Team Dagger
Kristy Gutierrez
About Me:
Hello! I’m Kristy Gutierrez and I have been paddling for about 10 years. I’ve always loved the water from a young age and was fortunate to stumble into kayaking while I was in college at Wake Forest University. My kayaking roots and inspiration come from the rivers and whitewater kayaking community in Appalachia. However, my passion for sea kayaking was realized about 6 years ago when I moved to San Diego. It’s a whole new world with a lot of really interesting challenges from surf to conditions! I like dreaming up new paddling adventures and exploring my new home in the PNW. Surfing, rock gardening, and multi-day tours are what I’m interested in most, but introducing my whitewater friends to the sea is always top of mind.
Hometown:
New Bern, NC (Now I live in Kirkland, WA)
Dagger Kayak of Choice:
Stratos 14.5S (RPM is a close second!)
Favorite Places to Paddle:
Baja Norte, Mexico, Appalachia, Oregon Coast, California Coast
Why I Love Kayaking:
I love the energy of the water and how wild kayaking can be. Wild in nature, but also wild conditions! I also really enjoy the mystery of the ocean. Coastal kayaking, especially, is always an exercise in patience and endurance. It’s always changing by the hour or the minute. It’s really taught me the importance of good technique and observation.
Kayaking Accomplishments:
I’m an ACA L3 Coastal Kayak instructor and guide and spent the last decade professionally guiding and coordinating outdoor recreation, education, and adventure travel experiences for children and adults from South Carolina rivers to the peaks of Northern Africa.
Most Memorable Moment in Your Kayak:
The first time I went rock-gardening in Baja Norte, Mexico. I’m from North Carolina where we don’t have rugged cliffs adorning our coastline, so running features in a picturesque place that felt and looked like the whitewater rivers I’d paddled back home was incredibly exciting for me to discover-- in the sea!
Tenure with Dagger:
3 years