The Coaches
LEON SOMMÉ
BCU 5 Star Sea, 4 Star Surf, 4 Star Inland, Coach 4 Sea
Leon has been paddling and teaching in sea kayaks for 12 years. He has logged
thousands of coastal miles on Lake Superior, the Sea of Cortez, the Gulf of
Mexico, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and the Irish Sea. Most notably, in
1998, Leon successfully circumnavigated Vancouver Island, B.C., a trip of over
700 nautical miles in 28 days. In 2003, he will circumnavigate Iceland with
Chris Duff and Shawna Franklin. His passion is to teach other paddlers the
skills that they need to safely kayak in the beauty of a stormy sea.
SHAWNA FRANKLIN
BCU 5 Star Sea, 4 Star Surf, 4 Star Inland, Coach 4 Sea
Shawna is the first woman in the United States to gain the BCU 5 Star Sea
Award, a test of skills and leadership in advanced sea conditions. Shawna has
been paddling and teaching for over 10 years. In 1998, and in 2000, Shawna
competed in the San Juan Challenge Sea Kayak Race, placing first in her
division both years. In 2003, she will circumnavigate Iceland with Chris Duff
and Leon Somme'. Shawna wants to share her enthusiasm for teaching and
paddling, and sense of adventure with you!
MATT NELSON
BCU 5 Star Sea, Coach 3 Sea
Growing up in South Central Alaska has given Matt an appreciation and respect for
the power of the natural world. Four years ago, Matt and his wife Djuna sailed a
small engineless sailboat from Bellingham, Washington to Mexico, out to Hawaii, and
back to the San Juan Islands. During that trip they both discovered their love of
kayaking- the ability to exist and be mobile in the zone where the sea meets land.
Since then, Matt has been progressing as a paddler and BCU coach, enjoying tidal
races, surf and a recent trip down the outside of Vancouver Island. While future
expeditions are on his mind, he feels that…”My personal quest with paddling is to
move ever closer to becoming a water creature. My ultimate task as a coach is to
help students realize their paddling goals- making it fun, challenging and safe
along the way. Matt’s favorite food is fruit pie with whipped cream.
DJUNA MASCALL
BCU 4 Star Sea and has surfed Skookumchuck!
Djuna and Matt landed on Orcas Island in 2003 aboard their sail boat, on the final
leg of a journey from the Northwest to Mexico, to Hawaii and back. Ready for smaller
boats, she and Matt discovered paddling in Alaska. She became a “paddler”- learning
the skills to enjoy a variety of sea conditions- with Shawna and Leon at Body Boat
Blade. Today, teaching yoga at Orcas Mandala Yoga Studio gives her the strength and
serenity to attempt managing the shop at Body Boat Blade, and has sparked an interest
in coaching kayaking.
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Shawna and Leon have been guest instructors at some of the most well
recognized kayak skills symposiums across the country. The list includes: the
Sweetwater Gulf Coast Symposium (1998-2002), the East Coast Kayak Skills
Symposium in NY (2000-2002), and the Port Angeles Symposium (2002). Body Boat
Blade's staff co-organized and co-hosted the highly successful West
Coast Kayak Skills Symposium held on Orcas Island, WA (2001).
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