Grant Thompson at Canoecopia 2024

Canoecopia is presented by

Presenting Sponsor

Location
Alliant Energy Center
1919 Alliant Energy Way
Madison, Wisconsin

Show Hours
Friday: 3 PM to 8 PM
Saturday: 9 AM to 6 PM
Sunday: 10 AM to 4 PM

Tickets
1-Day: $15.00
3-Day: $30.00
Ages 17 and under are FREE
Cash or check only for tickets purchased at the event

Parking Fees
1-Day: $8.00
Cash or credit, fees collected by Alliant Energy Center

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www.tofino.com

Tofino Expeditions founder Grant Thompson was born in Vancouver, British Columbia and is the fourth generation of a west coast Canadian marine family. He first went to sea on a Norwegian freighter for a year at the age of 17. Returning from this adventure he attended university where he studied photography. As a climber photographer he spent his 20's and early 30's technical mountaineering until a chance meeting in 1981, with John Dowd, author of, "Sea Kayaking: A Manual for Long-Distance Touring" turned his attention back the sea. The expedition potential for sea kayaks on the wild coast of British Columbia and beyond captivated his imagination. Through the mid-eighties he worked in the outdoor sports industry promoting the then "new" sport of sea kayaking and sat on the board of directors of the Trade Association of Sea Kayaking (TASK), which later became the Trade Association of Paddlesports (TAPS). In 1988 driven by a strong desire to be on the water rather than behind a desk he founded Tofino Expeditions Limited in the small town of Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island, in 1989 Outside Magazine ranked Tofino as one the "Great Sports Towns of North America because of the outstanding kayaking in the surrounding area. That same year he started operating kayaking in expeditions in Mexico's Sea of Cortez, the first of what was to be many international paddling venues. An association with travel writer Tim Cahill led to articles in Outside, Magazine, Mens Journal and other publications that were later republished in Cahill's books "Jaguars Ripped my Flesh" and "Pass the Butterworms".?

As sea kayak outfitting became more popular Grant became involved with guide education. He was a charter member of The Alliance of British Columbia Sea Kayak Guides and the Association of Canadian Sea Kayak Guides. As a head guide instructor/ examiner for both organizations he ran guide training courses on the British Columbia coast and in Baja. He sat on a committee of three senior guides that drafted the first sea kayak guide training curriculum to be officially recognized by Parks Canada. In the spring of 2017 he was hired by the Norwegian Centres of Expertise for Tourism and Fjord Norway to consult on sea kayaking trip design, methodology and risk management.

All of Tofino's trips in Canada are still operated by Tofino Expeditions Limited, the original Canadian company. In 1998 Grant founded Tofino Expeditions USA Inc. when he relocated to the United States while his wife was attending a medical residency program at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He now divides his time between Bend, Oregon, Courtenay, British Columbia and Cape Cod, Massachusetts. ?Grant has guided kayaking trips North and South America as well as Europe and Asia. His photographic work has appeared in a number of magazines including Outside, National Geographic, National Geographic Adventure, Sea Kayaker and Outpost as well as a large number of newspapers. As well

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Also Presenting With

Britt Magneson
Britt is an experienced traveller and sea kayaker. She is passionate on creating travel experiences that combine kayaking within places to provide a unique and one of a kind travel experience.

Presentations

Grant Thompson, Britt Magneson

Kayaking - Unparalleled Access to popular destinations around the world

Caribou - upstairs Sun 10:30am-11:15am

For over 30 years, Tofino Expeditions has led the way in sea kayaking adventures around the world. This presentation shares how kayaking in very familiar and popular places both near and far provides a completely new perspective on that place to truly understand regional culture, history, and its close connection to the water. This presentation will highlight our recent kayaking trip to the Venice Lagoons in Italy. Come along with us as we share, through photos and videos, what makes travelling to a popular destination by kayak so extraordinary. Learn a bit of the history of the Venice, known as the City of Water and its current plans for the lagoon and its surrounding islands where nature, water, and history are closely linked. We will share how combining the kayaking experience with local food, culture, and history can be transformative and rejuvenating.

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