RiverWind Kayak’s Tom Nickels

Owner/Operator, ACA & BCU Coach from Washington DC

 If you are looking for a highly skilled, professionally trained, and passionate sea kayak instructor, you have come to the right place. Tom coaches the beginning sea kayaker through open ocean sea kayakers. He offers coaching services through select high quality paddling schools in the DC area, and also offers (at reduced prices) private and semi-private coaching sessions before and immediately after all the East coast BCU & ACA symposiums where he teaches.

About Tom

Tom paddles a Valley Anas Acuta Before relocating to Washington, DC in the Summer of 2007, Tom spent nearly 15 years kayaking in Charleston, SC – during the last five he operated the successful sea kayak training and tour company OceanAir Sea Kayak. He began volunteering for the Charleston Parks and Recreation Department water-based program and later advanced to a part-time paid safety staff position in the kayak program. In April, 2002, he advanced to “Lead Instructor” status.

He received his ACA Open Water certification in February 2002. In October 2002 he continued his kayak instruction by taking and passing the BCU 4 Star, held at Sea Kayak Georgia. Nigel Dennis was the instructor.

He worked for two seasons, in 2002 & 2003, for a local SC outfitter, on a contract basis, where his role was to provide guide and nature interpretation services for wide variety of kayak tours. He also provided ACA kayak class instruction. He has been a presenter/instructor of the BCU 3* and 4* class and various ACA classes at the East Coast Canoe and Kayak Festival held in Charleston, SC. He is now a regular coach at the "BCU Safety Symposium" held in North Carolina, the Sweetwater Kayak Symposium held in Tampa in February and BCU Week/Sea Kayak Georgia on Tybee Island.

In 2002 Tom founded OceanAir Sea Kayak, a successful sea kayak tour and instruction business in Folly Beach, SC. For five years he offered the finest private and small class instruction in the Charleston area while also conducting a wide range of interpretive, scenic and challenging paddling tours.

 In June 2007, Tom and his wife Gloria sold OceanAir Sea Kayak and moved to Washington, DC where Tom is now the director of the sea kayak instruction program at Potomac Paddle Sports. Tom also teaches at numerous BCU and ACA sea kayak symposia along the east coast.

Current Certifications:

  • ACA (L-4) Open Water Instructor Trainer Educator
  • ACA Advanced Open Water Sea Kayak Instructor
  • BCU Coach Level 3 Award A-1
  • BCU 4* Star Open Water Award
  • BCU Endorsed Center and Endorsed Coach Status
  • BCU Canoe Safety Award
  • Leave No Trace (LNT) Training Award
  • Wilderness First Responder First Aid Certification
  • Affiliate Board Member of the ACA Coastal Kayak Committee
  • P & H Sea Kayak Paddling Team Member

Recent Assignments:  

  • ACA National Conference Instructor Certification
    Presenter 2008 & 2009
  • Co-creator of the Mid-Atlantic Kayak Festival


Travels & Expeditions