Rescheduled from February due to SNOWMAGEDDON! 

Tuesday, March 12th
5:00pm – 8:00 pm 
Moondance Sea Kayak Adventures/RMI- Remote Medical International 
Squalicum Lofts
909 Squalicum Way #103 
Bellingham, WA 98225

Eri’s Adventure Project – Teaching Youth the Art of Adventure

Outdoor Enthusiasts are welcome to join us for an evening of storytelling and making new friends. 

John Kuntz will be speaking and sharing his video presentations of his 1,250 mile journey of the Columbia River. 

 

 

Free event, donations encouraged. This is one of our regular Recreation Northwest hosted Basecamp gatherings.
We are excited to be hosting this entertaining presentation. 

Tuesday, March 12th
5:00pm – 8:00 pm 

Basecamp Event schedule
5:00pm – meet and greet
5:30pm – Eri’s Adventure Presentation with QnA
6:30pm- Chime IN- share who you are and what you do with any exciting news
8:00pm- Wrap it up and head out

Moondance Sea Kayak Adventures/RMI- Remote Medical International 
Squalicum Lofts
909 Squalicum Way #103 
Bellingham, WA 98225

Recreation Northwest Facebook event

In August of 2018, John Kuntz, owner of Olympic Outdoor Center, paddled the entire length, 1250 miles of the Columbia river from source to sea in honor of Erica Reith (Eri), (a young person whom tragically lost her life at the age of 19) and in the name of teaching youth the art of adventure. In life we have a chance to pay it forward and that is my goal, to let youth know there is more to life than the world that they know. That it is OK to take risks safely to gain the reward of a life time. Eri was a beautiful person that loved the outdoors and helping others, In her honor I am dedicating this paddle so that others may follow, because LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE that we must teach our youth.

This past August modern day voyageur, John Kuntz, embarked on a mostly solo kayak trip, paddling  the entirety of the Columbia river, all 1250 miles. Hear his story of high adventure as he runs whitewater rapids in the steep walled Red Grave canyon, dodging lightning strikes and forest fires, long open water paddles among some of the most spectacular and varied scenery on the planet, portaging around 14 dams, enduring a 5 mile hike with kayak around the USA border, and sharing his adventure along the way in the classrooms of a suburban Chicago school  through video conferencing. 

Check out some Kitsap News coverage: 

• Local plans 1,250-mile kayak trip
• Man traveling length of Columbia River paddles through wildfire smoke
• Man kayaking entire Columbia River crosses US border
• After paddling the entirety of the Columbia River, John Kuntz is home

John Kuntz Bio:

A paddler all of his life, John Kuntz started Olympic Outdoor Center now located in Port Gamble, WA in 1986 and is still its owner and president. John has been ACA and Red Cross Certified in Coastal Kayaking, Whitewater kayaking, and Canoeing. In addition to many expedition paddles in North and South America John created Paddle Kitsap, Paddle Bainbridge, Paddle Washington, Puget Sound Challenge, and the Kitsap Peninsula National Water Trail to encourage paddlers to explore the coast lines of Puget Sound and discover the personal rewards of paddling, the necessity for the protection of our marine environment, and the support of Water Trails.

Another achievement has been the creation, establishment, and dedication of the 371 mile Kitsap Peninsula National Water Trail with the help of the Olympic Kayak Club, NK Trails Association, Kitsap County, Suquamish and Skallam tribes, and Visit Kitsap Peninsula tourism bureau. The trail is recognized as part of Washington’s Cascadia Marine Trail and now a part of the National Park Service – National Water Trail System of which there are only 20 in the nation.

John’s latest endeavor was to paddle the entire 1250 Columbia River System for youth. The paddle was done to honor Erica Reith a teen who tragically lost her life in a car accident and to teach youth about the art of adventure through following the adventure. This was done through video conferencing with the classroom, post card mailing, and GPS tracking the trip.

John has been an active participant in many organizations.

Owner Olympic Outdoor Center, 1986 – present
Past president Historic Downtown Poulsbo Association
Past President Visit Kitsap Peninsula
Current Board member North Kitsap Trail Association
Past Board Visit Kitsap Peninsula
Past president Central Kitsap Kiwanis
Ambassador to the Kitsap Peninsula National Water Trail