Welcome Jess – Our newest field staffer

We are pumped to have Jess on our team! A self-confessed sea gipsy and adventure lover, Jess has not only sailed across the Pacific Ocean, lived with coyotes in Canada and dived a bunch of WW2 fighter planes in the Marshall Islands – she also loves, loves, loves to paddle!

So it was only fitting that she joined our team and make us green with envy with all her beautiful paddling adventures.

With her Freak Assassin in tow, Jess will be paddling as many water holes in Australia as she can!

We sat her down and asked her a few questions about her experience on the water.

How did you get into sailing/water sports?

I’ve always been into water sports. Growing up, us kids swum almost every afternoon after school. It’s was our wind down for the day, to clear the mind. Now, the majority of my time off is spent in/on the ocean, exploring Australia’s amazing coastline.

I’ve always wanted to do something completely off the charts, and sailing a good chunk of the sea was one of them. A couple of my friends bought a yacht & approached me to help sail her from Hawaii to Australia.

Favourite place to explore in Australia?

My favourite place to explore in Australia would have to be over on the Moreton Bay islands. There are plenty of spots ideal for spear fishing, exploring wrecks, hidden inlets and reefs that not all watercraft have access too.

A place you would like to explore?

I would love to explore Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. It’s very much like the Great Barrier Reef, but closer to shore & hasn’t been overwhelmed by human presence. A bit of a hidden gem if you ask me.

Top 5 kayak accessories you can’t paddle without:

  1. Go Pro – I take a go-pro everywhere – because we all know it never happened if you don’t have photographic evidence (haha!).
  2. Kayak anchor – If I find a reef I can drop an anchor & jump in
  3. Paddle leash – For when I take the yak out into the surf or crazy conditions
  4. Kayak trolley –  Because even though the kayaks are light, they can sometimes be awkward if you are carrying them for a while. It just makes the process a whole lot easier.
  5. ChillMate – They store easily on the kayak & I always carry a ton of food wherever I go. Can’t end an adventure early just because I ran out of food!

Follow Jess now on Instagram @jessmaher

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