Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

We have several openings left in the kayak level 4 instructor update that will be held Friday, April 8. Location to be determined by where the water is! ITE is Mary DeRiemer of Calif., who just got back from running trips in Ecuador all winter.

E-mail me for more info: lizcaldwell2000@yahoo.com.


Here's her bio from her website:

Mary Hayes DeRiemer was born and raised in the country of Panama where living in two cultures at once was normal. She graduated from college in the US and started a career in nursing. A couple of docs she worked with paddled whitewater. Reluctantly she was convinced to give the sport a shot. Six months after that first lake session Mary quit nursing and moved to the mountains of North Carolina to be near the rivers.

After a summer of freedom, based out of a tent along the Nantahala River, she hired on with the Nantahala Outdoor Center. For eleven years Mary taught kayaking to all ages, guided trips in the Grand Canyon, Chile, Honduras, and started NOC's Costa Rica kayak program, once again putting her Spanish to use. She served as the Assistant Head of Instruction for six years at NOC, the largest kayak school in the nation. While working and playing in NC, Mary won two US National Wildwater Championships and boated throughout Europe.

As a teacher, Mary is known for her unique ability to communicate her passion for the sport and technical wizardry to others. Students comment on her ability to infuse them with confidence in an atmosphere of low pressure and high fun.

Is this the Level 4 class or the update for those already certified at Level 4?

I started taking kayak instruction from Mary way back when she was teaching at NOC. When she and Phil started their adventure kayak travel business I was on some of their first trips. Made a lot of trips to Central and South America with them. Mary is one of the most talented kayak instructors in the business. On trips she and Phil give coaching and instruction and I always found myself boating much better just knowing they were there to coach and provide backup.

I do not need a update at this time, but for sure if I did this would be an opportunity to get one from a world class instructor and adventure kayaker first class. She is also a Olympic champion kayaker. What a deal and thanks Liz for getting Mary to teach at our club.

If you ever think you want to paddle some of the best white water in the world ask Mary about their trips to Ecuador. Awesome place to be and they were in the first ones to open that country up for kayaking.

Jon, That's just the instructor update. It's one of the things you have to do every 4 years to keep a Level 4 certification valid. (You also have to have instructed at least 2 workshops and be maintaining the appropriate first-aid and CPR certifications.)