Kayaking guide & instructor

Hi, I’m Rodion—born by the Black Sea and shaped by the cliffs and currents of Crimea. I started working on the docks, but the sea kept pulling me further out, and over the years I moved into guiding, first as an assistant and then leading multi-day sea-kayaking trips along the coast. Today I guide with RAIDO, where we keep groups small, coach efficient strokes and rescue basics, and choose routes that blend turquoise water, sea caves, and quiet bivouac beaches. I’m as happy teaching a clean sweep stroke as I am timing a safe surf launch; progress is great, but judgment comes first. Off the water I edit trip footage and share skills as @retrodeo, trying to make paddling feel welcoming to newcomers without losing respect for the sea. Whether it’s a calm dawn crossing or a windy downwind run, I aim for the same result every time: solid teamwork, simple systems, and that quiet satisfaction when the kayaks slide onto the sand at day’s end.

Certifications

  • First Aid 
  • CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) 
  • ISKGA Sea Survival (International Sea Kayak Guide Alliance – module) 
  • ISKGA Incident Management (module) 
  • VHF Short Range Certificate (marine radio)
  • ACA Level 3 Coastal Kayaking Instructor (American Canoe Association) 
  • British Canoeing Sea Kayak Leader / Sea Kayak Coach

Key Achievements

  • Led numerous multi-day sea-kayak expeditions along the Crimean coast as a guide-instructor. 
  • Progressed from dockworker to second instructor of multi-day sea voyages; now guides full routes.
  • Helped develop RAIDO’s Mediterranean/Turkey region and completed ISKGA safety modules under instructor Lee Waters
  • Guide with RAIDO; completed numerous multi-day sea-kayaking expeditions along the Crimean coast as a guide-instructor.     

Safety statement 

I plan every coastal trip around safety: I brief the group on conditions, kit and communication, and I stick to conservative weather windows. In our RAIDO practice we take first-aid courses annually, register each trip with EMERCOM, and carry a GPS tracker and a satellite phone so support can reach us even off-grid. Your job is to paddle and enjoy the coastline; my job is to manage the route, pacing and decisions so we land safe and happy.

CERTIFICATIONS

Certified & credentialed

Verified credentials that underpin every adventure.

ACHIEVEMENTS

The record behind the record

·

Led numerous multi-day sea-kayak expeditions along the Crimean coast as a guide-instructor. 

·

Progressed from dockworker to second instructor of multi-day sea voyages; now guides full routes.

·

Helped develop RAIDO’s Mediterranean/Turkey region and completed ISKGA safety modules under instructor Lee Waters

Guide with RAIDO; completed numerous multi-day sea-kayaking expeditions along the Crimean coast as a guide-instructor.     

SAFETY

Safety is the protocol

I plan every coastal trip around safety: I brief the group on conditions, kit and communication, and I stick to conservative weather windows. In our RAIDO practice we take first-aid courses annually, register each trip with EMERCOM, and carry a GPS tracker and a satellite phone so support can reach us even off-grid. Your job is to paddle and enjoy the coastline; my job is to manage the route, pacing and decisions so we land safe and happy.

Ready to dive with Rodion?

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