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Our Vision

Coral Sea Kayaking stands for low impact, responsible ecotourism that creates positive change. We’re incredibly lucky to live in a time when many people can pop in for an unforgettable week of sea kayaking.  It is our task as operators of these trips to ensure our guests have life enriching experiences, and that our presence helps to protect and strengthen the ecosystems and communities that exist in these places.

 

Our mission is to bring people into relaxation and attunement with the natural elements. To fully experience the rhythms of the rainforest, ocean and skies above as we travel through remote island paradise. A CSK specialty is tailoring trips to the unique and hopeful individuals that join us; allowing them to connect with family, friends, self, and the sand between their toes. 

Upcoming Projects

Low impact by design

We continuously analyse all aspects of our business to find the least resource intensive way of doing things. Examples of this include partnering with local food producers to eliminate single use plastics wherever possible, and looking into which paddling gear can go the distance. Our glass-composite Kayaks both feel better to paddle than any plastic boat on the market, and will outlive plastics by decades. Glass itself is one of the most sustainable products on earth.

Watch this space

We have only just begun. Follow our social media to see where this goes. 

More pristine than before

Every year in Australia approximately 130,000 tonnes of plastic leaks into marine ecosystems. Even the remotest corners of the earth are beginning to accrue small amounts of plastic waste. We have equipped our kayaks with storage, so that any microplastics we find along the way can be collected and disposed of appropriately. This leaves our destinations cleaner than before we arrive.

Inclusivity

We are making our trips more accessible to everyone, and reaching out to groups that may have been underrepresented in the outdoor expedition space.  We're excited to create PaddleOUT and PaddleAbility trips.

The Coral Sea Kayaking Story 

EST. 1998

With a dream of creating world class kayaking tours within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Dave Tofler and Atalanta Willy wound up the lifestyle of international expedition guiding to establish Coral Sea Kayaking in 1998. Twenty years on, Hinchinbrook and its surrounding Islands are recognised as one of the worlds premier sea kayaking destinations. Years of experience and knowledge has helped to produce a style of trip that combines all the essential elements to the perfect sea kayaking expedition.

When Dave and Attie decided that the time had come to hang up their paddles and string up the hammock they passed the baton onto one of their senior guides James Thorp in 2017. 

One of Australia's finest expedition guides, James brought visions of exploration and created Coral Sea Kayaking Beyond Borders program. James forged relationships throughout the Louisiades Archipelago in Papua New Guinea and created one of the most remote and rewarding sea kayaking journey's on the planet.

An explorer at heart, keen to escape the shackles of a modern capitalist world, in 2023 James decided to continue his oceanic explorations on his own terms. In order to embark on a lifelong dream of sailing around the world, James sold Coral Sea Kayaking onto two of CSK's own local guides, Clarissa and Ben. James continues guiding in Antarctica through the summer.

Zoe Falls Painting

With expertise guiding expeditions in some of the most remote corners of the earth, ecology, environmental engineering, river conservation and teaching; Clarissa and Ben bring a range of skills to Coral Sea Kayaking and look forward to building on over 25 years of responsible tourism to continue to enrich lives of the people who visit us, care for the places that we paddle, and benefit the communities which we serve.

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Meet the crew

Clarissa
Ben
Michelle
Ewan
Sophie
Chris
Thorpie
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