Get College Credit! Internships are available for students and are usually given preference for hiring. Both positions require kayak guiding.
Kayak Guide & Driver:
16 Full Time (30 – 50 hrs / week), Internships available
Starting at $10-$15 + tips($40-120/tour) ~2-3 tours per day per guide. We do more tours than all of the other kayak companies in Door County combined. So when considering your future summer guiding position with one of them, consider how many trips you will actually do.
Kayak Guide & Driver:
Kayak Guide Time Frame:
Full Time Position:
- Arrival time (May 1-June 1) to End of Season (August 15 – September 15)
- Priority is given to guides available till end of labor day or September 15
- 30 – 50 hours / week
Guide Benefits: Get Strong! Get Tan! Work and hang out at Cave Point County Park! Meet fun, adventurous people! Benefits include access to company outdoor recreation gear on a space available basis (and according to skills), pro-deals on many brands of outdoor gear, free kayak trips for family/friends, time to learn how to kayak, garden, sail, and kitesurf and the chance to work with a fun, passionate, creative group of individuals.
Kayak Guide Job Description: We hire self motivated, confident, creative, inspiring individuals! You possess strong leadership abilities in outdoor group situations. Full time guides will lead tours multiple times per week (see our Guide Duties) in the local Door County waters. Guides give paddling instruction, lead safe tours according to company guidelines and provide interesting, funny, and informative narratives. Guides invoke laughter, insight, patience, strength, and flexibility in the kayaking guests.
6-8 hr. Shift Kayak Tour Guide Duties:
- Arrive 1 hour before tour.
- Check that van has been left clean & stocked from previous tour with Kayaks/Paddles/PFDs.
- Stay tuned into local weather radio/web weather.
- Meet and Greet Guests! Don’t let them wander for a second. Welcome them with a large smile and enthusiasm!
- Remind them to be prepared (i.e. using bathroom, wearing appropriate clothing, leaving keys, and puttingcell phone in waterproof case).
- Answer any questions they may have.
- Convey paddling itinerary to guests using Navigational Map.
- Entertain guests between pickup/drop off (bocce ball, juggling, team games).
- Entertain people on the bus with ice breaker games.
- Facilitate ease of a quick & concise kayak setup with guest interaction.
- Give kayak / paddle lesson to guests.
- Guide or Driver (Launch Kayaks / give confidence to anxious guests / create wonder, respect and excitement using Natural Environment).
- Entertain kids with super soakers & adults with geology / stories / jokes.
- Photograph guests during tour using waterproof camera.
- Pack up and return to headquarters.
- Put away / clean / replace PFD’s / VHFs / batteries / camera and guide gear, & van.
- Thank and ask customers to leave us a review and join us on another experience.
- Log trip details on Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram.
- If you have time or if a trip is cancelled, work on a DCKT project.
How to prepare for the Guide Position:
We realize that many of you do not have much kayak guiding experience or certifications. Past experience is not mandatory, but we will not hesitate to let you go if you are not confident in your abilities and confident in surprise scenarios in which you will engage during training . Fear not, start studying / reading / watching YouTube videos about outdoor education, specifically kayak related, and start playing in your school pool now! Our training program is intensive, the scenarios engage all your senses and any preparedness before will show during training. If invited to training, we will present you with some engaging readings, and ask you to bring something you love to share / teach at training.
Mandatory Preparations
- First Aid / CPR Certifications by training date.
- Be legally able to work in the United States.
- Read up on Door County, kayaking skills, & group leadership skills.
- Join our Facebook page.
- Continue to converse with us on Facebook, email, and Google chat.
Kayak Guide Training: “Kayak Guide Training Camp” takes place during the end of May / beginning of June (exact date dependent on arrival of all guides). Training consists of sea kayak skills training, rescue training, and trip leadership training, trailer driving, reception, & ice breaker games. We also spend time learning about the local area and ecology. Guides will demonstrate their skills at the end of the training. Our first camp will consist of getting to know the basics of Door County Kayak Tours and some basic kayaking rescue and navigation classes. During the time between training camps, guides are expected to join tours and use what they have learned to explore our tour locations with a partner or group of guides.
Guide Training location: (TBA)
Guide Full time: Starting wage for a training guide is $10-$15 / hr + tips(~$40-$120 per tour) for basic first year guiding. We do more tours than all of the other kayak companies in Door County combined. So when considering your future summer guiding position with one of them, consider how many trips you will do.
Apply here: AWESOME SUMMER