Bird Island Paddle Brand Neck Gaiter

For as long as I can remember kayaking and fly fishing have fueled my spirit of adventure on the water. Ever the nomad, my idea of “home” has been an obscure one ever since graduating from Northern Arizona University with a degree in graphic design way back in 1998. Once free of academia, I balanced my time between the San Juan Mountains of Colorado and the island of Maui and worked as a freelance graphic designer. Design would become only one of my many career endeavors. I would eventually spread my wings out into the great outdoors by taking on jobs such as commercial boat captain, expedition leader, whitewater raft guide, outdoor science instructor, photographer and travel writer. My work led me to breathtaking locales such as the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the subtropical waters of Hawaii, the islands of the Salish Sea in Washington and British Columbia and to the massive glaciated fiords of Southeast Alaska. I guess I’ve always had an insatiable thirst for adventure and have been fortunate to have explored many remote places all over the world chasing trophy fish with Chasing Scale these past few years. It’s been fun bringing some of that same energy to the folks at Bird Island!

I am a wife, mother, realtor, active community member and lake-life enthusiast. I adore being on the water and connecting with friends and family. Kayaking, paddling or boating provides the space where you can feel the breeze in your hair and simply let go. Being a part of Bird Island Outfitters makes me even more grateful to live in Austin and have access to so many incredible waterways. Creating a company with like minded individuals who love nature and water, who constantly think of ways to make being on the water easier and fun is absolutely wonderful. I really love that we value the user experience by fostering confidence through simplicity and stability while taking away the fear so that our diverse community can enjoy adventures on the water.

Born in the Ozarks, I went on my first camping trip at 2 weeks old. My parents inspired me to travel, spending all my childhood summers on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas. My brother’s soccer & band career allowed me to travel the majority of Europe at a young age. I graduated with a BA in International Studies and spent years working & traveling between Colorado, Texas, and South America. Based in Ecuador, I did photography for the University of San Francisco’s Art department. My largest mountain excursion was a snow-capped volcano climb to Cotopaxi in the Andes, and I taught myself Spanish by teaching aerobics in Quito, Ecuador. Along with my husband and my two adventurous kids, I spent a year traveling & home-schooling in Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, and Ireland. Lake Travis has been base camp/home for over 22 years now and never ceases to amaze me! Always driven to be close to water, I love to share my passion to transform, heal & connect on the water in Central Texas. I am very grateful to bring this passion to all who feel the desire to reconnect and transform through nature.

Bird Island Outfitters was inspired by a weekend trip to the Texas Gulf Coast in search of redfish with my old heavy, clunky kayak and a fly rod. I came home from that trip with two ideas: the desire to immediately find a watercraft that could better meet my needs and the desire to share with others the beauty and peace of immersing oneself on the water. I hope that our paddle boards will help our customers gain the confidence and find a community that will assist them in finding the same fulfillment as I do. As a writer and former Army Ranger, I always take a particular pride in helping others along and, from my perspective, developing paddle boards and kayaks that help people is a continuation of that same pride. I look forward to seeing you on the water!