiums around the mid-west and enjoys guiding kayak trips on Lake Superior and at other locations. He also enjoys introducing beginners to the sport and helping kayakers of all levels
advance their abilities and confidence.
Mike is also a mentor at the Qajaq USA’’s Michigan Training Camp for Greenland paddlers and enjoys sharing about traditional paddling skills, giving rolling demonstrations, and helping others learn to roll, both contemporary and Greenland styles.
Mike is known as "the Captain"