About Vashon Island Kayak Company

About our name: We began operation in the spring of 1994 as Puget Sound Kayak Company. We grew pretty fast and found ourselves with a site on Bainbridge Island and another near Alki Point in Seattle and more business than fun. We were doing business as Puget Sound Kayak Company and named our website www.pugetsoundkayak.com. Now almost all our programs have some connection with Vashon Island. But we are still centrally located in Puget Sound and serve as the most convenient gateway to the Cascade Marine Trail and we are King County’s most established salt water kayak center. So we are still Puget Sound Kayak Company and Vashon Island Kayak Company too. A rose by any name....

Vashon Island Outpost offers hourly rentals, beginner through advanced instruction, day and overnight trips to various Puget Sound islands and bays, and full sea kayaking courses. VI Outpost courses include groups such as the Girl Scouts of the USA, Camp Sealth Campfire Girls Summer Camp and the Vashon Island School District.

Safety preparedness is an important aspect of the PSKC's operational plans. Most instructors and guides have at a minimum American Red Cross First Aid and CPR certification.

PSKC is a member of the Trade Association of Paddle Sports (TAPS). We pride ourselves on our professionalism, flexibility and enthusiasm.

We also are active with the Washington Water Trails Association (WWTA). This non-profit has developed the internationally recognized Cascadia Marine Trail, a series of launch and camping sites throughout Puget Sound, for human-and wind-powered, beachable craft.

Vashon Island Kayak Company provides you convenient hourly and daily rentals, sea kayaking adventures to numerous natural and cultural destinations in mid to south Puget Sound, custom-tailored programs, and lessons for every age and ability wishing to expand their horizons and skills.

Our goals are:

To offer convenient, easily accessible sea kayaking opportunities.

To advance sea kayaking as a fun, healthy activity in which all ages and abilities can participate.

To provide training of high caliber for both the beginner and enthusiast alike.

To offer intelligently challenging opportunities to explore Puget Sound, and the world, by sea kayak.

Vashon Island Kayak Company may be reached at:
Phone: (206) 463-YAKS (9257)
Email: kayak@pugetsoundkayak.com
Mapquest Location: Burton Acres Park

Key Personnel and Qualifications

Doug Baum: Doug Baum: Doug has kayaked since 1989, with extensive experience throughout Puget Sound, and extended paddling trips in British Columbia, Baja Mexico, Costa Rica and Alaska. Doug is an American Red Cross Kayak Instructor Trainer. Current emergency and medical training includes Certified Nursing Assistant, CPR and First Aid. Doug is a former Emergency Medical Technician (certification expired.) Some people get on their Nordic Track or jog or go to the gym for aerobic exercise. Doug puts on his drysuit and paddles four or five miles in an hour. If it’s blowin’ in January, so much the better.

David Steel: David has been kayaking for more than twenty years in destinations ranging from Alaska to Central America and beyond. David is an American Canoe Association (ACA) certified Ocean Kayak Instructor and has taken the physical skills portion of the Red Cross Kayak Instructors Course. He has Mountaineer's First Aid; is a Certified Nursing Assistant, and is current with CPR certification. David was formerly an owner-partner in a Seattle-based advertising firm.

Tove Andvik: Tove has kayaked since 1989. She is an American Red Cross Kayak Instructor Trainer, and has been a member of VIK since its inception. Her current medical emergency training is American Red Cross First Aid and CPR. Tove is a Washington State Certificated teacher, K-12, Special Ed., Regular Ed., ESL.

Kajira Wyn Berry: Wyn has extensive sea kayaking experience dating to 1971. She has paddled in destinations throughout the world. She has also been an active participant in VIK since its beginning. Wyn has passed the physical skills portion of the Red Cross Kayak Instructors Course and is current in American Red Cross First Aid and CPR. Wyn is a freelance writer, photographer and marketing consultant.

Ginger Reed: Ginger has sea kayaked since 1991, and is the former Boathouse Manager. She has had Advanced American Red Cross First Aid and CPR training. Her training also includes both on the water and wilderness navigation certification. She has a B.S. in Zoology with Marine Biology emphasis. Ginger has been a marine biology naturalist for different organizations, including School for Field Studies. She is a Renaissance woman working as a Landscape Designer, AutoCAD drafter, and a freelance web developer making updates to this web site. Please feel free to click on her name in order to email her about any web errors.