James Roberts

James is the owner of Ontario Sea Kayak Centre and is our Senior Instructor Trainer and Lead Expedition Guide.

James Roberts started surf kayaking at age 18 off the coast of the Isle of Wight, England. After immigrating to Canada in 2003 he took his surf kayak skills and started sea kayaking. Renowned as a “do-it-all” kayaker, James is skilled in all sea kayaking disciplines. A love of the Wilderness and kayak touring has allowed him to log over 2500 commercial guiding days. As an avocate for sharing traditional knowledge he is regularly invited to teach youth in the Canadian North and has competed in the Greenland National Championships. As an Instructor Trainer he is one of the few paddlers in Canada to have worked through and achieved every level in the Paddle Canada Sea Kayaking program, his students always find him fun to spend time with and easy to learn from. His love of guiding kayaking expeditions and teaching paddling skills has taken him all over Canada from the Great Lakes to both the East and West coasts and up to Nunavik, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. As a lead sea kayak guide and Expedition Leader James has worked in Antarctica, The Canadian and Norwegian Arctic, Iceland, Greenland, USA, England, and Mexico. James, just like all of the OSKC coaches loves to teach in an inclusive and fun manner.

Achievements

In 2014 James traveled to Greenland to compete in the Greenland national Qajaq championships and won gold for Canada.
Filming during his Greenland experience he then wrote and directed “Greenland Bound – A Paddlers Pilgrimage” a documentary about the competition in Greenland. The documentary won the “ Best Accomplished documentary” in the National Paddling Film Festival, “ Best Sea Kayaking Film” in the Reel Paddling Film Festival and “ Best Educational” in the Waterwalker Film Festival.
OSKC won “Best kayaking school in eastern Canada” Voted by readers of Sea Kayaker magazine.
James has achieved the highest level in the Paddle Canada sea kayaking program, and teaches every level of skill course, instructor course, and mentors new instructor candidates every year.
Attending Algonquin College he graduated with honours as an Adventure Naturalist.
Certified commercial boat captain.

Contributions to the Outdoor industry

Algonquin College adventure naturalist advisory committee member.
5 Years as a Board member for the Regional Tourism Organization for Muskoka, North Bay and Parry Sound
Four years on the board of directors for Paddle Canada as the Ontario representative and on the Marketing Committee.
Founder/organizer of Canada’s largest annual Sea Kayaking symposium, Paddlepalooza.
Greenland National kayak championships competitor and gold medalist.
Filmmaker – Winner of three paddling film festivals.
Writer of numerous kayaking articles for a number of industry publications and magazines.
Kokatat Sponsored Athlete
Certified Polar Guide

James wrote an article called “In defence of the Greenland Paddle” featured in the Fall 2015 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Read the article here.