Our Purpose
About
Kayak + Connect.
Creating experiences where people reconnect — with nature, wildlife, one another, and themselves.
Welcome
A practice of paying attention, on the water and in life
We believe that some of life's most meaningful moments begin with paying attention.
To the tide.
To the osprey overhead.
To the harbor seal watching from a respectful distance.
To the quiet rhythm of your breath.
To the person paddling beside you.
To yourself.
Time in, on, and around water has a remarkable ability to settle us and awaken our sense of wonder. Science calls it Blue Mind. We simply invite you to experience it.
Our hope is that every paddle becomes more than an adventure: a chance to slow down, reconnect with nature, reconnect with one another, and reconnect with yourself.
We are not here to rush from one destination to the next. We are here to practice paying attention. Because when we pay attention, we become astonished. When we become astonished, we begin to care. And when we care, we naturally become better stewards of one another, of wildlife, and of the beautiful places we share.
This is how we move.
Welcome to Kayak + Connect.
Our Story
How Kayak + Connect came to be
Kayak + Connect was born from a simple observation: the most transformative moments on the water rarely happen in a rush. They happen when a harbor seal lingers just long enough to meet your gaze. When the tide turns and the bay goes still. When a group of strangers becomes a circle of friends around a beach fire.
We set out to create a company rooted in connection, stewardship, safety, hospitality, and community — not because those words sound good, but because they are the values that make an experience truly matter.
Nature has an unmatched power to bring people together. Tomales Bay, with its quiet shorelines, abundant wildlife, and ever-changing light, is the perfect classroom for that kind of connection.
Our Philosophy
Why these things belong together
Nature, wellness, human connection, Blue Mind, and environmental stewardship are not separate ideas. They are threads of the same fabric. Time on the water quiets the mind. Shared awe strengthens relationships. Understanding an ecosystem deepens our desire to protect it.
We create experiences that support both personal well-being and care for the places we love. Every paddle is designed to be safe enough to relax into, slow enough to notice, and rich enough to remember.
What We Stand For
Our Values
Paying Attention
The foundation of everything we do.
Hospitality
Every guest welcomed like a friend.
Safety
Thoughtful preparation, trained guides.
Stewardship
Protecting the bay we love.
Kindness
Genuine care for people and place.
Curiosity
Always learning, always exploring.
Community
Rooted in West Marin and beyond.
Professionalism
Excellence in every detail.
Lifelong Learning
Growing with every paddle.
Meet the Team
Leadership
Chuck Thiel
Founder / Managing Member
More than thirty years ago, Chuck bought a book on sea kayaking. It represented a dream he quietly carried for decades before eventually deciding it was time to let it go. Believing that chapter of his life had passed, he donated the book to a thrift store. Thankfully, the dream didn't stay there. Chuck has spent much of his life advocating for people, animals, and the environment while also seeking adventure in wild places — backpacking Wyoming's Wind River Range, canoeing the Boundary Waters, paddling the Mississippi from its headwaters to Minneapolis, and exploring the lakes of the Western Sierra. At Kayak + Connect, Chuck believes business can be a force for good — creating exceptional experiences while treating employees, guests, communities, wildlife, and the natural world with dignity and respect. For Chuck, kayaking isn't simply recreation. It's the return of a dream.
Pilar Barton
Operations Director
Pilar brings more than 16 years of international watersports, boating, kayaking, operations, and business development experience to Kayak + Connect. She spent 5.5 years in Sardegna, Italy, co-founding the Water Team watersports club at Cala di Volpe, and 10.5 years in Abu Dhabi as founder of Halla Walla — where she also created the first women's-only section of a watersports club in the United Arab Emirates. She has four years of consulting experience with startups and small businesses, and most recently spent nine months helping restructure a West Marin kayaking company. She provides leadership across safety, operations, business development, guest experience, partnerships, and community engagement.
Lindsey Swords
Director of Field Operations
Lindsey brings more than 18 years of professional outdoor industry experience to her role. She is an ACA Level 2 certified instructor, EMT, lifeguard, Wilderness First Responder, and certified underwater diver. She began her career as a lakefront lifeguard before moving to the Rockies as a whitewater rafting guide, and for the past six years has worked year-round as a kayak guide and operations leader in the Point Reyes National Seashore and Tomales Bay area. She also serves as a summer camp program director in Lake Tahoe, teaching rock climbing and mentoring young outdoor adventurers. Lindsey brings calm leadership, strong field judgment, and a deep commitment to guest safety to every trip.
Kamyar
Director of Field Operations
Kamyar's connection to the water began in the Caspian Sea as a child, and deepened when his family moved to Marin County. He started surfing at 15 at Stinson Beach and grew up hiking Mount Tamalpais, China Camp, and the Marin Water District. He discovered kayaking in his early 20s and has paddled some of California's most iconic waterways — Tomales Bay, Drakes Estero, Lake Tahoe, and Elkhorn Slough — guiding thousands of people over the past 18 years. He serves on the Board of Directors for Special Olympics and helped support the first visually impaired kayaker in the world to cross from the European to the Asian continent. At Kayak + Connect, he brings his lifelong relationship with nature, deep Marin roots, and years of guiding experience to inspire stewardship and connection.
Our Promise
Our Commitment
Safety
Our commitment to guest safety, guide training, and thoughtful decision-making comes before everything else. Every guide is certified in wilderness first aid and cold-water rescue. We never compromise on conditions, equipment, or preparation.
Hospitality
Creating experiences where every guest feels genuinely welcomed, included, and cared for. From the first hello to the final goodbye, we attend to the details that make a trip feel like a gift.
Stewardship
Respecting wildlife, protecting sensitive habitats, practicing Leave No Trace principles, and helping guests become ambassadors for the bay. We paddle lightly and lead by example.
Community
Supporting local businesses, nonprofits, schools, youth programs, and our West Marin community. We believe a strong bay is built on strong relationships — with people and with place.
