Testimonials

Posted 09-28-07
Well, who would have thought that our 61 years of age we would celebrate an anniversary white water kayaking? This was such an unbelievable gift from our son Mike and daughter-in-law Debbie. They know that we love something different, and the next thing we knew, we were going down “Ishy Pishy”. Kani, we can’t thank you enough for a great, great awesome time! My timidity about things like this has been set aside because of your knowledge and the comfort your expertise lent to our trip. We truly appreciated your explanation before each rapid; your exacting tactical approach to understanding the river ….well, we have been recommending you right and left to everyone. This would be a great team building experience – and we won’t hesitate to offer this up for some of the customer’s we work with. Thank you once again….WE’LL BE BACK!
- Pat and Gary Burke, Portland, Oregon

Posted 09-05-07
My husband and I did a one day kayaking trip down the Klickitat River. We had a fantastic time. Kani is a great teacher. He gives very thorough explanations, and you can tell he is tremendously experienced. I felt guided and challenged at the same time. I can't remember the last time I had this much fun. The video of the trip is great too, and is well worth purchasing. I can't wait to sign up for the weekend trip!
- Manuela Arundel, Portland, Oregon

Posted 09-05-07
We had such a great time, Kani! It was a perfect introductory weekend for both Keith and I. We really liked your teaching style, how the days were organized, the level of difficulty, the variety of river conditions we were shown, etc. We were saying on the ride home how nice you, Amy and Tom were, and how we felt so lucky to have chosen your company. We are already talking about when we can do it again, and possibly getting the kids involved somehow!
- Lora and Keith, Portland, Oregon

Posted 02/07/06
I just want to thank Kani and Joey for giving me the ability and instilling the confidence to become a whitewater kayak enthusiast. Due to limitations in my right shoulder I had to be taught a different way to roll. It took a while to learn but I'm finally there. Kani noted that it was also a challenge for them. He never gave up. I gained more than just an instructor. I now have a new friend. We kayaked the Klickitat, a section of the White Salmon, and the Deschutes. I had to be reined in a few times for trying to be too aggressive. Kani was firm but always pleasant letting me "enjoy paddling, but safety is always the most important". I now have a passion for the sport. Next, I am now going to learn how to wave surf with Kani so I can surf back home in Florida. Thanks for being there for me.
- Tom Slye, Vero Beach, Florida

Posted 01/16/06
The photo CD is absolutely worth it! Camera wasn't distracting at all. Kani and Joey did such a wonderful job hosting our family... making it fun and safe for our kids, exciting enough for our 14 year old, instructional and a great experience. We can't wait to do it again and have told many of our friends about how much fun it was. Hopefully, you'll hear from some of them in the future. Keep up the great work! Thanks again!
- Tina Klassy and Family, Portland, Oregon

Posted 07/06/04 - 21:07:17:
"A wonderful time! Our experience at Gorge Paddling was a couple of the best days we have ever had. Going from wannabe kayakers to a white water experience in two days was very fulfilling. Kani and Joey are very accomplished instructors who made us feel very comfortable while providing intense, intelligent and caring classes. They tailored their instruction to each of us, never letting us feel that we were out of our element.

And what an element! A class III rapid in two days! I have pictures, and video and want to do it again (and again).

I recommend that anyone remotely interested in whitewater kayaking, take their three courses (pool roll, moving water, white water). The prices are a bargain and the fun and feeling of accomplishment are a treasure to take with you forever."
- Jack and Elizabeth Daley, Wenatchee, Washington

Posted 06/28/05 (Posted on Galvin Communications Buzz Blog):
"Last weekend, my wife and I went on a exciting kayaking trip on a guided tour on sit-on-top kayaks down the beautiful Klickitat River, located in the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. We booked the trip through Gorge Paddling, the smallest kayak company in the Hood River area, but it provides the best service and value for the price.

I've always resisted kayaking trips because my height (6' 5") makes it difficult to fit inside even the biggest kayak. Until I checked out Gorge Paddling's pictures of sit-on-top kayaks, I had no idea that there is a comfortable way to kayak.

Kani Rowland, the owner of Gorge Paddling, has kayaked for decades, yet he still has tons of enthusiasm for the sport even when it comes to teaching beginners. Our guide Joey Yeaple, who qualified for the US Olympic trials in kayaking twice, was fantastic, and she provided us with a great introduction to the sport.

Kani is modest about his company but it's clearly better than other Hood River kayaking businesses. His equipment is top-of-the-line, and he strives to provide customers an optimal experience. The day we went kayaking, we put into the river much farther up than the other companies, and we pulled out farther down so we could enjoy a very fun rapids called the Ishy-Pishy. If you want to get a lot of bang for your kayaking buck, go with Gorge Paddling."
- Patrick Galvin, Portland, Oregon

Posted 10/24/04 - 16:18:09:
"Simply put, this was an excellent trip. I’ve done it twice now, last year with my new bride Heidi, and this year with my buddies Jay and Ted. It’s hard to believe Ted gave up a day of salmon fishing, but I guess the allure of adventure was too powerful.

Kani and Joey are fun, friendly, and knowledgeable instructors, whose gift for teaching make for a fun, yet exciting day of kayaking. Just meeting them in the parking lot, put a grin on my face.

Starting the day on the lake, built my confidence as I became reacquainted with the equipment and techniques. I thought I knew the strokes pretty well from last year, but the refresher was a good reminder. It was also fun watching my buddies get the hang of it, especially when we had to fall into the water and get back on the kayaks.

Once on the river, I could feel the adrenaline building. We practiced getting in and out of eddies, reading the water, and perfecting our strokes. The Klickitat is the perfect river to learn how to kayak. Not only is it scenic, but the rapids build in difficulty throughout the day, from Class I to an optional Class III rapid at the end called Ishy-Pishy (a.k.a. “Ass-Grinder). I have yet to make it through Ishy-Pishy, but that’s what I get for not following Joey’s perfect line. Jay and Ted showed me up as they cruised through it unscathed (beginner’s luck). A month later, we are still talking about what a great day that was."
- Rick Graw, Lake Oswego, Oregon

Posted 07/31/04 - 08:01:24:
"A group of 6 of us spent 2 days with Kani and Joey on the Klickitat river. Although we had little to no experience in kayaking (4 of us had never even touched a kayak!), they made us feel right at home the entire time. Talk about amazing training - WOW! We went from pool rolling to whitewater rapids in less than 48 hours! They are wonderful instructors and I would recommend them to anyone interested in learning quickly and having fun while doing it. I can't wait to go back for my next session! Thanks so much Kani and Joey!"
-Tracy Thompson, Portland, Oregon

Posted 04/04/04 - 19:15:05:
"I have been kayaking off and on for 5 years. I have attended 3 other big name schools- Idaho, Chile, and Colorado. I just got back from a big name kayak school in Chile and was disappointed by the little time spent on the water and no improvement in my skill. Big name national personalities in the sport with less than optimal organization skills and no heart left in teaching. They were just interested in making movies and money.

Not Gorge Paddling School- What a great experience. I contacted Kani and shared my interest with him in creeking. Kani introduced me to Andy Round. I spent 3 days of intensive double day sessions with him to push my skill level to the next level. Andy is a classical linear teacher. He has refined the "Tao" (guiding pathway) of advanced whitewater kayaking. If creeking was an olympic sport Andy would by now be an olympic medallist for his understanding of whitewater kayaking. If Andy was associated with a university I'm sure he would receive an honorary doctor of education degree for his ability to teach. After three days of intensive one on one training Andy had my mind clear and focused in a state of "flo". We were running class 4 rapids, drops and waterfalls confidently. Andy still shares a student's joy as he sees his pupil progress. His heart is truly in kayaking. A true credit to himself, Gorge Paddling and the whitewater sport in general."
- Skunk, Elko, Nevada

Posted 09/14/03 - 11:41:34:
"My friend called and told me that she had put together a surprise for her husband and asked if I would be interested in going along on a kayak lesson. She didn't have to ask twice. We only had a Saturday available, so Kani squeezed the whole package into one awesome day of paddling.
My friend and I are now hooked on the sport and can't wait to become more involved. Kani not only provided great instruction, but inspired us to get serious about a sport that melds physical challenge with natural beauty. I highly recommend the trip!"
- Ian Martin, Portland, Oregon

Posted 09/08/03 - 14:03:05:
"A weekend well spent! My other half, Karen had a great time on the sit-on-top provided for her while I opted for a sit-inside kayak. Both of us learned a great deal during the warm up lessons on Saturday. Sunday on the Klickitat was a blast and the lessons, tips and tricks continued throughout the trip, building your knowledge and experience with each new section of the River.

Both Kani and Joey are patient instructors during this fast paced course and make sure a good time is had by all. Pre-trip questions were answered quickly via the website. To sum it up, I've already booked additional lessons and recommended Gorge Paddling to friends and co-workers."
- Steve Gittings and Karen Cole, Port Orchard, Washington

Posted 09/06/03 - 09:21:06:
"We spent two days with Kani on the Klickitat River this July in white water kayaks. This was our first experience and we had a most amazing time! Kani was patient, fun and extremely knowledgeable. The action photos he took of us kayaking are still the talk our family and friends. We look forward to advancing our skills and experiencing guided tours with Gorge Paddling."
-Ingrid Saxon and Steve Kent, Seattle, Washington

Posted 09/05/03 - 11:04:09:
My wife and I spent several hours going down the Klickitat River August 30th with Kani and Joey instructing us on sit-on kayaks. They were patient, informative, and encouraging, plus just very pleasant individuals. We had a lot of fun and learned a great deal.
- Reid Brockway, Lake Sammamish, Washington