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.
Our 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 fibreglass-composite Kayaks both feel better to paddle than any plastic boat on the market, and will outlive plastics by decades.
Community Impacts
We work closely with the communities that we visit in Papua New Guinea to create positive outcomes for all. This includes creating alternative income streams, bringing much needed medical and school supplies, or by co-creating sanitation projects.
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 plastics 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.
Meet the crew
Clarissa
Clarissa is a tropical frog born and bred. Enjoying the chance to sea kayak in the best tropical destinations the world has to offer.
There's more than one way to cross the Coral Sea!
The tropics has a lot to offer. The gorgeous Cochables Creek is great for boating in the summertime when the sea becomes wild and wavy.
Clarissa is a tropical frog born and bred. Enjoying the chance to sea kayak in the best tropical destinations the world has to offer.
Ben
Ben grew up in Victoria, lived in many corners of the world before being drawn to the lush tropical rainforests, clear rivers, bountiful ocean and pristine Islands of North Queensland.
Ask Ben about the time that some thieves stole a raft and two kayaks deep in the heart of Peru's biggest canyon, leaving the crew stranded on a beach....
Ben is the unexpected fish assassin! Blending in as a fellow flounderer, the fish never see him coming...
Ben grew up in Victoria, lived in many corners of the world before being drawn to the lush tropical rainforests, clear rivers, bountiful ocean and pristine Islands of North Queensland.
Mia
Hinchinbrook was Mia's backyard when growing up and she has a raging passion for this place. Mia knows more than a few secret spots on the Island and has summited Mt Bowen many a time. Mia's passion and friendly cheer shine through on every trip.
Hinchinbrook was Mia's backyard when growing up and she has a raging passion for this place. Mia knows more than a few secret spots on the Island and has summited Mt Bowen many a time. Mia's passion and friendly cheer shine through on every trip.
Nick
Soft spoken an humble, Nick is a top tier expedition guide and masseuse. From the raging waters of the Franklin River in Tasmania, to Hinchinbrook and further into the tropics, Nick will look after you!
Soft spoken an humble, Nick is a top tier expedition guide and masseuse. From the raging waters of the Franklin River in Tasmania, to Hinchinbrook and further into the tropics, Nick will look after you!
Dave
Hailing from the South coast of New South Wales, Dave migrates North to the tropics when the depths of winter become too much. Equally skilled with a paddle blade, frypan or on the tools, Dave is an exceptional all rounder who knows what needs to get done.
Hailing from the South coast of New South Wales, Dave migrates North to the tropics when the depths of winter become too much. Equally skilled with a paddle blade, frypan or on the tools, Dave is an exceptional all rounder who knows what needs to get done.
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.
In 2023, with expertise guiding expeditions in some of the most remote corners of the earth and backgrounds in ecology, environmental engineering, river conservation and education; Clarissa and Ben brought 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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