OUR TEAM

ZACK ANCHORS

Zack, owner and co-founder of Portland Paddle, grew up in Old Town, Maine along the shores of the Penobscot River. He’s been paddling on whitewater and the ocean since he was 11. During his 17 years as a guide, Zack has led countless kayaking and canoeing trips throughout the coast of Maine, and in Mexico, British Columbia, Ontario and Alaska. He is a master Maine Guide, an ACA Level 4 kayaking instructor and a Wilderness First Responder. When Zack isn’t running Portland Paddle, he’s a journalist, writer and teacher.

SUZANNE BLACKBURN

Suzanne fell in love with kayaking in 1980 & stand up paddle boarding in 2017 – two great ways to play on the water. Suzanne has been guiding & teaching since 1996 and is a Master Maine Guide with ACA Kayak Level 4 and SUP Level 2 Instructor certifications. “Helping someone gain a skill in a kayak or on a board and connection with the ocean brings me tremendous joy!” she says. Suzanne has paddled the entire coast of Maine three times and may just do it again.

JOE GUGLIELMETTI

Joe is a Master Maine Sea Kayak Guide, an open-water sea kayak instructor with the American Canoe Association, and a wilderness first responder. He is also a licensed clinical social worker, and a returned Peace Corps volunteer (Zambia 07-09). Joe has paddled expeditions as far away as Fiji and Zambia, has through-paddled the coast of Maine, and section-paddled from Boston to Nova Scotia. Joe enjoys bringing people of all strokes of life into the marine environment, and he often leads paddlers to his favorite place in the world; the Cushing Island Cliffs, a mere three miles from Portland, where guillemots nest above the wild open sea.

ERIN QUIGLEY

Erin, Portland Paddle co-founder and guide, grew up exploring New Hampshire’s waterways by canoe and kayak. When she isn’t on Casco Bay guiding trips or at home taking care of her two young boys, she’s Development Manager at SailMaine, Portland’s community sailing center. Erin is a Wilderness First Responder, a Registered Maine Guide, and an ACA-certified instructor.

JANET ROBINSON

Janet bought her first sea kayak in 1993 after a few years of whitewater paddling and many years of hiking, backpacking, and long-distance bike touring, including a solo cross-country trip. The grand-daughter of a sea captain, she loves the wild beauty and challenge of the open ocean and is thrilled to be able to share her knowledge and enthusiasm for sea kayaking with paddlers of all ages and skill levels. She kayaked the entire Maine coast in 2020 and is a licensed Maine Guide and an ACA-certified Level 3 Instructor. In addition, Janet is president of the Southern Maine Sea Kayaking Network and serves as a Trustee for the Maine Island Trail Association.

ASHLEY FLOWERS

Ashley, E-RYT 500, is a Licensed Maine Guide, Environmental Educator, and lifelong lover of the water. She has completed ACA SUP Instructor, Lifeguard, and Wilderness First Aid training. For over a decade, Ashley has offered joyful, accessible yoga on land and sea, and she looks forward to sharing her love of yoga, SUP, and the ocean with you.

From paddleboard yoga to outdoor adventures, join Ashley to move, breathe, and laugh in wild and wonderful places: ashleyfloweryoga.com

SCOTT ANCHORS

Scott is a Master Maine Guide and is certified by the ACA as a Level 3 SUP instructor. Scott has been passionate about watersports his entire life. He loves sharing his enthusiasm with Portland Paddle customers, and he particularly enjoys seeing them develop confidence and have fun as they push their limits and discover the wonders of Casco Bay. Among his favorite paddling adventures are his circumnavigation of Manhatten Island in New York and his experience SUP-surfing head-high waves in Costa Rica. When not working at Portland Paddle, he can be found surfing at Higgins Beach.

ERIC NATHANSON

Eric grew up right here in Portland and first got excited about sea kayaking after a week long trip with a high school program. He is passionate about environmental sustainability and social justice, and really just wants the world to be a happy place for everyone. When not paddling on the ocean or rivers, Eric most enjoys reading, writing, mountain biking, and snowboarding. He is an ACA level 4 sea kayak instructor. His craziest adventure yet was 104 days paddling the Mississippi River from source to sea.

PETER ECKEL

A resident on Peaks Island, Peter enjoys easy access to paddling along the Maine Coast. A registered Maine Recreation and Sea Kayak guide, he is on the water most days – guiding for Portland Paddle, or on his paddleboard or kayak with other Peaks paddlers. Peter is an ACA Level 2 Coastal sea kayak instructor, an ACA Stand up Paddleboard instructor, and a Wilderness First Responder. In the winter he works as a ski instructor.

MELANIE COLLINS

Melanie started kayaking many years ago in the shadow of pine trees in cool New England waterways. But it wasn’t until moving to a desert island off the coast of Los Angeles that she began paddling on the sea. She learned to love exploring by water while paddling around this island, camping on deserted beaches and surfing through sea caves. She became a Registered Maine Sea Kayak Guide in 2018 when she spent her first summer in Maine. Melanie is also an ACA Level 2 Coastal Kayak instructor.

HENRY AUSTIN

Henry is a licensed Maine Sea Kayak Guide and ACA level 2 instructor from Lander, Wyoming. He started guiding on Mount Desert Island the summer between his Junior and Senior year at Bowdoin College. Moving to Southern Maine in 2016 to pursue a life as an artist, Henry began guiding for Portland Paddle. Now entering his 10th year as a guide, Henry has made sea kayaking an integral part of his life. Paddling extensively on the Maine coast, he is continually inspired by the hundreds of islands and miles of winding coast he has not experienced yet. He loves sharing his passion for exploration, and the confidence to do it safely, with everyone who visits Portland Paddle.

ABBY KING

Abby first came to Maine in 2011 on the final leg of her thru-hike of the 2,100 mile Appalachian Trail, and she hasn’t left (for too long) ever since. In addition to her wilderness guiding and backcountry guest service experience, she worked for many years in the environmental policy field. Abby recently returned from a thru-hike of the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail. She is a Wilderness First Responder and AIARE Level 1 ski guide.

JOE HERLIHY

Joe is a Maine Kayak Guide and ACA Level 3 certified kayaker who has paddled throughout Casco Bay and along the Maine coast for over 20 years. For Joe, being a Guide at Portland Paddle has opened up a whole new world of understanding and getting to share the rich history and complex ecosystem of Casco Bay and the Gulf of Maine. Joe was first introduced to kayaking almost thirty years ago on a half-day kayak trip in Bar Harbor, so appreciates how a half-day experience on Maine’s waters can change a person’s life!

WHITNEY WILSON

Whitney is a native of southern Maine, who grew up in the woods, out on the lake and exploring the coast. She has an eclectic background ranging from wilderness medicine, yoga instruction, to teaching primitive skills and facilitating therapy to adolescents in the Utah desert. Now as a Registered Maine Sea Kayak Guide living back in Maine, Whitney is exceptionally passionate about visiting the seals and sharing the local history of Fort Gorges with anyone who will listen.

KYLE MARTIN

A Maine coast native, Kyle is grateful to still call it his home. Living locally to P2, he enjoys Casco Bay as a home paddling area and brings a deep knowledge base of the region to his trips. Kyle became a licensed sea kayak guide in 2012 and has since earned the Master Sea Kayak Guide classification from the state of Maine. He is also a licensed Outdoor Emergency Care technician. His aim is to create inclusive and memorable experiences on the water for tour participants. Kyle’s other interests include finding the best campsites on the Maine Island Trail for deep sleep, island perimeter trails, and high caliber camp stove cooking.

GLEN GORDON

Glen grew up body surfing New England’s rocky shores and hiking it’s deep forests. He discovered sea kayaking in 2017 and immediately fell in love with it. Since then he’s spent as much time as possible on the water and sharing that passion with others. When he isn’t leading a kayak trip you’ll find him chasing waves, hiking, skiing, or making any excuses necessary to get outside.

CAITLIN MORRISROE

Caitlin is a Registered Maine Guide for both Recreation and Sea Kayaking. She loves to explore Casco Bay and other surrounding areas while meeting beginner and experienced SUP and kayakers from all over the world on the tours. She is Wilderness First Aid Afloat certified and an Outdoor Emergency Care Instructor. In the winter, Caitlin is a ski patroller and also enjoys hiking, and hanging out with her dogs.

ALEX KEMOS

Alex has been sea kayaking since 1998 and is a Registered Maine Guide.  He loves paddling Greenland technique and you’ll see him using a “skinny stick” on the water. He has kayaked in Greece, Australia, and the length of the Maine coast yet his favorite spot is right by home, Five Islands Maine. In the winter he works as a Ski Patroller in the White Mountains of NH. He is a Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician and is certified in Advanced Wilderness Life Support. Sometimes rumored to quote Homer’s Odyssey while paddling … Alex is passionate about mountains, oceans, reading, and sharing the outdoors with friends both old and new.

JOEL DALEY

Joel is a Registered Maine Guide, ACA Essentials of Kayak Touring Instructor, and a Wilderness First Responder. Joel lives in Portland, ME and enjoys getting salty in Casco Bay and kayak camping along the Maine coast. In the winter, Joel is an avid downhill skier and has coached youth freestyle ski programs for a decade in both Maine and Colorado.

EMILY MOONEY

Emily discovered her love for the ocean at a young age sailing throughout Casco Bay with her family. She’s been a part of Portland Paddle since 2016 and is a certified Wilderness First Responder, ACA Level 2 Essentials of Kayak Touring Instructor, and Registered Maine Guide. When she is not exploring the waters she enjoys running, skiing, camping and just about anything in the great outdoors! During the year she works as an Elementary School Physical Education teacher, helping to inspire youth to do the same.

GERBEN SCHERPBIER

SARAH GRAHAM

Sarah is paddleboard instructor, licensed Maine Sea Kayak Guide, Yoga teacher and Yoga practitioner of 20 years. She started off canoeing at age 6 and picked up other water sports in her adult years, including paddleboarding, kayaking, and surfing. She is Wilderness First Responder, an E-RYT 500 through Yoga Alliance, and an ASI Level 1 SUP Instructor. When not on the water, Sarah is a horticultural technician specializing in corporate indoor plant installations.

DAN COX

Dan hails from North Carolina and got stoked on paddling after watching the 1996 Olympics (he had never seen whitewater kayaking before). His favorite places to paddle are Wilson Creek and Shackleford Banks in North Carolina. Currently Dan is an ACA Level 4 Open Water Sea Kayak Instructor, Level 2 SUP Instructor (former L4 Whitewater Kayak Instructor and L5 Swiftwater Rescue Instructor), and Maine Sea Kayak Guide. Dan sea kayaked the length of the east coast of the United States in 2009 with his wife and in 2018 was the first person to SUP the coast of Maine. He also really enjoys surfing and canoeing as much as possible.

ASHLEY “TALL” LEEDBERG

If Tall’s not on the water, you can find her in the mountains! Tall is a Registered Maine Guide with Sea Kayak, Recreation, and Whitewater licenses and a Level 2 ACA SUP and Kayak Instructor. Born and raised in Maine, when she’s not on the coast, you can find her on a river expedition or exploring in the North Maine Woods.

SAM ANDREWS

Sam is a Wilderness First Responder, registered Maine sea kayak guide & pursuing her ACA level 2 Instructor Certification. She fell in love with sea kayaking after her many paddles on the Great Bay in New Hampshire. Sharing her passion for the outdoors is what brought her into the outdoor industry. When she is not paddling or working for Portland Paddle, she is off hiking in the White Mountains, backcountry skiing or road biking the coast.

NATHAN FINBERG

SAM ANNABLE

Sam is a Maine Recreation and Sea Kayak Guide. In the past Sam has worked as an environmental educator in New York, backpacking guide in Utah, and a river guide in Montana. Work in Maine includes managing a trail crew on the Appalachian Trail, L.L. Bean, trail work for local Land Trusts, and shucking fresh Maine oysters.  He currently  works for the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center on the Damariscotta River. He is the Outreach Coordinator with a major focus on K-12 programming connecting people of all ages to the ocean. When he is not leading people in the woods or waters he is traveling, skiing, hiking, biking, camping, and really just spending more time outdoors with friends!

LAUREN BATH

TAI GROSJEAN

Tai’s kayaking journey started when he was 8 years old. His grandfather took Tai out, put him in a nylon dress that hung to his feet, gave him a PFD that was entirely too large, and taught him (in the shallows) how to do a wet exit. Tai promptly practiced this new lesson. In the middle of the lake. Poor granddad didn’t know how to get an 8yo kid back into a boat so Tai was towed back to shore, with the other boat. Despite this misadventure, Tai was hooked… and hasn’t stopped paddling since. Tai is a Registered Maine Sea Kayak Guide, ACA Sea Kayak level 3, WFA and L2 ACA Instructor Trainer

MICHAEL GREENWOOD

Michael is from Bethesda, MD and grew up paddling the whitewater of the Potomac River. He worked as a Whitewater Kayaking instructor in Maryland before moving up to Portland in the summer of 2021. Michael quickly became hooked on the islands of Casco Bay and sunny days paddling Maine’s Coast. When he’s not kayaking, Michael enjoys skiing, hiking and biking throughout the state. Michael is a Registered Maine Sea Kayak Guide, ACA Sea Kayak Level 2 and WFA certified.

ANDY GOSHORN

Andy is proud to join the ranks of esteemed Portland Paddle guides. On the water all his life, and recently retired after 20 years in the Coast Guard, Andy loves to share his excitement of Casco Bay and all things Maine with guests. Andy is a Registered Maine Sea Kayak Guide and an EMT.

HARRY NELSON

Harry first came to the Coast of Maine on vacations as a kid, fell in love with Maine, went to college in Maine, and never left. He recently retired from a career in marine science, allowing him more time to pursue his interests in kayaking, hiking, running, and alpine and nordic skiing. His love of exploring the Coast of Maine and the marine ecosystem prompted him to become a licensed Maine Sea Kayak Guide. Harry is also a volunteer steward monitor for the Maine Island Trail Association.

NATALIE MEENAN

Natalie grew up on the water in Friday Harbor, WA and has been sea kayak guiding for the past five years leading trips all over the San Juan Islands. Since moving to Maine, she has taken to exploring Casco Bay’s many islands via the Maine Island Trail. She loves to nerd out over intertidal ecosystems! When she’s not sea kayaking, you can find her exploring Maine via bike. Natalie is a Registered Maine Sea Kayak Guide and WFA certified.

DAN FILENE

When Dan moved to Portland in 2001 he built a sea kayak in the living room of his first apartment, because he was desperate to get out on Casco Bay and that was the most affordable way. Since then he has acquired several more kayaks, a canoe, and a sailboat, and has explored the entire Maine coast by both wind and paddle power. He likes fish chowder over a camp stove, strong coffee, chocolate chip ice cream, and helping people get their first glimpse of Maine from the Oceanside. Dan is a Wilderness First Responder and a Registered Maine Sea Kayak Guide.