We have a great leadership team at Nanook, including instructors and guides, to make sure you have the best experience possible.
Dan Bezaire
Meet Dan, the owner of Nanook Expeditions! He is a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces having served in both the Royal Canadian Navy and Army. Dan has been guiding and instructing various outdoor pursuits for the last 17 years all across Canada, including Nova Scotia, Vancouver Island, Manitoba, the Ontario Great Lakes and more! He has previous experience working with youth in wilderness therapy programs and is currently Co-Chair of Get Kids Paddling as well as Chair of Paddle Canada Youth Committee. Dan can’t wait to see you folks in his favorite office, the great outdoors!
David Frost
David is one of our Instructors/Guides! Aside from sea kayaking and SUP, David enjoys hiking with his dog and cycling. David has also recently become an expert in the TRAK collapsible kayaks, and will be working with us during the TRAK expeditions. In the “hard water” season he enjoys participating in cross country skiing and snowshoeing. His love for the outdoors began at a young age having spent summers in Algonquin park, canoeing and fishing the days away. David now instructs and guides to mix up the usual 9 to 5 schedule, and he can’t wait to see you out there on the water!
Debbie Farr
Debbie is one of our expedition guides! Debbie enjoys taking people out paddling in various locations to experience the local scenery. And besides paddling, hanging out by a campfire, and camping out under the stars in different locales are some of her favorite things to do. She has spent many hours paddling through the 1000 Islands where she lives, and camping on the Canada Parks islands there. Debbie’s first big expedition was to the west coast of Vancouver Island where she experienced whales and eagles and bears – oh my! And she was hooked!
Sid Thompson
Meet a member of our support team! This is Lindsay “Sid” Thompson and he is a retired Sergeant from the Canadian Armed Forces and has traveled the globe to places such as Egypt, South Sudan, Norway and France to name a few! He enjoys nature photography and capturing candid moments, and he also enjoys participating in survivalist activities. Sid is excited to help get you folks out into nature!
We have a great crew of about a dozen other part-time instructors and guides. They are a little shy about touting their experience and getting their picture taken – but we are working on it! Here are just a few examples.
Nathan Bonselaar is a computer wizard, expert woodworker and boat-maker, and loves nothing more than getting on the water – both flat and white water – to play. He has been our lead instructor with the Town of Arnprior programs, and is an expert TRAK enthusiast.
Suzanne (Suze) Chafleur has tons of experience tripping and instructing. As one of our senior instructors, she knows just how to break down the steps of a paddling stroke or a roll so that you can do it too! Suze started her water experience as a canoeist, but she has embraced sea kayaking – and it suits her!
Heather Holmes loves to instruct. Good thing – she is a teacher by day, and in the evening and on weekends, she is a kayak instructor. Don’t let her diminutive stature fool you – she knows how to get it done, and can rescue even the largest man.
Stay tuned for more pictures and bios!