Bernard Oliver (Instructor)

Position:: Instructor & store assistant
Length of service:: 2008 season
Favourite trip:: Mangawhio – big and steep
Courses and trips you could take with Bernard:: White Water: An Introduction, Multisport Grade 2 Prep Course, Multisport Guided Rakaia Gorge Trip, Rolling Course (3 sessions), White Water: Intro to kayak surfing, Multisport Waimakariri Gorge Guided Trip, Multisport Grade II Assessment, Pool Session
Favourite boats:: Wavesport Diesel -Carves like crazy and super fast. Everything you would ever want in a river runner/creekboat in New Zealand. Makes kayaking feel sexy.; Barracuda Beachcomber Ultralight - I'm with Gaz, what a versatile boat! It's light, handles beautifully, and boy it can accelerate.
Favourite Apparel: NRS Kayak Sherpa - Makes walk ins on the West coast a dream. It’s a fantastic carrying system with all the little extras to make your day so much more enjoyable.; Immersion Research Splash Pants - I don’t know how I survived without these. They keep me nice and dry and warm when instructing and having to stand around in the water, and also when scouting and paddling; whitewater. And they look good.
Favourite Accesory: Immersion Research Special K - the driest grippiest deck ever. I paddle a range of kayaks and my XL deck fits a really wide range of cockpits
Countries paddled:: New Zealand, Uganda, Zambia
Qualifications:: NZOIA Kayak 1, PHEC, BRecEd, Post Grad Dip Secondary Teaching

I grew up in the Central North Island at the base of Mt Ruapehu, so the outdoors has always been in my blood. I gained a passion for kayaking during high school and haven’t let go of it since. I always wanted to teach, and so why not make it kayaking. I’ve instructed and taught at a number of schools around New Zealand during and after my study and truly love New Zealand’s rugged Environment, some of these places only accessible by kayak.

At the end of this season I am off to Uganda again to teach kayaking for Kayak The Nile.

Below video is of Bernard on the Mangawhio with Ben Jackson and Brendan Bayly