The Northwest Passage

Our Guides:
At The Northwest Passage, we're proud of our family of guides and instructors. We choose our guides for their experience in their field, attention to safety, dedication to positive group experiences, and knowledge of the trip area. Our guides are always personable and professional. All instructors hold certification in First Aid (usually Wilderness First Aid) as well as appropriate certifications and/or awards in their area of expertise. All of our instructors and guides enjoy sharing their adventures and experience with our participants, and have fun with our groups.

Keith Heger Green River, UT
Program Director
Guide & Instructor

As a youth living on Lake Michigan, I often searched the horizon for something that would help me define the unknown. As my horizon expanded beyond the Chicagoland community I continued to wander in search of the unknown. I have wandered throughout the Sierra Nevada's, Oregon Cascades, North Cascades, Rocky Mountains of Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah.

Searching has taken me throughout the world- Central America, Western Europe and the Mediterranean. In that time I have worked to gain skills in wilderness travel, group dynamics and leadership. Skills such as sea kayaking, white water kayaking, rafting, canoeing, skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, mountaineering & sailing have aided in my search. Helping fuel the passion is the reward of introducing people to the unknown. I invite you to come join me!

My favorite part of working here is the people- the people I speak with on the phone about potential trips, the guests who come on the trips, our hosts at the small family owned inns where we stay in Crete, our phenomenal staff of part-time instructors and guides. It's all about people having fun and I feel so grateful that I get to be part of that on a daily basis.

I'm a BCU Coach 3, an ACA Open Water Coastal Kayak Instructor and a Wilderness First Responder. I also have the ACA Instructor Eskimo Rolling endorsement. In addition to teaching paddling with the European paddle I also teach the Inuit paddling style that uses the traditional narrow wooden blade. (That's the paddle I'm using in the picture.)

I love kayaking and there is nothing that delights me more than introducing other people to the sport.

When I'm not paddling or rolling my boat I'm the senior pastor of All Saints' Episcopal Church-where I'm happy to say-a significant number of the parishioners share my love of kayaking.

My association with NWP has helped me develop the discipline to master skills to venture outside my little world. In the spirit of wanting to 'give back
something', I assist at Northwest Passage with the hope of inspiring just one person to take a step outside their own little world.

My passion for outdoor adventures, especially on water, eventually lead to a degree in Environmental Studies, years as a sailing instructor, and still others as a member of the National Ski Patrol (read: frozen water). I am an American Canoe Association certified sea kayaking instructor and I'm also certified in Wilderness First Aid. My goal as an instructor and guide? Energy, inspiration, confidence, fun, learning! Help people see new things in themselves and in each other, in the environment, about their own capabilities, about another culture or place. Wanna come?

Mick Nunn The Northwest Passage Headquarters
Kayak Instructor & Guide

Born with a father who loved to climb British mountains I soon realized that all our holidays growing up would be from a tent at the base of a mountain range and involve standing on top of the worlds peaks. So when I stepped into the bigger picture the path seemed to lead me into the ancient trade winds and feed my thirst for adventure and touching the world. I swept around the globe on all but one continent- from the magic of Asia's cities and temples, through the jungles of Burma and Borneo, to the deserts of the Sahara plains, and the dark cultures of the Congo to Algiers and Angola, Mongolia to Montana, Arctic islands to Volcanic, and Middle East to far east. I grew and became who I am now, in search for others alike I was swept onto the shores of Gillson and found The Northwest Passage - the siren of the Midwest for all who want to be taken on adventures of the heart and soul.
Let our life's knowledge take you to a place that will always be with you inside....

Tom Heineman Apostle Islands, Wisconsin
Guide & Instructor

Tom has been paddling for the past 6 years and has been doing sea kayak instruction for the last three years. He is planning a 1000 mile trip on the Ohio River in 2005. Tom is the current president of the Chicago Area Sea Kayaker Association and can often be seen paddling the Lake Michigan shoreline since he lives across the street from the lake in Rogers Park.

Mary Roberts
Guide & Instructor

I have been in love with the outdoors ever since I can remember. Having
settled in an urban area as an adult I found that my love of outdoor
adventuring was kept in check until I could get out into the wilderness.
Then I discovered Kayaking in 1996 and found a world of wilderness in
the midst of an urban setting. I was delighted to find that I could
paddle my boat just a few feet or a few miles from the Chicago lakefront
and be transported into a world of adventure.
Since making my discovery I have immersed myself into the sport. I am
certifed by the American Canoe Association as an Open Water Coastal
Kayak Instructor. In addition to teaching for The Northwest Passage I
also paddle as much as I can in Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Over
the past few years my time in the boat has been tempered by the addition
of my two children into my life. However, as they get older I see my
time in the boat expanding again as their passion for the water and the
wilderness takes shape and grows.