Team EK Who are we? Check out our bio’s below….
	Rob Mercer Rob is a highly qualified sea kayak instructor, now recognized as the premier sea kayak instructor for paddlers wishing to accelerate their skills or gain an insight into the skills required for big expeditions. He holds an Advanced Sea Kayak Instructor and Assessor qualification under the Australian Canoeing scheme, & runs the registered National Training Provider, The Balanced Boater (see link in the left menu). Through this enterprise Rob offers commercial instruction to individuals and small groups at all levels (including expedition preparation, surf and rolling skills and instructor training). His clientele range from novices looking to develop, to experienced paddlers looking to enhance their skills before undertaking a major coastal expedition. He has instructed several groups in preparation for a Bass Strait crossing, & in sea kayaking circles is considered to be the ‘go-to’ man for advice & training for such an adventure. Rob's trips resume includes crossing the notorious Bass Strait between the Australian mainland & Tasmania, as well as several unsupported coastal expeditions to Far North Queensland. These have so far included trips among the far north Queensland Islands, spanning the coast from the Tropic of Capricorn to Torres Strait, including Cape York, a Bass Strait Crossing & the ground-breaking North Reef Expedition.
Sharon Betteridge Sharon is one of the most accomplished female paddlers in Australia, with Australian Canoeing instructor qualifications, & an expedition resume containing many major trips. These include various trips spanning the Queensland coast from the tropic of Capricorn to Torres Strait (2560kms), including Cape York, the Wet Tropics and Lucinda to Cooktown via the coast, the Whitsunday and Gloucester group, Mackay to Bowen via the outer Islands, & the Capricorn Coast. Sharon is a passionate rudderless paddler, having built her own timber Greenland style boats & paddled them extensively. She is a big believer in boat fit, & will wax lyrical about the three small volume kayaks in the EK range, the Avocet LV, Xcite S and the brand new Pace 17S (which she has been testing on some demanding offshore expeditions). If you’re a lady seeking serious advice on a kayak to fit you, & allow you to truly engage the wonderful sport of sea kayaking, contact Sharon.
	Mark Sundin Mark has been paddlijng on the sea since 2001, primarily along the open coast of NSW . He is a qualified Australian Canoeing Sea Instructor, and paddles everything from sea kayaks to surf kayaks to elite racing skis. He's a former 1st grade cricket & rugby player, with a couple of stints as a professional cricketer in the Lancashire Leagues of England, where he reckons he learned the art of the quick comeback, as well as the benefits of cold-weather layering! Mark is a lover of the outdoors, having trekked & paddled through various part of the world, including the Himalaya, Patagonia, the NZ Alps, as well as the wilds of Tasmania . In 2011, together with Chris James & Rob Mercer, he took part in the first successful expedtion to reach the remote North Reef Lighthouse, some 130km off the Queensland Coast.Mark is a regular starter in the ultra distance flat water events such as the 111km Hawkesbury Clasic & the 47km Myall Classic, as well as the local ocean ski races around Sydney.