Our Aim: To promote an appreciation of the Abel Tasman National Park and its unique features, by providing you with a responsible, informative, sustainable and caring service.
Our Guides and Hosts in the field are, backed by a dedicated team of professionals to help co-ordinate your holiday and ensure your comfort and safety
Our Abel Tasman Guides
Shay Gill - Operations Manager
A 'real' local, our Operations Manager's great-great grandfather arrived in Nelson in 1842. Shay's been with us since 2000. Along the way he's collected qualifications including Outdoor Recreation and Management, commercial Skipper and qualified Sea Kayak Instructor. Despite his responsibilities, he hasn't lost his sense of fun. When called in to be a kayak guide, he still gets rave reviews...
Chelsi Williams - Field Support and Reservations
Finishing school in the North Island, Chelsi moved south in 2015 to study Adventure Tourism Management at Queenstown Resort College, including an internship in Abel Tasman National Park. She worked for Spark telecommunications for the 3 years of Covid disruptions to the visitor industry, then joined our operations team in 2023.
Jacinta Borer - Operations Supervisor and Guide
From Whangaparaoa (north of Auckland), Jacintaâs sense of adventure took her to Wanaka for her final year of High School. Graduating in outdoor education from Tai Poutini Polytechic (West Coast) in 2016 she has worked with us guide, while training as a St John's Ambulance Medical Technician. After a winter working as a first responder, she's helping to keep us all safe this summer.
Paddy Kenny - Senior Guide
With a degree in Outdoor Education from Otago Polytech (2011), Paddy started with two seasons kayaking guiding in Kaikoura then set off to see the world. He's taught cultural and adventure sports for international schools in Asia, UK and Switzerland. For recreation, he challenges himself with long distance runs and bicycle tours. This is his 13th summer season with us.
Jack Ferguson - Senior Guide
Born in England and raised in Dunedin, Jack first joined us as a kayak guide in 2015 after graduating from Otago Polytech. He spent 2 seasons with us, then went travelling in Canada and Europe. In 2017 he started an engineering apprenticeship in Dunedin but the lure of the Abel Tasman brought him back to our guiding team in 2019.
Sarah Harvey - Senior Guide
Starting as a guide with us in 2019, Sarah is deeply passionate about the environment and the world in which we share with a vast variety of species. She spends her winters alternating between cultural immersion through international biking and hiking adventures and guiding in Australia. Formerly a newspaper photographer, this has broadened her perspective and taught her how to appreciate the intricacies in nature.
Sjors Brouwer
Originally from Holland, Sjors is now firmly rooted in Motueka with family, house and animals. His experience with outdoor education in Europe and USA was an ideal background to join our guiding team in 2006. During down time with guiding he runs his own business, importing outdoor equipment, and continues to help adults with budgeting advice.
Krystal Robson
Joining us from Te Tai Tokerau in Northland, Krystal has adopted the South Island since 2019 when she completed her Diploma in Adventure Tourism at NMIT. Since then, sheâs divided her time between seasons in Australia, Japan and Wanaka ski resorts with kayak guiding in Abel Tasman National Park. Sea kayaking is her second love. Surfing is her favourite sport.
Rod Morrison
Born in Scotland, Rodâs family moved to New Zealand when he was 3 years old and lived in Nelson. In 2022 he graduated with a degree in Sustainability and Outdoor Education at Ara Institute of Canterbury. This is his fifth season working with our guiding team. As well as kayaking and tramping he enjoys rock climbing and distance running.
Gareth Wheeler
Gareth was born in South Australia 'sometime last century'. His introduction to sea kayaking was swimming with seals near Wardang Island in SA. He first came to sea kayak guiding in the Abel Tasman in the early 90's. He was hooked! What better place to kayak and get paid...and there were seals too! Over the past 30 years and at any time of year, itâs been a great place for his soul to refresh, relax and unwind.
Ollie Baylis
With sailing, climbing and sea kayaking qualifications from England, Ollie has worked as an instructor for school groups since 2011. After a season of sea kayak guiding in Norway, he joined us for the 2023/24 season in Abel Tasman National Park.
Hazel Cameron
A seventh generation local of the Abel Tasman region, Hazel will guide you through her family's ancestral land.
Brydie Washington
Originally from Christchurch, Brydie brings a unique blend of skills with degrees in Environmental Science and Psychology, and hospitality qualifications. Sheâs training to become a yoga teacher and is excited to bring all of her knowledge and experience to our guiding team where she can share her love for wellbeing, the environment, and adventure in one of the most beautiful places in Aotearoa
Mataariki (Riki) Aplin
Born and raised on the Tutukaka Coast (Northland), Mataariki grew up with the ocean as his playground and the outdoors as his classroom. Inspired by his parentsâ work in the outdoor industry, he has pursued a Diploma in Outdoor and Adventure Education at Hillary Outdoors in Tongariro. Passionate about sharing the beauty of the moana (ocean) and ngahere (forest), Mataariki loves helping others connect with nature and is excited to create unforgettable memories with visitors in Abel Tasman National Park.
Sophie Glover
Growing up in Canterbury with lots of family adventures, Sophie studied for a degree in sustainability and outdoor education at Ara Institute of Canterbury. Since then she's worked as a sea kayak guide in Kaikoura and outdoor instructor in New Zealand and Australia. Her love for being on the ocean and showing people beautiful places keeps bringing her back for more guiding seasons.
Neve Jessop
The Abel Tasman National Park is Neveâs sweet spot with happy memories from childhood and school excursions with Waimea College. She has studied Sustainability and Outdoor Education at Ara Institute of Canterbury, and has worked at Cable Bay Adventure Park. This is her third season with us.
Sam Maley
Until 2025, Sam spent his whole life growing up in Motueka, then moved down to Åtautahi (Christchurch) to study Outdoor Education and Sustainability. He spent his youth exploring Abel Tasman National Park and has a great passion for the area that he is buzzing to share. The past six summers were spent working in Kaiteriteri, stocking shelves, making ice-creams and painting boxes. Now he joins us as a guide.
Rewa Glasgow
As part of the Glasgow whanau, with connections to the Abel Tasman since the 1890s, Rewa has been guiding with us since 1999. She has taken breaks as she raised her family on their property at Golden Downs in the Nelson hinterland.
Karin Klebert
Working as an early childhood teacher in Germany, Karin first came to NZ in 1987. She has lived here permanently since 2004, graduating to tourism in 2005. With time out to run her own driving and guiding and business, she has worked with us since 2015.