I had the opportunity to meet Rich Delong the other day. He was starting to build another Inuit Kayak, a skill he learned while leading kayak adventures in Alaska. Rich has that fire in his eyes that to another adventurer is a sure sign you’re going to have limitless fun together at some point in some adventure. Those of you seeking adventure know what I mean.

Rich and Bailey live in a treehouse in the middle of their own ohia forest. They live closer to an active volcano than a health clinic. They probably consider a mountain bike ultimately more valuable than a car which in their case runs on veggie oil.

I never heard of anyone kayaking the XXsecret-spotXX much less saw any photos of anyone doing so until Rich sent me photos the other day. In my email to Rich I asked if he was interested in posting some of his photos on this site. His response, “the photos are yours, and I’ve got plenty more (probably better) which I’ll send soon. I just got a waterproof digital so let’s get out there and get some more!”

In my email, I had expressed interest in helping Rich promote his business on the web. Rich is a real estate appraiser and hesitant to make a buck off something he enjoys so much. But he’s the kind of person that is always willing to share his passions. At least that’s what I picked up from his email.

portion of an email from Rich Delong, kayak instructor, real estate appraiser.

“if you happen to be in town tomorrow I keep two plastic traditional kayaks in Hilo and will be taking an Inuit boat (for safe keeping!!) so maybe the three of us could get together with some whales?

I graduated from UHH last year with a Business degree, but always imagined owning a kayak guiding service or outfitter which is what inspired that line of study. In hindsight (after many years of corporate-style business lessons and on-the-water experience with various kayak outfitters) I realize that making my passion a business takes the spark away very quickly!

With that said, I love instructing and guiding and have been a professional kayak instructor for over eight years (with ACA certification). I managed a kayak shop growing-up, served a the head instructor and lead guide for REI in Seattle, and earned the lead guide position for Pangaea Outfitters in Valdez, AK among many other kayak-related endeavors. Teaching people to paddle (and taking friends) is always rewarding and it has been through instructing that I’ve connected with my most direct communication skills and experienced a true connection with the craft. my only negative experiences relate to taking such an honest interest in paddling and combining that a business necessity of taking as many people as possible into the wilderness at a time and being forced to “package” a place or experience for easier mass consumption. I suppose I’m referring to my time in Alaska where, surrounded by such unfathomable (yet harsh) beauty and wilderness, I realized that not every remote place needs a human footprint and that kayaks can be much more than huge plastic or fiberglass refrigerators and garbage cans (we cooked all the elaborate meals too!)…

Hawaii. Paddling is what has kept me on the Island after many years and we have something so very special that it is even beyond the radar of most paddlers in the world. There are many challenges to taking peopleAnyway, with that aside, I would definitely be interested in getting together and talking about paddling in off-shore into open water, especially in traditional, non-sit-on-top kayaks (which, although the standard in Hawai`i, are actually very dangerous if conditions pick-up). Apart from Bayfront (which I have grown to love but would avoid by boat), surf quickly become a factor even on moderate days and there is plenty of unavoidable risk…but, even with a full or partial day of instruction in protected water, anyone can learn to paddle a “sit-in” traditional kayak and almost ALWAYS prefer the speed, responsiveness, potential, and eventual safety of a decked boat. Kayaking, among all of the many permutations of human-powered watercraft that exist today, is (in my opinion) the only type that can be safely navigated, long-distance, in ANY type of conditions (I have been in swell here ~~especially off Kau one day~~ that could swamp even a open-ocean sailboat) and this is where the kayak finally “wakes-up” and becomes alive to its intrinsic design-potential…

Cheers and Thank you!

Richard DeLong
Lawrence Appraisal Group Hawaii, Inc.
Tel 808-557-7081
Fax 808-935-6147
Rich at lawrenceappraisers.com“

So that’s a snapshot of Rich. If you’re interested in contacting Rich to see if he’s willing to break out the kayaks, please do so by email. It’s not a business for Rich. If you need a real estate appraisal, please call Rich at work.

See a photo of an Inuit Kayak at Wikipedia

Aloha